The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1907-11-12
A sadly
Shocked Bear

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The word electricity brings
prophetic CLEAN to the eye of the
economist. And before he finishes
his discourse he is almost sure to
speak Of the day when improved
transmission will make it possible to
convey the incalculable power of Cali
fornia's mountain torrents to cities
that will spring up as if by magic
along the broad, fertile valleys be-
low
One partial fulfilment of the econo-
mists dream may now he seen in the
seventeen mile transmission line that
connects the cascades of Hatchet
Canon with busting little town in
the San Joaquin Valley. From the
powerhouse at the cascades the cleo
trio current FLASHES through three
shimmering wires which follow the
canon for distance of five miles, and
then cross rugged mountain spur
to the plain below.
But the mind of Dan Maloy, the
company's lineman, was not burdened
with considerations of the great econ
omic era which his calling might
herald, or. indeed, with considerations
of any kind, unless We may except a
glad consciousness that his six feet
of Drawn and muscle were sufficient
to meet any Of the emergencies that
the day coull have in store for him.
His joyous good health was such that
the prospect of long, hard trip from
the cascades over the ridge in raw
drizzling rain did not retard his
blithesome step or repress his buoyant
whistle.
At noon, some distance up on the
mountain, the merry toiler found a
pole that seemed to need inspection
Sitting down in the lee OF a huge
oak, he fastened on his climbers. Be
fore ascending, however, it occurred
to him that there was no use of work
ing on an empty stomach, and open
ing his lunch basket, he began eating
dinner.
Not twenty-five yards from him
there was a family party also lunch
ing, of which he was unaware Intil he
started after drink from the spring
Tat tinkIed merrily in a nearby
brushy gully. Then he disturbed an
old bear and her two cubs, all of
whom were eagerly feastng on the
carcass of a sheep.
Now an intrusion at meal-time. es-
pecially If the meal is of raw bleed
ing meat, and the bear old and cross
and burdencd Wit, the care of two
precious little ones, is most Of
fensive breach of ursine etiquette,
and was in this case the cause of an
immediate and furious rush.
The lineman scrambled up the trail
from the spring, but a glance over
his shoulder assured him that he was
no match in Il race with this tawny
creature. He had hazy, story-book
idea that people pursued generally
found safety in climbing a tree.
Right in my line he thought,
making a dash for the big oak under
which he had eaten his dinner
What was his surprise. on gaining
what he considered a safe perch, TO
see the bear Shining" up after him
with the alacrity of a squirrel The
young lineman scrambled out to the
end of his limb.
AS he slid recklessly down over
the bending outer boughs, it occurred
to him before dropping to hang till
the bears approach bent his branch
nearer the ground. thereby lessening
his fall a few feet and giving her
that much more distance to descend
His artifce nearly cost him his life
He dropped to the ground at what
/
but the branch, following the release
of his two hundred pounds destroyed
| the delicate pOise OF his pursuer She
| struggled wildly a moment for her bal
ance, oyertOppled with a sudden lIrch.
hung for a moment at the end Of a
| long, hairy arm, and nOunleGci with
| q wrathful roar to the ground. Moth
| ing saved Dan but the final clutch at
| the limb and his advantage i'm strik-
| ing squarCly ON his feet.
In tho moment thus accorded him
he sprang for the nearest pole. for.
| tunately only few feet on, and
| climbed it I'm panic. Just why he
! made for the pole he never knew,
unless, indeed, because it was the
nearest thing at hand and right in
| his line"
Anyway. he found himself hanging
on the under side of the cross arm,
! entirely out of breath and wildly won
dering what noxt to do The bear
was ascending the pole, clumsily be-
cause it was rather slim for her ample
hJggins capacity, but surely, ncverthe-
| less.
Dan drew himself up and finally
sat asirlde of the cross-arm among
] the deadly live wires. by this time
! the bear had reached the telephone
! limo strung ON each side OF the pole,
about eleht feet below the lineman
But here the bear received her first
real rcpulse She was afraid Of the
wires; they looked too much like
trap However. after long, angry