The morning times., 1897-01-31
At TACkED fbYIA
FIERCE COUGAR
The Wild Beast Sprang at
a Train Crossing
a Trestle

Lowell, Wash, j an. 27.ATo battle with n
huge mountain lion7 feet in length and 253
pounds in weight, on a trcstle at night is
the thrilling experience that has lust be-
fillen Edward G. Depew, an senrinee. on
the Great Northern Railroad The fierce
beast leaped at the engine and narrowly es-
capped crashing through the window of the
cab. Altogether, the episode was one of
the most exciting that a railroad man has
ever experienced. Your correspondent act
ing on instructions, finally prevailed upon
Engineer Depew to write an account OF his
adventure. believing that additional inter
est would be lent by the fact OF the story
coming from his own pen.r MI Depew's IS
statement is as follows:
II was the engine in charge of engine
No. 219 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 gilstening
of the beast'seyes as it lay crouc he'd on the
rails, all prepared to make its powerful
spring was awful To behold. frankly CON
fess that I was 50 frightened that my hair
seemed to stand on end. l would have
shouted, am sure, il i 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 a few minutes late
we were trying TO make up a little time.
After we had left Lowell and almost two
iuiles east of there, about half way across
a long trestle, my fireman, George Law
renee, jumped down off5his seat box and
came quickly to my side OF the engine.
noticed Il startled look on his face, and
turned dquici;ly, asking whatwas S the matter
The intensity of the situation can he under
stool only by man who has Travelled on an
engine, dashing at a high rate of speed
through the darkness, with only confidence
To keep his mind at case. l knew that
something was wrong, an it Seetns as if in
that one short minute a million thoughts
flashed through my mind. Again | asked
Lawrence what was tho matter, but he did
not speak. His eyes seems fixed All he
could 90 was to glare through the window
OF the cab and point ahead.
"A cold perspiration broke out on my
brow / looked ahead ana saw, through
the darkness, some blacklooking object on
the track Ny first thought was of some
obstruction on the track For a second the
thought of jumping flashed through my
mind but hanished ib.e
This takes quite awhile to tell, but it
could only have been asfew seconds at the
most in which it all hBppened.
LAS soon as | saw the obstruction on the
track felt that possible sccident was at
hand. Nothing could besiene/ We were too
close to the danger, aad the fright had the
same effect on me THAT il had on Law
renee. 1t took away fas power OF speech.
Instinctively crawiedsou OF the cab onto
the side ofthc engine.A
The train dashed sen,s and an instant
after | had discernrdf She form saw the
monsters eyes flashing thraagh the dark
ness, green and yellowb Surns Lawrence
was still in the cab, sbeeeliIess. with fixed
eyes and finger oaCSereschsl ltBward the ami
NAL. His expression was fIfghtfal to look
upon. Tie whole. scene was so horrify-
ing that it was Photographed on my BRAN
so clearly as TO make hrG, able to describe
every detail that occurred in those few
short seconds.
LAS the train approached the lion,
could see it prepare to leap, and finally
when the leap was made, the situation
was so dramatic as to be almost thea
tricai in effect. The headlight of the
engine threw its rays on the crouching
animal, and when 1t plunged into the