Uncle Dick and Lisa's Old Time Animal Tales

 

Several Already Slain In Duluth, Minn.

One Routed By A Woman.

Uses dipper of hot water on him-Didn’t want him in kitchen while she was busy making preserves.

     Duluth, Minn.-The annual invasion of Duluth by members of the bear tribe began the other day, and has been continuous ever since. Ten bears have been shot in Duluth and one was captured alive. In addition to these several bears have been seen, but, were either not molested, or succeeded in making their escape when pursued. Guns are kept loaded and conveniently placed in scores of homes. On one day four bears were killed and on another three. It is believed that several bears have been shot in the city limits lately that have not been reported.

     Bear steaks may be had in the butcher shops, though the supply does not come entirely from animals killed on the front lawns of 10,000 dwellings, but from the country round about Duluth. The bear invasion this year has been especially interesting in Duluth for the reason that the animals are found deeper into the residence section than usual. In previous seasons most of the bears were killed in Lakeside suburb, but they have become utterly fearless and stroll right through the residence sections. Many of the bears have been seen, and several that have been killed, were discovered near the state normal school building in this city.

     The annual bear hunts in Duluth usually begin about this time, as was the case this year, and it is supposed that the animals wander in to the city by following up the ravines that lead by the forest to the head of Lake Superior, while in search of berries. Wild berries of several kinds, for which bears have a fondness, grow in profusion about Duluth. The wild raspberries and blueberries are gone.

     A bear gathers and eats blueberries by giving the bush a sweep toward his mouth with his paw. Many berries are wasted in this manner, and as he considers the mulberry, or snake berry, as something choise he is more careful in his methods. When he finds a bunch of these, he carefully takes it between both jaws and eats the berries off. A number of the animals that have been killed were small cubs.

     A story has reached Duluth from the country of a woman who had a uniqe experience with a bear lately. She lives with her husband, John Larson, on the Hermantown road, nine miles from the city. She was engaged in her kitchen putting up raspberries when a bear appeared on the back porch, and acted as if he was determined to enter the house. The door was open, but there was a screen door, which was shut.

     The bear gave the wire screen a sweep with his paw to see how much resistance it would offer, and tore a hole in it. Encouraged by this he was about to come again when Mrs. Larson threw a dipper of hot water in his face. The bear howled with pain and fled. He had been attracted by the smell of the cooking berries.

     The largest bear that has been killed was shot by T. J. Griffith, an employee of a department store, who bagged a two-hundred-pound one near Eighteenth avenue. East and Fourth streets, a fashionable part of the city. The animal was prowling about the premises of A. L. Warner, and was observed by Griffith at ten o’clock at night. The moon was shining brightly and it was light enough for accurate shooting.

     The most daring of the bears that have invaded Duluth, was one that strolled down into the business section one Sunday morning. Shortly before daylight dogs drove a bear out of the alley back of the First national bank building and only half a block from the headquarters of the steel corporation in the Lake Superior region. The bear started for the country, and the last heard of him was that a man shot him, after having run half a mile from the bank corner. Cal Smith shot a bear near his home on Fourth avenue and several others were killed. One man on Duluth Heights shot one old bear and two cubs.