The Cordova daily times., 1919-10-06
ALASKABEARS
EVER READY
FOR ATTACK

AoAAo AAASSA ~~S~~AS
munication on bad Records of Alas
ka Bears" to Outdoor Life:
While being in favor of a reason
able bill for the protection Of bears.
there are many unreasonable state
ments made in regard to the habits
of bears in Alaska, some of which
shall attempt to correct. For prof
of my statements here made I will
ask Charles Sheldon, the editor of
Outdoor Life and others to investi-
gate the past history of the '98ers
in the Copper River country of Alas
ka and their experiences with the
bears of that country. For proof of
the following incidents that occurred
in my vicinity, where I spent nineteen
months prospecting, ETC., and where
since | spent six years without leav-
ing the Copper River district, I will
refer you to DR.. Harry Cockerill, yet
practicing dentist at Valdez; George
Cantwell, ex-government photogra-
pher Valdez; Addison M. Powell,
government surveyor who ran the
base lines in the Copper River and
Mount Wrangell district in 1899; DR..
Townsend and Dr. Ottawa; my broth
er, Colonel Willard, manager of the
Cliff mine at Valdez; RED" Ellis,
it's discoverer and many others, all
of Valdez at that time, and most OF
those mentioned except Drs. Town
send and Ottawa and Addison M.
Powell now residents of Valdez.
First in the summer Of 1898, at
foot of K1utina lake, during July sal
mon run, near my camp, young man
without smell of powder or steel on
him, crossed at foot of Klutena lake,
about seventy miles north of Valdez,
to catch or gaff some salmon on Sal
mon creek. He parted the bushes
scene. Old he cinnamon surround
ed by salmon Of various conditions.
Bear made first swipe at young man,
tearing and pulling scalp over his
ewes, stunning him. When he came
to he lay still with presence Of mind,
but the bear crunched his jaw, Whlch
he broke. in five places. After the
bear left the young man craWled TO
his boat with scalp hanging Hyper
Hopper, and weak from loss of BLOOD
raised the sail which helped him, or
ne never would have lived to prove
these facts, and sailed across the
lower end Of Klutena lake, which is
narrow at this end of it, and dropped
in a dead faint as ready nanoS
grabbed him and the boat Whlch
landed in front of the temporary
Damn Of about two or tire hundred
98ers. Camp was then called hlu-
lena CITY. DR.. Ottawa and Dr.
Townsend plastered his jaw with
blue cloy and fixed him up and salo
he would lose the use of 1t as IL
was broken in five places and many
nieces had to be taken out.
Second: This same season OF
1898 on same main trail on lett panh
Of Klutena lake going down ana op-
nosite my camp and my brothers
camp, also with this trail being traV-
o1ed nv some one most every hour OF
the day and some nights, two pros
pectors with packs came along
Young cubs squalled in thicket I'M
seen-spruce thicket as thick as
some of our hemlock second groWths
are in states. The bear umped the
trail, knocking the front man down oy
hitting his pack which saved MN
Rear man had shot gun, front man
rife. Bear took after rear man.
Front man got in his work then with
rife. Both men came out winner
bear meat
Third case: Fall of 1899. Jack
Miller and Schroeder, both for many
years after mine operators in Slate
creek and Chistochina districts, trib-
utary to Copper river, were returning
to their camp on then four-foot gov
eminent trail which the prospectors
were building for United States under
Lieutenant Babcock, U. S. A. Miller
and Schroeder had packs on their
backs and were dog tired. Miller saw
bear standing up in brush about 800
yards away. Bear had smelled them.
Miller was for getting her-Miller,
the then tenderfoot-and Schroeder,
the old-time prospector, says, NO, we
are too tired; so they pounded along
toward camp. In few minutes Mrs.
Bear jumped out on opposite side of
ra vine or ditch close to them Miller