The Butler County press. [volume] (Hamilton, Ohio) 1900-1946, 1913-04-25
A LEAP FOR LIFE.
II Saved Him From the Bear, but
Trapped Him In Midair.
STILL HIS LUCK HELD GOOD.

Swinging From Broken Gable, With
Death Almost Certain on the Floor
of the Rocky Canyon Far Below, He
Took a Desperate Chance and Won.
Some persons have more than their
fair share Of adventure. OF this fortu
nate-or unfortunate-class is Mr.. w
G. Gilbert, the hero of an extraordi-
nary experience told by Mr. r. d
Strong in the Wide World Magazine.
Mr. Gilbert had been exploring an
unfrequented cave high up IN the side
OF a deep canyon in Yellowstone park
when he suddenly came upon huge
silver tip bear that showed unmistak-
able signs Of dIspleasure at being dis
turbed The man dashed out of the
den, with the snarling bear close at his
heels.
The face Of the canyon was almost a
sheer precipice. To try to run down it
was certain death, for If he did not
make a misstep and go tumbling to the
bottom before he had gone a hundred
feet the bear would almost instantly
overtake him. Despairingly he looked
about him.
A short distance away was the plat
form Of an old aerial tramway that had
been used to carry ore across the can
yon to the other side One Of the big
iron buckets in which the ore had been
carried still swung on It's two little
wheels from the rusted wire cable eight
or ten feet out from the platform-just
out Of reach. 1t offered the only avail
able means of escape. however, and
the hunted man took the chance.
With a shrill cry, for the bear was al
most upon him. Gilbert sprang for
ward and, with every muscle set, leap
ed out from the platform toward the
bucket. the edge of which he just man
aged to grasp with his fingers.
He struggled hard to raise himself
and climb In, but for a long time the
swinging bucket thwarted every effort
Finally he got a leg over the edge, la-
boriously clambered in and sank ex-
hausted to the bottom.
Baked Of his prey, the angry bear
began to claw and tear at the slender
cable In some way the animal touch
ed the big wheel over which the cable
ran. The wheel began to turn. and, as
it turned, the bucket, with It's human
freight, ran rapidly down the cable,
swaying and swinging as II about to
turn over
Suddenly there was a tearing, snap
ping sound, and several strands Of the
rust eaten, weather beaten cable part
ed. The bucket sagged downward
sickenlngly.
Looking out, Gilbert saw that only
half a dozen strands now sustained
| the weight Of the bucket II they
should part he would be dashed down
upon the rocky bottom Of the canyon
fully 200 feet below.
1t was a serious predicament. The
cable might part under his weight al
any minute. or the bear might strike
the twisted wires a hard blow, which
would almost certainly break them
He could not pull the bucket along
for the guide cable overhead had dis
appeared years before Although there
was little hope that any one would
hear him In that remote and lonely
region, he shouted aloud for help.
Fortunately for Gilbert a party Of
men passing near by heard his cal
and hurried to his rescue. But wheI
they saw his plight they were at {
loss how to save him. At last one Of
them jumped on his horse. dashed
back to the outfit wagon and returned
with several long fish lines and al
the rope be could find.
In q few minutes he had whitfield
out a rough bow and arrow. Aftel
tying the fish line to the arrow ht
shot the latter up and over the bucket
Then Gilbert pulled up the rope which
had been fastened to the line and tiet
It to the cable.
10 was desperate chance for life
but it was his only one. Carefully
without a single unnecessary motion
he stood up in the bucket, grasped tn
rope, clambered over the side and be
gan to lower himself.
Slowly, foot by foot, he came down
The hearts of the men below almos
ceased to beat as he covered quartz
of the distance, then a half. thel
. three-quarters, then all! AS he reach
ed the ground they gave heart.