The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-05-10
FOUGHT Old BRUIN
WITH OIL And FIRE.
BROWN LOST HIS CABIN, BUT rs
THANKFUL HE'S ALIVE. III III
Encounter Extraordinary Between Hun
! CRY Bear in the Northern Woods and
frightened Claimholder Happy
Thought Saves Latter from Fearful
Death. .:s,s ~ ...1. !. g,
Special to The Journal.

Special to The Journal. IN
Writ, Mimi, May 10.-Bertram Brown who
lives his claim about six miles above this
place. the victim of q peculiar accident last
week, and altho he lost all his earthly goods but
his Winchester rifle, Mr. Brown Is far from
being Respondent over the affair, In fact he
feels somewhat like some Of the California ca
lamity sufferers. He lost his property, but he
was lucky to escape with his life. 49,
Mr.. Brown last week came down to Writ and
purchased some supplies, among which was
some very nice bacon, which he took home and
hung in the house. That night he was awak-
ened by cold nozzle being thrust into his face
and then an angry, startled snort. 1t did not
take him more than few seconds to realize
that bear, and lean and hungry one at that,
was the marauder that had disturbed his slun1-
bers. More than that; he saw by the light from
the half-opened cabin door that lbruin was be-
tween him and his faithful r1e.. which was
hanging on the wall near the door,. ~ E,
Finds Refuge in Garret. 49,, ~
In the meantime the bear had discovered the
bacon and was busily engaged in eating it, In
the dim starlight Brown sadly meditated upon
the slender supply of bacon and the probable
healthy appetite of the half-starved bear. Then
he thought of the rude, stationary split rail lad
der leading to the garnet and decided that his
only chance was to skidoo up the ladder. 1t
was dangerous undertaking. as: he had to pass
very close to the bear in his way. However,
If he wanted to see the sun rise again. So
he made dash for the ladder and the beat
made a dash for him. But Brown won by q
narrow margin and climbed lip the ladder tc
what he believed to be safety, while the bear
returned to his interrupted meal of bacon.
1t did not take the bear very long to finish
the bacon. and then it began to Investigate
other articles in the house. There was nothing
that 1t seemed to like among other provisions
that Mr.. Brown had purchased, so bruin finally
turned his attention to Brown 49,. "a. =
Ihat luckless individual, imagining: himself
sa1e from harm, was startled to hear til,
scratching Of long, sharp claws on the ladde
leading to his retreat and he quickly realized
that the bear, having finished his bacon WA
! after him. Selling loose split rail that forme,
part OF the floor OF the attic, Brown used It al
| lance and jabbed the bear in the head or til
breast, knocking him off the ladder. r.
Resort to Strange Weapons. :
With howl, OF rage bruin renewed the at
| tack, and Brown soon saw: that "a fence raj
| would not keep the bear down very long. n
remembered there was lamp half filled wit
| kerosene on rough stand near the entrance t
| the attic After he had knocked the bear dow
FOR about the tenth time he seized the lan,n an
| carried It back to his post. Then he knocked til
oncomlng bear down again and quickly unscrew
| ing the top from the lamp he poured the kerc
| oene upon the pear as the latter again starte
| With the pole Brown again poked brufn Al
! the ladder and then he struck a match that h
1ound near the lamp and dropped the burnfn
Stem stem down upon the oil-soaked bear The ragge
oily fur OF the bear caught fire and snortin
with rear. and: pain: bruins raced around IN
room, vainly seeking for an outlet In h
MAD career he upset Browns bed and set ii ]
nre, and before the bear finally found the dof
ana dashed away into the woods the, house wa
ablaze and Brown himself was almost sufroca f.
from the smoke. % ''l : 80
brown. however, managed to get, out. Of IL
attlc ana ssve his rifle and his clothes, but tn,
was all; In the morning he followed the ira
OF slough near the Big Fork river, licking i
wounds and whining 'pftifu11y. Brown took ri
on tha hairy sufferer and put him out of mise,
with a bullet from his ride, - 4''~e