Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1908-01-23
deer RACES With
PASSENGER TRAIN

The adventurous deer seen periodic
ally since fall in the vicinity of Kipp s
run, made its latest appearance on
Friday. when it performed the enter
tanning stunt of racing with Penn
sylvania passenger train.
The odd occurrence took place on
the farm of ]. O. Carr. just below
Kipp's run. where the deer appeared
on December 18th and startled the
family by partially enoircling the
farm house and pausing to gazs
through the window at the family
seated around the dinner table.
Mr.. and Mrs. Carr were in this city
on Saturday morning and gave au
account of the reckless deer's latest
stunt. Mr.. Carr, himself did not see
the deer on it's visit to his farm. Dec
ember 18th, but on Friday morning he
had good view Of the animal. He
was called by his son and requested to
as he would there see the deer.
The graceful animal stood with head
erect and ready to spring. 1t was evid-
entity alarmed by the approach of the
westbound passenger train, due to ar
rive at South Danville at s :58 a. IN.
The deer was standing in Mr.. Carr's
field near the railroad and as the train
bowling along at it's usual rate of
speed, approached, the deer bounded
away and ran swiftly down along the
track with the train at its heels.
1t was indeed pretty sight. For at
least 1900 yards it kept up the race
The passengers of course were un-
aware of the rare spectacle, but the
engineer and fireman, both leaning far
out of the engine. were enjoying the
sight.
At the lower end of Mr. Carr's farm
while the train was rapidly gaining
on the deer, the latter made dash
across the track clearing the locomo-
tive by IA safe margin and, by this time
in full view of the passengers, ran di-
rectly to the river, where it plunged
into the water full of floating ice, and
swan over to the island, which lies
near mid stream.
On its previous visits the deer is
known to have crossed from the island
to the western shore of the river and
the suppositon is that its regular
stamping ground is on the mountains.
The effect of the rigid game law,
which gives deer well-nigh an i'm
munity, is seen in the increasing bold
ness of these animals.
The mountains of PENNSYLVANIA, the
natural habitat of wild aniamls. are
now nearly denuded of their timber
and prove very inhospita5le abode
for the deer, which, in search of food,
are no doubt tempted to make trequ-
ent incursions into the valleys. When
on Mr.. Cars farm, Friday, the deer
was seen feasting royalty on apples,
which had not been gathered but lay
under the trees. In the corn field, too,
where much corn remains to be husk
ed, the deer have good picking
The deer-a spike" buck-seen on
Friday is undoubtedly the same one
that was seen first in Pine swamp hol
low just about the close Of the season
and again on December 18th on Mr..
Carr's farm. The island where the
deer took refuge, Friday, with its
growth of tress and bushes affords
pretty safe retreat, but it is not supA
posed that the.deer tarried there very
long, it being altogether likely that
after its fright incidental to the race
with the passenger train, it swan to
the western shore Of the river and
struck for the mountain.