The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1920-09-03
ALASKA FOR
U. 5. WAR ON
BROWN BEAR
North 0verrun by Brutes,
Appeals to Congress to
Lift Hunting Ban

Among the many problems that
congress will be asked TO tackle at
its next session will be that OF the
brown hcar.
: That the prototype OF the nursery
bugahoo Is an actual menace to civ.
tiixa,ion In 1890 may seem amazing.
but there has been assembled mas.
sive indictment proving that thou.
sands OF square miles Of rich terri
tory are barred TO settlers because OF
n hulkine beast with an appetite for
everything from ants eggs to Merino
sheep; creature weighing half a
ton or more and with u touehy. I'M
scciabie disposition
1l4ARGER THAN GRIZZLY
rAND TWICE As MEAN
The brown bear OF Alaska Is even
larger than a grizzly. and twice as
mean. according 20 the big file OF
charges that the Alaska bureau OF
the Seattle Chamber of Commerce
has prepared. lie has long list OF
human victims. killed or MANNED.
and he has given hundreds OF others
the scare OF their lives.
Actuated by the commendable In.
tcntior OF preserving a species from
extinction. the government carefully
protects the brown bear. The sports
man may shoot the harmless black
bear In Alaska whenever he meets
one. but only BY obtaining q special
permit from the bureau Of biological
survey may the brown bear b.
hunted.
And how does the brown bear dis
play his gratitude,
BEARS WIPE OUT
UNCLE SANS SHEEP -
On Kodiak island the department
Of agriculture established an expert.
mental herd OF sheep. A high fence
was erected to protect the animals
after they had wcathered hard
winter. Tho bears. emerging hungry
In the spring. tore down tho fence
and wiped out the flock.
A settler who hoped TO escape the
bear menace by building his home
on n small lsla nd off Kodiak learned
that the bears could swim. They
cleaned up on his live stock and he
moved away.
Eastern sportsmen. Il Ia said. Wig.
crousiy protest when II IL proposed
TO lift the protection bestowed upon
tho brown bear. He Is a magnificent
beast. his pelt makes about the best
trophy the big game hunter can ae.
quirs on this continent and IL seems
shame that he should go the way
Of the siiver.tip OF the Rockies.
ATTACKS MAN. and
HARD TO KILL
But a chamber OF commerce. and
those who would like to settle on
Kodiak island. the Alaska peninsula.
the Yakutat region. the Baranof and
Admiralty islands. look at the matter
differently.
The brown bear IL the only large
Wild animal in America that habitu-
ally attacks man without provoca
ton. Prospectors go In dread OF him.
carrying tin cans filled with stones
TO warn him off. The brown bear.
scientists and hunters agree. does
not TRAN a man to kill him. but will
charge when he finde himself face
10 face with a human Intruder
A high-pow rifle. stiilfully han
died. is not always certain protec-
ton against the brown bear. ms he
stands terrific amount Of punish.
ment- - csnnsry empioye was
brought to the hospital at Juneau
this spring. dying from injuries In
flicted by a bear he had surprised
while II was eating a deer. Two
shots from a rifle failed TO stop the
rush OF the animal
SETTLERS UNABLE
To SEE THE COMEDY
1T Is difficult to get people In
Washington TO look upon the bear
question as something mighty seri.
Gus" said J. l.. Mcpherson. mana
ger Of the Alaska bureau.
There seems to be a lot OF comedy
connected with bears. But the Alas.
kan settler falls TO see IL.
We propose that II the brown
bear is TO be saved for science and
for naturelovers that a few speci.
mems be Isolated on a remote island
where those who like bears at close
range can commune with them.
The brown bear has no place In
. country that invites settlers and
should be an outlaw. with a price on
his head. instead Of a cherished ward
OF the government"