The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1903-03-25
Bear That Set II Creek Anre.

IN sir earl: days IF the Pennsyl-
vnnia "ii %'eeions.' said Dr.. w. Fl.
Goold, Of Reno, The woods were full
OF wild animals, and as a consequence
Of their boldness and the peculiar and
new factors the oil business had intro
duced into the region, odd happen
ings in which those animals and
welldrillers, teamsters and others en-
ployed in oil production were concern
ed, we're frequent.
II was one Of the first seekers after
riches that went up along Cherry Tree
Run, in Venango county, to put down
oil wells. Trout fishing was excellent
in those mountains streams then. I
was an enthusiastic trout fisherman,
and n day in June, early in the days
Of the rush to Oil Greek valley, 1 went
very e to the headwaters of one of
the small brooks that emptied into
Cherry Tree Run to enjoy a day fish
ing.
{" It was nearly dark when 1 got
down to the mouth Of the brook, load
ed down with trout, and about tired
out. l had three miles to travel yet
to get to my shanty and I resolved to
camp for the night on the banks Of the
run. | ate a hearty supper Of trout,
built a rousing camp fire and lay down
by the side of it and went to sleep.
"Somc time in the night 1 woke
suddenly and wide. The camp fire
was still burning brightly, and threw O
broad pathway of light out upon and
across the run. AS I ley there won
dering what had awakened me 1 saw a
big dark object moving forward in the
stream plainly visible in the streak Of
light and swimming, directly toward
where 7 lay.
st was a spooky sort Of sensation
and l lay still, scarcely daring to move
with my eyes fixed on the approaching
object, which swan deliberately
across the creek. As it crawled out
of the water and up on the shore I saw
what it Yas. It wal o big black bear.
"The bear paused q moment after
landing, and then slouched right on
toward Ike camp Ere, prompted by
genuine bear curiosity. The fire was
not more than % feet from the creek.
THE discovery Of the identity Of
the mysterious object and the rapid
advance Of the bear toward me broke
the spell under which I had lain. 1
sprang to my feet, grabbed a blazing
stick from the fire, and hurled it at
the approaching animal, which was
then almost within an arms length of
me. The brand struck the bear.
Then like a flash of gunpowder the
poor beast burst into flames from
snout to tail.
with G howl that filed the woods
with frightful echoes and me with ter
ror, the blazing bear turned and fed
to the creek, and plunged into the wa
ter. If lie had expected to find CRATE
full help there he was wofully mista-
ken, for in an instant the creek from
bank to bank, and far above and be-
low where I stood, a Mortified and
dumfounded spectator Of the weird
scene, became a line OF leaping fire,
lighting up the gloom Of the forest for
rods on either side.
"There came from that roaring food
Of flame one long, rae=.shly wall OF
agony. For o second I saw the blaz-
ing form Of the wretohed bear writhe
in torture in the burning creek. Then
] saw and heard him no more.
II never stopped running until I.
arrived al my shanty, my way being
lighted BY the blaze on the creek. Az
the shanty I learned that an oil tank
had sprunga bad leak chat evening
aud before it could be stopped several
hundred barrels Of oil had run into
the creek and foated down oa the eur
face. The unfortunate bear had struck
this inaammable stuff when he swan
che creek. His fur being saturated
Nth it. The bear, plugging into the
creek all ablaze, had set the whole sur
face on fire aud met his frightful
fa.e."-New York Sun.
F1H Is.a.e-aE
- Siberia contains one-ninth Of all
the land af the globe. Great Britain