The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-09-06
W BEARS STOP A TRAIN.
GOT FIRED OF WAKING THE TIES
ON A LONG BRIDGE.

GOT TIRED OF WAKING THE TIES
ON A Love BRIDGE.
30 They sat Down Between the Rails or . Track
ana wouldn't BudEe, EotwithstandinE the
Vigorous ProddinE or Their Ownera-steam
from tho RnEiuo Proved More ETective.
Two trained bears which found walking on
railroad tics a little woarisomo held up n fast
express train on the New Jersey Central Rail-
road for half an hour on Monday morning, a
week ago. Tho bears sat down in the middle Of
tho track on tho long bridge over the Raritan
River, and neither the rumbling OF an approach
Ing train nor tho whistle which tho engineer
sounded caused Them to move. The train had
to como to q full stop, and 1t took thirty min
utcs TO remove the boars.
For a few weeks two Swiss peasants have been
exhibiting tho bears In the summer resorts and
villages along tho Jersey coast. The bears arc
old-timers at the performing business, and al.
though usually mild and obcdiont enough, occa-
sionally got obstrcperous and give their owners
trouble. Both are trick w~restlcrs. They also
can stand on their heads, dance, climb trees,
ring bells, and do q dozen other penny-collect.
ing things.
On Sunday a week ago their owners gave
performances in Perth Amboy and on Sunday
night slept with the bears In o stable in that
place. Bright and carly Monday morning they
lcII FoTLn ANNOY y SOutn annoy, GLOWING
the railroad tracks. When they reached the
Raritan River they decided to go across the
railroad trestle instead OF turning of q few
miles to o point where there is q passenger
bridge. A man Ii stationed at the beginning Of
the trostlo usually whose business It Is to
warn people not 10 cross and TO prevent cattle
from wandering on the structure. Tho bridge
Is over half a mile long and very low. In the
middle is . draw. The rails are laid on open
A. A.
WS;at Sns l i%Sis The ho PEASANTS easa a9t to s st%rt aePoss
II with the bears 10 u mystery. They probably
ssS4sa iho 'h ri1er IT. w 8s i any 0n rste mI ,Sey d I'D Sf s,api:
and tho bears, refreshed by their nights rest,
took H,t Ssry y1 f1sdI Hsd to the me ties .Iss e, h !; , mil. tn.~
FSt sa5'd 10 q bulge shs 'ri By B sS shlsy sat ys aSNn "o oa
within a few feet Of the draw; There the ami.
and stayed there despite the efforts OF their
masters. Twenty minutes Of %prodding and
all arguments. They not only declined 10 no:
sit between the north and south tracks. Two
; railroad hands ran over from the draw to tell
track in a few minutes and tha, Il they ! wanted
: The bears they'd better move them. ThG men
> the utter futili.y Of further Efforts in that
! landed the men in the waters OF the Raritan.
. The two railroad hands quickly withdrew TO
4 stood ready to disconnect themselves from the
rest of tho ~trestle at the first sign Of hostile in.
tcntions on the part of the animals. But tho
bears didn't mako a move. They only wanted
, to be let alone.
l track in a few minutes was the special morn.
} Ing express which leaves Asbury PARK. at 7:3o
[ o'clock Monday mornings and brings business
,, men who have been at the summer resorts
i along the road over Sunday to the city. II Is
{ a fast train and makes only one or two stops
i, The hears were still resting on the track when
= The train hove in sight, coming At fun speed;
I the train and knelt and i~nplored the bears to
8 get out Of tho way, but it was all in vain. The
train came on and the bears continued To blink
Q at their masters as though they didn't care
: whether school kept or NOT,
0 II the train had not come to a stands'ill is a
question: Ono OF the draw tenders, however
i TS%t was ' ali t ths,n sa aRsa the the b eaaw VIZ Whs SPfhn s
got near enough. Engineer Kline saw that the
: real cause OF the delay, SO he whistiedd furious.
$ ly and came slowly ahead. The bears looked
unconcerned. Kline whistled again. while the
2 1fFe w"s 4, hu Fl no 'a aHnIf. S Of sSHi at +! The G sssrs ss
o o W SSa5, AN. and Enxtne q, X e, toll"SSd b y
tried TO chase the bears away. One or two
went too near and got cutIed for their pains
i'S tN"A INV aAN'fNN 1919 "a oue a.
y was OF no use.
Q Meantime the news that two bears were
L holding up the train had spread through the
= cars. and passengers came tnmblirR out TO see
u the fun. Some enjoyed II, while others were in
dignnnt. One man cried ont loudly against The
n delay. saying that 1t might mean thousands OF
3 dollars to him unless he got 10 the city before
a similar grievances. but all Conductor Waidmar
!, could say was:
( They won't move. I don't see what W,
4 can do"
" Back up and give them a boost into tn,
n river" shouted one man.
a Throw Coal at them" cried another.
/ whats the matter with tying ropes to thos'
c ginc, and, backing into South Amboyl" sug
Hcsted n third man.
Turn some hot water on them." came from
the rear OF the crowd.
This last was regarded as the first sensible
suggestion made. The owners protested
against adopting the suggestion, but they wer,
disregarded. Tho passengers. who, had beef
poking the bears with umbrellas and canes ant
having n lot Of fun with them, were ordered
back into the cars, and then n volume OF steam
was turned on. II completely enveloped tn,
Is animals, but from tho midst came snorts ant
squeals which showed that II was having III,
. desired effect. When the cloud OF steam ros
the bears were on the north track, standing
IT up. and apparently all ready TO proceed. The.
10 were q very much disguised pair of bears, AM
- walked along peaccAbly enough when tho peas
toward South Amboy with them.
d Engineer Kline lost no time in getting pas
the hears. and tho last tho passengers saw o
Q the animals they were still walking slow,
along the ties. led by their owners.