The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-11-18
WHITNEY'S WEEKLY
BUDGET OF, NEWS
Tom Rockwell's Remarkable Experience
with q Big Bear.
LAST WILD GEESE IN THE SKIES
Useful Inventions by Susquchanna
County Observation-Disclosures Is
Painted Red..News Of Interest to
Railroad BOys..lnteresting Bits Of
County Gossip..-PersOnal and
Other Notes.
Special to the Scranton Tribun.

Susuuehanna. Nov. 17.-Tom Rock
well, Susuuehanna county's famous
hunter. has Just arrived home from
the Williamsport section, full of stories
of his experience. He says: "One DAY,
when on my way from town 10 our
hunting camp, my horse was well loau-
ed with flour, bacon and other stuf'
and l had my rifle lying across the
flour sack in front of me-. My horse
seemed to be dreaming, as was, when
out of the brush in front OF our pain
walked a great black bear. My horse
gave a snort and wheeled like flash
throwing me into the brush as he de-
parted down the gorge as II all the
bears in the country were at MS heels.
! had no revolver and my rifle was
travelling down the mountain. My
knowledge of bears Is somewhat limit
ed, and that particular time l was not
anxious for any new acquaintance IN
that line, but not so the bear. he
seemed to regard me with a friendly
eye, for he boldly. advanced. while
made for tree wifi all the speed that
my legs We're capable of. The bear
wanted to keep me company, for ne
got to the foot of the tree that / had
gained a limb about six feet from the
ground. The tree was just about small
enough for the fellow to climb, and he
he could reach. I was In a bad fix and
with no way to help myself. l had no
knife, but good luck and happy thought
helped me. l had a canteen of kerO-
scene oil suspended around my back,
which I though would make his eyes
smart and drive him away. The oil
had no effect on his eyes, If it man
aged to get in them, for the miserable
brute continued TO look at me and
20, ri a
Cured to me. I had a fresh box of
matches. and If could set fire to the
oil that I poured over the bears head
the battle was won. l made several
attempts to drop burning matches on
the oily hair of the bear. but the luci-
ferS either went out or missed the
mark. l had no paper. but l managed
to tear a piece of the lining out of my
vest and, getting a limb almost three
feet long, fastened the rag to it, set
fire to the rag, and with more satisfac-
tion than ! ever did anything before
lowered the burning rag at the end Of
the stick until about three feet of the
bears Oil-sOacked head, and let it drop.
In about one second l was enjoying all
the fun to myself and the other fellow
was in trouble. The oil instantly took
fire. and the blaze from the burning
hair was something good for one in my
piuNV w SdHC At. lie animal WAS sur
prised beyond the limit of any bears
imagination. One howl of pain. then
up went the paws to rub the burning
head, to get burned for their trouble
followed by another howl; then down
went the nose into the dirt, but no re-
lief, when with terrible howl the bear
made rush through the brush and up
the mountain out of sight. When I
descended I was the hapDiest man in
all that county,"
MILLIONS IN THEM-PERHAPS
A Great Bend man has invented a
device for heating purposes. The ap-
paratus. which is very cheap, can be
placed in the fire box of a coal burning
boiler and will burn kerosene oil. It is
claimed that about two gallons of oil
every twenty-four hours will generate
SUFFICIENT steam to heat an ordinary
building.
Joseph Stevens. Of Forest City, has
applied for letters patent on a bicycle
1t has double chainless gear, which
can be changed from high to low and
back to high without the rider dis
mounting or stopping the wheel. The
rider can throw with his foot the lever
changing the gear.
HOME HAPPENINGS.
Lanesboro Republicans painted the
little borough bright crimson hue
on Saturday evening.
The Oakland Ku Klux Klan is still
wandering over these humped and
huddling hills, with no man to molest
or make 1t afraid.
After prolonged illness, Mrs. Mich
ael Callahan, an esteemed resident,
died last evening.
A friend in Cleveland yesterday sent
al txx,n
and small one. The large one was
labelled Mckinley" the small one
Bryan"
The smoke of battle has hardly
cleared away ere sundry self -sacrific-
ing Susquehanna patriots make mad
rush to secure the postmastership, and
the hunt for autographs has COM
menced. Up to date, George w. Shaeff,
Colonel W. II. Telford and George Tis-
dell are in evidence. And there are
Others" The term of Postmaster Mar
tin ]. Ryan will expire in about one and
one-half years. The concensus of pub
lie opinion is that Mr.. Ryan has been
one of the very best postmasters the
town ever had-and this Is saying con-
siderable. He is efficient, prompt and
obliging, and his assistants are also
deservedly popular.
SOME LOST WILD GEESE.
A large flock Of wild geese, carrying
umbrellas and lanters lettered "16 to l."
passed over the town yesterday. They
were Bryan geese from Kansas. en-
route to Texas. They were last in the
"enemy's country" and unable to tell
where they were at. They finally got
into a harrow shape. and disappeared
south by southeast.
The Jefferson Branch Union Of socie-