Marietta daily leader. (Marietta, Ohio) 1895-1906, 1900-11-06
BRUlN
Seems to Have Plenty Of Brothers in the
Rockies.

| Cinnamon bears are causing conster-
in the vicinity of the Spanish Peaks,
south of La Veta, along the border of
Las Animas and Huerfano counties,
says the Denver Post" Denver and
Rio Grande railway officials have late
ly received many reports of the depre-
dations of these shaggy brown deni-
zens of the mountains. Winter has
cast it's cold white mantle over the
lofty peaks, and the presence of the
glistening snow has convinced Bruin
that the summer is done.
The keen, penetrating air has sharp
ened the appetites of the huge animals,
and now that the berries have disap-
peared they are seeking flesh and
blood for food. Down from the lone
ly defiles and rock-strewn canons come
the furry creatures with soft-footed,
tireless tread. Their keen noses scent
the barnyards from afar. Instinct
tells those which have never seen a
calf that it must be good to eat from
its very smell.
Over the half-wild pastures along
the cattle trails and rough roads trot
the bears in search of food. A single
night usually suffices for the journey,
as healthy bear-and all bears are
healthy except when locked up in me-
nageries-can travel many miles be-
tween sundown and daylight. Quietly
and full of purpose the strong, supple
fellows enter the farmyards.
Usually they hunt alone but several
ranchmen have found the tracks of
four different bears in the morning
their places have been visited. Noise
lessly they pick their ways about the
corrals and barns while the owner and
his household are asleep. Suddenly
pair of those piercing eyes espies a
pet calf. He trots hurriedly over to it
and sticks mis- sharp claws into the un-
suspecting sleeper AS the startled
calf snorts and scrambles to its feet
the savagery of the bear becomes man
ifest.
For centuries Bruin has subssted on
what he could find, and many feeling
of suspicion and fear has been over
come by that cruel sensation of hum
ger. In a moment he strikes down the
trembling calf with swift and powerful
blows. He seizes it in his great jaws
and easily carries it away some dis
tance. There he makes a meal, or per-
haps takes his prey far back into the
mountains before devouring it. 1t de-
peds upon his hunger, the size of the
slain animal and the strength of the
bear. When there are several bears
they feast close to the spot where
their victim was killed, and they al
ways quarrel over the division of
spoils and sometimes their fierce
growing awakens a member of the
household and results in dead Bruin.
Several bears have recently been killed
near La Veta. Sometimes the watch
dog gives warning and the bear fees
away into the night. Sometimes he
stays and it shot. But often the
prowler secures the calf, pig or sheep
without alarming the household. Oc-
casionally bears are seen in the day
time.
A few days ago Jim Edwards, a we'll
known hunter lost a valuable fox
hound A large brown bear killed the
dog before Edwards eyes, and as he
was armed only with small shotgun
for squirrel, he could not prevent the
escape of the animal. The hound in
sisted on following the bear and nip
ping at its flanks. Suddenly the huge