The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-02-05
ATTACKED BY A LION.
Thrilling Adventure OF Railroad
Men in Washington State.
Sprang at Engineer Dcpew OF the
Great Northcrn Railway.

on trestle az ulgnt Is the thrliing ex
pcrlcnce that has just bcfallen Edward c.
Dcpcw, an engineer on the Great Northerb
railroad The fierce beast lcapcd at tn,
engine. and narrowly escaped crashing
through the window of the cab Altogeth
er the episode was one OF the most exciting
that a railroad man has ever experienced.
Your correspondent acting On instruc
tiors, finally prevailed upon Engineer Do
pew TO write an account of his adventure
believing that additional interest would bs
len. by the fact OF The story coming from
his own pen Mr.. Depew statement is a.
follows:
~ was the engineer In charge OF Engin,
No. 2l0 Of the Great Northern which wa,
attacked by monster cougar, or inountaii
hon You can have little idea OF the hor
ror Of the experience. The glstcning o,
the beasts eyes as &c lay crouched on tn,
rails all prepared TO make Its powerful
spring was awful 10 behold. frankly
confess that l was so frightened that my
hair seemed TO stand on end. i woulc
have shouted, am sure II had not beer
too terrified 20 do so.
"At the time of the adventure I was pull
ing the overland passenger train goint
east, and as we were a few minutes lat,
we We're trying TO make up little time
After we had left Lowell and almost twt
miles east of there, about half way acros.
long trestle, my fireman, George Law
renee, jumped down off his featbox anc
came quickly To my side of the engine. }
noticed "a startled lock on his face anC
turned quickly, asking what was the mat
ter. The intensity Of the situation cep b'
understood only by n man who has travelled
on an engine dashing at high rate o
speed through the darkness with only con
fdence 10 keep mis- mind at ease. l knew
that something was wrong, and IL seemed
as II in that one short minute a million
thoughts flashed through my mind. Agar
/ asked Lawrence what was the matter
but he did not speak. His eyes seemed
fixed. All he could do was to glare through
the window of the cab and point ahead.
"a cold perspiration broke out on IN,
brow. / looked ahead and saw through
the darkness some black looking object OF
the track. My first thought was of SOM,
obstruction On the track. Sor secono
the thought of jumping flashed through
my mind, lut banished 1t. This :akei
quite awhile TO tell, but 1t could only nav,
been few seconds at che most IN which II
all happened.
''As soon as i saw the obstruction OF
the track / felt that possible accident
was at hand. Nothing could be done. w,
were too close TO the danger, and tn,
fright had the same effect on me that IL
had on Lawrencc--t took away my power
of speech. Instinctively crawled out o.
the cab on TO the side of the engine.
1.-THE train dashed on, and an instan
after i had discerned the form saw tn,
monsters eyes flashing through the dark
ness, green and yellow by turns. Lawrenc,
was still in the cab, speechless, with fixec
eyes and finger outstretched toward tn,
animal His expression was frightful t.
look upon. The whole scene was so horri
flying that it was photographed on my
brain so clearly as TO make me able to de
scribe every detail that occurred in thos,
few short seconds
''As the train approached the lion ]
could see 1t prepare to spring, and finally
when the leap was made, the situation
was so dramatic as TO be almost theatrical
in effect. The headlight of the engin.
threw its rays on the crouchng animal
and when IL plunged into :he flood OF
light It looked as if its mission of deatl
would surely be successful.
1.-THE force Of the jump was astonishing
and as the body of the beast crashed inx
the edge of the engine front the sounc
echoed through the silence again ant
again, To jump then was certain death
for we were right In the center Of the
trestlc, and yet, as the lion made It's leap,
could feel its hot breath on my throat.
"When the engine crashed into tn,
beast, or it crashed into the engine, which
ever way you wish TO put 1t, the lion fel
Ia,l 60 eli
frightful agony. and then for the first
time realized that the danger was over.
II learned afterward that the cougar
after we had struck It, lodged In the eros,
tics of the trestlc. II was found there by
the train crew Of engine No. 49S, wht
picked 10 up and brought IL TO Skysko
mish. There IL was skinned. The claw,
were taken by some of the other firemer
and engineers, who had watch charml
made of them, which are very attractiv,
by Knights Templars
"The beast was sill alive when the mer
Of No 49S discovered Il. but its hind legs
were cut off. and when the men got dowr
10 investigate they kept at safe dstanc,
until it was known 70 be dead In fac
Foreman John c. Wright would rot gt
near it until ne had implied couple Of
chambers Of his revolver into it. The,
they fastened IL to Tie cowcatchcr and toob
1t TO Skyskomish.
"This is the whole story, ard I can as
sure you | Go not want 10 pass through
another ouch experience "
Engineer Depew IS - fac specimen o!
manhood, and his statement that nc felt
frightened Is not looked upon here. wher,
he is known, rs any expression OF coward
ice. Depow Is feet inches In height
weighing 40 pounds, and Is well knowt
ss the champion Ct the oppressed or weak
or side N any dispute that calls for his ac
ton. His record as an engineer has OF
many occasions chowu h.n TO I've NOR,
than ordinarily brave man. - Pittsburt
Dispatch.