The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-11-26

Tables Turned on Bruin by . Californian
IN the Mountains.

CKAH. Cal. Nov. l9.-About sixty miles
west Of here. In the highest widest part Of tho
Coast Range Mountains Is the cabin where Bog
Bowman and his mother and Hster live. They
run one Of tho queerest farms in all tho world
for they raise bears for the market
"Wo started out TO raise sheep and hogs the
same as the other ranchers, but the bears killed
thom faster than could raise thom," said Bow.
man. THE bears nte up most OF our stock and
all Of our pront and there was no way Of getting
shut of them with so much waste land about
The bears were tho best crop every year, 40
mndo up my mind that they would have 10 pay
for their keep"
Away back In the forties Mr.. Bowman and
her husband Crossed tho plains, a young couple
from Missouri When the gold hunters cane
Bowman opened tavern at tho ford Of the Sacra.
mcnto River where the city stands o-day and hero
nine children were born. II was the first out.
post Of civilization which the returning miner
cnmc upon and II was not unusual for the Bow
mans to take In 800 in the morning before the
children had eaten their brc' ;fast al in god lust
snered with the rowboat the miners summons
from the opposite bank Of lilo Ferry" and IL was
she who cooked tho, almost priceless vegetables
carried around the Horn In tins and sold IT, the
remaining in the iarHer When s BoWman NJ d ,si
bold, county'a fertile Ellis ind made home TSs
Indians came and burned her house and barn and
drove on hei cattle; bu, she never gave up the
struggle; She kept her pursuers at bay with her
IiAe and covered her retreat to the nearest neigh.
Dor. FIVE miles TO tue south. II wes the last ont
her all and the Federal Government is still delay
for her claim for reimbursement She moved
further south into Mendocino county and took up
There were so many bears on tho ridge that they
ate he sheep and hogs and even the chiclcns
none Of them was carried away The children
Nave hts oil grown Up and married except Bog aud
brother, and many Of the pelts which go 10 Tho
CITY IN the spring have her name written inside
When any q the family kills the mother bear i, is
an invarable custom 10 hiring home the cubs To
Mary falls the duty Of bringing them up Pansy
is the only bear they have ever kept for many
was wiling to par, With her .pd lii " she h.s Sa
,r break her chain h end wander nbon, creating
bury and r. al s,Ds sG %b End Ind
apron full OF apples Mrs Bowman would give
them one a. timo 70 the brutc. rapping her smart
.hs Ese1. BLACK ,aSed grws bor, tho End q the
white hair Mrs bowman steps over he steep,
rough trails about her home as lightly as a boy.
nn,o up 'nets 80 near ne akv she had found tho
OF hardship
bog Is Ike his mother, 0 feet inches tall; thin
Simple, horoSt, hospitahlc, but with strange ideas
oi the majesty Of the law they live AT tho ton Of
tnc mountain rliRe owners Of oil the land In sipht
rom the height where tho cabin stn nda Rng
has laid down laws. and whoever comes within
his domain must obey them No dog that noieed
a deer could stay longer than a man who would
shoot doc or ye,rling or bird In the mating
must be respected ~ "'''
And the ranch pays we'll There are from no
20 100 pclts every year and they bring in from
from $50 10 $40. Bosides ierked bear meat is very
good Indeed and so Ia bear steak when The bears
have lived on nuts OF an Occarionnl mig or sheen
for sandwich Add 10 'hcse items an occasional
Sgh or slCo Tor a cub and as farms go Bowman's
band Of hogs Wv "''"""'