Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1897-11-12
A LION IN A q AVE.
Old Puts Feat Repeated BY 1aa Whs
Had Lost Colt.

Old Puts Feat Repeated BY . Naa Whs
Had Lost . Colt.
One Of the many incident to of bravery
or foolhardiness occurring in Colorado
took place near Debeque, Mesa county, |
in the spring of 1886. At that time tho
Roam Creek Toll Road company owned
and was operating toll road through
the Hogback canyon, be tween Grand
Junction and the Garfield county line,
and the superintendent was young
man by the name of John A. Rhone.
printer by trade, but who proved to be
a careful and competent officer Of the
company. The country through which
the road ran is wild and picturesque
one, and in those days the rugged can
yons were fairly alive with mountain
lions, a cowardly but de- tructive AMI
NAL.
To maintain the road the company
kept several horses, among which was
fine blooded Kentucky mare, which
the president of the company had Sc
cured from a passing emigrant in ex-
change for another horse. The mare
was turned out with some of the com
pany's horses which were not then in
use, and in q short time she dropped
a fine colt. The mare and colt were
progressing finely, until one morning
the entire band came rushing wildly
down from the hills to the toll camp.
The colt was missing, and the mares
side was covered with bio d and the dis
tinct impressions of the claws OF
mountain lion, which evia IDENTIFY made
spring, but not getting a firm hold
simply scratched down the mares side,
leaving deep bleeding trail OF each
claw.
The sight Of the mare painting, fright
ened and bleeding and the loss OF the
colt SO enraged Rhone that he immedi-
ately seized his Winchester and started
out for the scalp of the mountain lion
which had done the mischief. BY fol-
lowing the trail of the horses he soon
found the place where the brute had
seized the colt, and then it was not dit
fcult to follow the cours Sc the lion had
taken with its prey. Turning abruptly
around ledge of rocks he surprised the
lion making breakfast from the re-
mains of the colt. Before he could raise
his Winchester to fire the beast retreat
ed into a cave in the rocks. Not to lost
his game, Rhone Immediately built
, fire and attempted to smoke it out, bu
that failed, SO, raking the embers away
| from the mouth Of the cave. Rhone pro
, ceeded to crawl into the lions den OF
! his hands and knees, but soon the en-
trance got so small he had to lie down
and finally his body filled the entire cav
), ity. q
Just then he heard a growl. and i'm
i mediately before him he could see wha
0 appeared to be two balls OF fire. Rail
$ ing his Winchester as much as he coul
= and aiming at the space between tn
r eyes, he fired. There was roar and
= spring, but young Rhone was out
Y harms way. Proceeding back to CAM
y he procured a rope and the colored COO
! called Punch, and they dragged his lioa
:. ship ANONYMOUSLY forth by the fee
The beast was a monster in size, but Il
"a day of depredations were over. Rhor
: is now one of the proprietors OF the Ne
~ Era Standard, at Kearney, Neb., and
"a living a quiet and religious life. AT
y Punch, the happy coon who worked 4
: the company for several years - COO
a Is now selling hot tomales at Cripp
!. Creek.-Denver Field and Farm.