The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-05-25
PARK ON MAN HUNT
ANIMALS FJERcELY RESESTED TIE
PAINTING OF THEIR CAGE.

Some Lofty TumblinG While Armed Keep
ers Kept the Enrnged Grizzlies Mt Bay.
The Central Park bears had a LOT Of fun yes.
terday with three inoffensive journeymen
painters. The painters were employed by the
Park Department to paint the bear cages a
bright and springlike green. The bears didn't
like the paint and they still less liked the i'm
peYtlnence OF the painters in comihg into the
cage. The bear cage in the Park Zoo, as every
small boy knows. is built out from a ledge OF
rock in the highest part Of the Zoo. known
as Bear Hill. The top Of the ledge Is inside the
cage. and as It is very steep a ladder has been
built from the lower part OF the cage to the top
OF the ledge to help the bears in climbing it.
Tho cage Is divided by a partition OF iron bars.
In one half is the white polar bear. which has
lived in the Park for fourteen years. Its mate
died q few years ago. and since then It has
been morose and I'll tempered. In the other
half VI the cage are a pair OF grizzly bears that
have been In the Park for four years. They
are scarcely more reconciled to the discomforts
OF prison life than II they had been in captiv-
ity only n day or two. Even Billy Snyder. who
makes friends with tho lions and tigers and
tickles the backs OF the alligators. is not alto
gether at his ease in the presence OF the
grizzlies.
The painters were duly impressed with the
character OF the animals on whose homo they
were working when they began painting the
outside OF the cages. Billy Snyder and Pat
Marin. his able colleague, shouted cautionary
advice to them whenever they passed the
cages. Two small boys at different times
burst into tears because their nurses wouldn't
let them stay to see II the bearses was
going to eat the painter mans" The bears
themselves uttered mild Iemonstrances when
ever a painter put his arm through the bars to
reach the inside of the cage. When the painters
were working on top Of the cage tho grizzlies
kept beneath them like shadows. There was q
bloodshot nt-mindedness in the upward
glance Of the animals that greatly hindered
really artistic work.
The outside painting was completed on
Tuesday. The painters informed Director
Smith yesterday morning that before they went
inside those bear cages to do any painting the
bears must come out. There was nothing In
the constitution or bylaws OF their union. they
asserted with much earnestness. that author
lied them to minRle a Roman gladiatorial COM
bat with their trade. Mr.. Smith said that it
was very foolish in them to be afraid Of the
bears. They were such simple. unagres-
sive bears. whose only object In life was to
entertain and instruct the children OF this i'm
perial city. Never but once had they been in
tractable. the painters were assured. and that
was when the Hon. William Leary. then secre-
tary OF the Park Board. had contemplated
making them part OF a picturesque addition to
the programme Of the spring games OF the
Leary Rangers. The bears upon that occasion
retired TO the top OF their artificial tree and
dared the secretary. in gestures that spoke
louder than words. to put his noble counte-
nance inside their doors.
The painters were not satisfied with Mr..
Smiths assurances. They had seen the bears
fed and they were OF no mind to be used as
into the cave at the back Of the grizzly cage:
Mr.. Smith told the painters that he would send
loved snyder and Marin and would never mis-
conduct themselves, he said. In their presence.
ths t Psinss.s WWS went waved 9Tt; FRO ron af bars ts eonade %,f9
around their heads. consented to accept Mr..
They |, said that Just to accustom themselves
to the thing easily they thought they would
rather begin in the polar bears side Of the
PAINTERS edged respectfully around the cage to
the partition. The polar bear sat Ia the cor.
a asbS end s ,Seia h sss asss IT into th tSslr T psfls Sbs sfors
az. across S.u the cage cage. 'T Thse three Se'i painters faced
''s'HHt eyyS they called to tho keepers. What
se rsai s snydis yo to G ss. T Sssf. s sad p]Ia ,TRHl1' tapS ped
Is nose with his iron bar. II The ! bear ,5 rubbed bed
Them i Il started Of. apparently to return to its
corner. Instead the beast made a detour and
S Mansin az r. Ths Da paintsr Sh m nns nSHn Fa'f hurris 90
along the bars as rapidly as ever they could.
ana Maft The T Sess backed %is Ie on ar an~d III SiF HT'sf mater after;
oyssF Bi.r.ryn he said after a while.
The younger Of the painters set down his
Snyder; persuaded him TO go back, The bear
e p"ia ate f"t sS 1ahSf lodged itSG towardi the DOOR DOOR.
SSlnsh an, Fhe! l'a man maze threw as his IS pail "a hf faiI
a. the bears head and ESCAPED !, Tn bear
ance Of deep scientific Interest, He scooped it
down into a corner; rubbed his nose IN the
az eiaborst S' 'ssahsme d sssIi:deeoratiSn th SSsDis i
I IIEsIS M g m9 ksio t aian syf f ! t f%s airs S rsnt ssi ss.
tween a polar bear and a ehameleon; ,.u
. .su III s,, sSid oa The ia e9 sna p snniS oG Ghrr tt they s
merry, Hes decorated in honor OF the
oHFSSe s so Sirthhd ass; wa. indeed q IT o,;so, ~
head a St. Patrick,s day parade, The Keepers
swallowed enough Of the paint to do him seri-
There WASH. any Joking done on the grizzly
when the keepers and painters filed in. The
painters had been, coached not TO seem any
The polar bear, Marin. told them, wouldn't
have been nearly so much Interested In them
had they acted as though they painted boar
cages every day Of their lives: The painters
accordingly began to paint the air and one an
others backs busily. as soon as they were inside
this bars. lust. to seem occupied. They had
barely reached the bars when the grizzlies
charged out Of the cave. Marin met thp big
Club; The other one d9dged back when
Snyder started for her. The bears have be-
come accustomed TO- the keepers and really
parently felt that Snyder and Marin. were
going too far In this Introduction OF %piehald,
slowly back to thu, cave, and then. as ii, at, a
spoken signal. whirled about to repeat the
charge. Snyder saw by the look In the animals
shouted to the painters.
Look out you ellers. he shouted. There's
blood on the moon"
In another minute the keepers, clubs were
painters made an oblique dash for the artificial
tree in the middle OF the cage and scrambled
70 the platform at the top with surpris-
tie laddsrs that runs Ets'f to the " tor. 81
the ledge. Snyder and Marin. keepinRstheir
weapons flying all, the time. backed away
before the bears aud kept their attention from
the retreatinR painters. A moment later the