The Wadsworth dispatch. [volume] (Wadsworth, Nev.) 1892-1899, 1897-05-12
Waas~Urtn il. patch,
fss-issEo
- 90 Per Annufn.
ATTACKED BY A COUGAR.

The Feast Leaped Full at the Locomotive
of an Express Train.
70 do battle with "A huge noun
tain lion Z feet in length and
233 pounds in weight, on a trestle
at night, is the thrilling experience
that befell Edward c. Depew, an en-
gineer on the Great Northern rail.
road. The fierce beast leaped at the
engine and narrowly escaped crash
ing through the window of the cab.
Altogether the episode was one of
the most exciting that a railroad
man has ever experienced. Mr.. De
pew S statement is as follows:
Il was the engineer in charge of
engine 10. 219 of the Great North
rrn, which was attacked by a mon
tter cougar, or mountain lion. | was
pulling the overland passenger train
going east, and as we were a few
minutes late we were trying to
make up q little time. After we had
lott Lowell, and almost two miles
east Of thlre, about half way across
a long trestle, my fireman, George
Lawrence, jumped down off his
seat box and came quickly to my
! q OF the engine. | noticed a star
tled looh on his face, and, turning
quickly, asked what was the matter,
but he did not speak. All he could
do was to glare through the window
Of the cab and point ahead. Hooked
ahead and saw, through the dark
ness, some black looking object on
tie track. Ny first thought vas of
some obstruction On the track. For
a second the thought OF jumping
flashed through my mind, but l ban
ished it. This takes quite a while TO
tell, but it could only have been q
lew seconds at the most III which il
all happened.
AS soon as | saw the obstruction
on the track ! fell that Il possible
accident wasat hand Nothing could
De done. We were too close 10 tie
danger, and the fright had the same
effect on me that it had on Law
renee. 1t took away my power of
speech. Instinctively | crawled ont
Of the cab ON to the side OF the en-
CINE. The train dashed on, and an
instant after | had discerned the
form | saw the monster s eyes flash
ing through the darkness, green
and yellow by turns. Lawrence IA
Stiil in the cab, speeches.. with fix
ei eyes, anp finger ousstrcrcsed TO
ward the auillal. his expression
MAS ~fr.ghtfnl 10 Look upon. AS the
train approached TIN lion ! could
STE il lIe part 10 spring, anu finally,
when the leap was made. the force
vas astonishing. 70 jump then vas
certain d:iitu, for we weaa right III
the center vi the trestie, and yet ae
tie lion mile its leap | could al
most fed is hot breath Oh lay
throat.
when the engine crashed INFO
the beast, on it cIashr,1 into III" en-
gire, whichever way you wish 10
put it, tue lion fell back on TO the
~trestle, ~writnlng as if III frightful
agony, and theli, for the first time,
[ realized that the danger was over.
| learned afterward that the cougar,
after we had struck it, lodged in the
cross ties of the trestle. It was found
there by the tram rev of engine
4qo, who picked it up and brought
! II to SKY !iomlsh. There it was skin
/ ned. Tie claws were taken by some
OF The 0fa.cr iirelnen and engineers,
who had watch charms made of
them, which L very attractive
AID iook 1otnewhat like the emblem
worn by Che knights Templars,
The Least was still alive when the
men of No. 49S discovered it, but its
hind legs were car off, and when
the men got down to investigate
hey kept 1T a safe distance until 1t
was known to be dead. In fact,
Foreman John G. Wright would not
60 near it until hs had e,nptied a
counle of chambers OF his revolver
into il. 'Ilen they fastened Ii to the
cowcatcher.- lowell (Wash.) Letter
il Phil4aeirbia Tines.