The Coalville times. [volume] (Coalville, Utah) 1894-1923, 1899-07-14

MIN
miles from Fort Steele, Il. G. Last
winter they lived In small cabin
near by and made living By hunting.
The state OF Idaho and southern British
Columbia contain more bears than any
other part OF this continent. OF these
the black bear Is the most common.
but there are many brown bears and
q number OF grizzlies. Messrs. Green
ough and Miles have killed thirteen
bears this winter. Bear No. 10. after
almost killing Mr.. Greenough met his
death in an extraordinary manner.
One morning recently the two miners
went to their claim as usual. II was
Just growing daylight. The shaft is
about ten feet long and seven in
width. In the last two days OF their
work they uncovered peculiar gray
rock about ten feet from the surface
OF the ground. Before they knocked
of work on Thursday evening they
prepared to blast the rock. and put In
u stick OF dynamite with a Illuminating
cap appliance
Some time during the night big
grizzly happened along and fell into
the shaft. He was so big and cum
bersome that ne could not get out.
but that did not worry him great
deal. for he lay down In one corner
OF the shaft and went to sleep. The
miners usually jumped from the sur
face to the bottom OF the shaft. as II
was only ten feet deep. On that morn
Ing Mr.. Greenough slid down as usual.
Instantly there came to the ears OF MIR
Miles a roar and the sound OF a scuf-
ne. Between the growls OF the bear
Mr.. Miles heard his partner calling for
help. The cabin was 200 yards away
and the men had no firearms with
them. Mr.. Miles realized that his part
ner would be killed long before he
could get back with the Winchester
and gave up thinking about the gun.
When Mr.. Greenough had Jumped
Into the shaft he had landed on the
bear and made him fightlng mad. The
man had no weapon except an old
fashioned clasp-knife. This he opened
as soon as he realized what had hap.
pened. The bear made for him. but
he ducked like pugllst and succeeded
In wounding the animal as he passed
him. The man had drawn first blood
but It was plain that the contest wai
an unequal one and could not last
long under the circumstances. Mr.
Miles was frantic at being unable tC
help Mr.. Greenough. but II was use,
less to think about jumping into tn,
shaft. This would have merely fur
nlshed two victims to the bear in
stead OF one. and Mr.. Miles had mad,
up his mind that he would live and Sc,
that his partner had decent buria
and a historian to tell how he died.
Meanwhile the battle was raging
The bear chased the man from on,
end OF the shaft to another. and eacl
time Mr.. Greenough got near enough
he slashed at the bear with his sharI
knife. The clothes had been nearly
torn from him, and he was bleedlnI
from several scratches, but as yet h
had received no deep wounds. HI
realized his position. and, while keep
Miles finally thought OF the blast the!
had prepared the day before. He hat
only to touch the lever OF little In
ing his eyes on the bear. told Mr.
Miles that he had to die. and warned
him not to sacrifice his life, too
The exlgencles OF the situation
sharpened the mems wits. and Mr.
strument to cause an explosion in tn
shaft that would result in the TEN
porary suspension OF hostilities. a
least. Just then the bear with on
paw caught the man and threw hin
20 the other end OF the shaft, ten fee
away from the charge OF dynamite. di
rectly over which the bear was stand
ing. Mr. Miles touched on the dynamit
promptly. There was a shower o
stones and dirt that almost blinded Nj
Miles but he heard yell and saw
streak OF gray shoot past him. Al
instant afterward he heard a thud, an
then he knew that the bear was n
longer in the shaft. Guessing right