Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1897-02-27
ATTACKED BY 4 FIERcE COUGAR.
The Wild Beast Sprang at a Train
Crossing q TrestIe.

To battle with huge mountain lion
7 feet in length and 253 pounds in
weight on a trestle at night Is the
thrilling experience that has just be-
fallen Edward c. Depew, an engineer
on the Great Northern Railroad. The
fierce beast leaped at the engine and
narrowly escaped crashing through
the window of the cab. Altogether,
the episode was one Of the most ex-
citing that a railroad man has ever
experienced. Your correspondent
acting on instructions, finally pre-
vailed upon Engineer Depew to write
an account Of his adventure, believing
that additional interest would be lent
by the fact OF the story coming from
his own pen. Mr.. Depew's statement
is as follows:
II was the engineer in charge of
engine No. arg, of the Great Northern,
which was attacked by monster
cougar, or mountain lion. You can
have little idea of the horror of the
experience. The glistening of the
beasts eyes as it lay crouched on the
rails, all prepared to make its power
full spring was awful to behold. |
frankly confess that / was SO frightened
that my hair seemed to stand on end.
/ would have shouted, am sure. if ]
had not been too terrified to do so.
"At the time of the adventure was
pulling the overland passenger train
going east, and as we were few
minutes late we were trying to make
up little time. After we had left
Lowell, and almost two miles east of
there, about half way across long
trestle, my fireman, George Lawrence,
jumped down off his seat box and
came quickly to my side of the engine.
/ noticed a startled look on his face,
and turned quickly, asking what was
the matter. The intensity Of the stu
alton can be understood only bya man
who has travelled on an engine, dash
ing at high rate of speed through
the darkness, with only confidence to
keep his mind at ease. l knew that
something was wrong, and it seems
as if in that one short minute a mil
lion thoughts flashed through my
mind. Again l 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.
IA cold Precipitation broke out on
my brow. / looked ahead and saw,
through the darkness, some black
looking object on the track. My first
thought was of some obstruction on
the track. For second the thought
of jumping flashed through my mind.
but banished it.
This takes quite awhile to tell
but it could only have been a few
seconds at the most in which it all
happened.
LAS soon as l saw the obstruction
on the track felt that a possible ac-
cident was at hand. Nothing could
be doue. We were to close to the
danger, and the fright had the same
effect on me that it had on Lawrence.
1t took away my power of speech.
Instinctively crawled out of the cab
onto the side of the engine
1.-The train dashed on, and an in
slant after had discerned the form l
saw the monsters eyes flashing
through the darkness, green and vel
low by turns. Lawrence was still in
the cab, speechless, with fixed eyes
and finger outstretched toward the
animal. His expression was fright
full to look upon. The whole scene
was so horrifying that it was photo
graphed on my brain so clearly as to
make me able to describe every detail
that occurred in those few short sec.
onds.
GAS the train approached the lion,
l could see it prepare to leap. and
finally when the leap was made, tie
situation was so dramatic as to be al
most theatrical in effect. The head
light of the engine threw its rays on
the crouching animal, and when it
plunged into the flood oflight, it look
ed as if its mission of death would
surely be successful.
THE force of the jump was aston
ishing, and as the body of the beast
crashed into the edge of the engine
front, the sound echoed through the