Sunday, February 26, 2012
Published in the Waukegan Gazette, Waukegan, Illinois on Saturday, August 22, 1857
    A yellow bear has been seen in the region of Lake Superior, supposed to be a cross of the polar and black bear, and as large as two of the common black species. One of the cubs of this bear was taken by the Indians, and by them carried to Green Bay, where his juvenal bearship was regarded as a great curiosity.
Sunday, February 26, 2012
Published in the Waukegan Gazette, Waukegan, Illinois on Saturday, February 24, 1866
    A horse came home without a driver, but instead of going directly to the stable, stopped at the house, neighed, and exhibited other indications of great disquietude. This, at first, excited no attention; but, as these manifestations continued, and his master did not appear, apprehesion was excited, and a person dispatched in search of him. He was found two miles off, lying insensible in consequence of a severe blow upon the head which he received by falling from his cart. By no animal has this sentiment been so remarkably evinced as by the dog. A poor boy was fatally injured and carried to a hospital. His little dog followed him thither, and being prevented from entering it, lay down at the gate watching with wistful eyes every one that went in, as if imploring admittance. Though constantly repulsed by the attendants he never left the spot by night or day, and died at his post even before his master.
Sunday, February 26, 2012
Published in the Waukegan Gazette, Waukegan, Illinois on Saturday, November 15, 1856
    The Belvidere Standard says there was a wagon belonging to an emigrant that lately made its appearance in that place, drawn by fourteen yoke of oxen. That would be called quite a team in the old country.
Friday, February 17, 2012
Published in the Waukegan Gazette, Waukegan, Illinois on Saturday, September 27, 1856
    On Tuesday afternoon last, as the gravel train was backing towards Chicago, between Evanston and Winnetka, a cow suddenly jumped upon the track, close to the car, thereby throwing it off the track and piling the succeeding ones into a confused heap, tearing up several rails, and instantly killing Mr. A. M. Shedd, the conductor of the train, and slightly injuring two or three others.
Friday, February 17, 2012
Published in the Waukegan Gazette, Waukegan, Illinois on Saturday, February 25, 1860
    The Sioux Indians, of Minnesota, have killed over 2,000 deer, 10,000 muskrat, and 3,000 otter, during the fall and winter.
Friday, February 17, 2012
Published in the Waukegan Gazette, Waukegan, Illinois on Saturday, September 24, 1859
    Anecdotes of animals serving to show their intelligence or the extent of their reasoning powers, are always interesting. Here is a very curious one:
    A large dog had been accustomed to get bits of money from his master to go to a meat stall to get his lunch of fresh meat. One day when change was short, his master gave Growler a piece of white paper on which was an order for the meat. The dog after much urging, carried it to the meat stall and received his food, and so for several days, when thinking one piece of paper was as good as another, he would pick up pieces of white paper and carry them to the stall without applying to his master. It was not long before a long bill came in from the meat dealer, who had such confidence in the dog that he did not think to look at the paper, and the dog himself was very fat. No arrest was made, and the dog occupies as respectable a position in society as ever.
Friday, February 17, 2012
Published in the Waukegan Gazette, Waukegan, Illinois on Saturday, June 4, 1859
    The Tuesday afternoon train of the N. Y. and Erie R. R., when crossing Well Creek, ran into a drove of sheep, killing 300. The engine was thrown off the track into the creek. The engineer had an arm broken. No passengers on the train. Loss in sheep, $5,000.
Friday, February 17, 2012
Published in the Waukegan Gazette, Waukegan, Illinois on Saturday, May 7, 1859
    The cook of a French nobleman whose chateau was in the south of France, had a monkey, which was allowed the free range of the kitchen, and which was so intelligent, that by pretty severe training its natural propensity to mischief had been subdued, and was even taught to perform certain useful services, such as picking fowls, for instance, at which it was uncommonly expert. One fine morning a pair of partridges was given it to pluck. The monkey took them to an open window of the kitchen, which looked directly upon the park, and went to work with great dilligence. He soon finished one, which he laid on the outer ledge of the window, and then went quietly on the other. A hawk, which was watching the proceedings from a neighboring tree, darted down upon the plucked partidge, and in a minute was up in the tree again, greedily devouring his prey.
 The consternation of the monkey at this untoward adventure may be easily imagined. He knew he should be severely whipped for losing it. He hopped about in great distress for some minutes, when suddenly a bright thought struck him. Seizing the remaining partidge, he went to work with great energy, and stripped off the feathers. He then laid it on the ledge, just where he had placed the other, and closing one of the shutters, concealed himself behind it. The hawk, which by this time had finished his meal, very soon swooped down upon the partidge, but hardly had his claw touched the bird, when the monkey sprang upon him from behind the shutter. The hawk’s head was instantly wrung, and the monkey, with a triumphant chuckle, proceeded to strip off the feathers. This done, he carried the two plucked fowls to his master, with a confident and self-satisfied air, which seemed to say, “Here are two birds, sir, just what you gave me.” What the cook said, on finding one of the partridges converted into a hawk, is more than we are able to tell.
Friday, February 17, 2012
Published in the Waukegan Gazette, Waukegan, Illinois on Saturday, December 11, 1858
    Various interesting facts have been noted in relation to the demeaner of animals pior to a great convulsion. It was towards noon, beneath a clear and almost cloudless sky, with the sea breeze freshly blowing, that the cities of Conseption and Talcahuano, on the coast of South America, were desolated in 1835. At ten o’clock, two hours before their ruin, the inhabitants remarked with surprise, as altogether unusual, large flights of sea fowl passing from the coast, towards the interior; and the dogs at Talcahuano abandoned the town before the shock which levelled its buildings was felt. Not an animal, it is believed, was in the place when the destruction came. In 1805, previous to an earthquake at Naples, which took place in the night, but was most severely felt in the provinces. The oxen and cows began to bellow; the sheep and goats bleated strangely; the dogs howled terribly; and the horses fastened in their stalls leaped up endeavering to break the halters which attached them to the mangers. Rabbits and moles were seen to leave their burrow; birds rose, as if scared, from the places on which they had alighted; and reptiles left in clear day-light their subterranean retreats. Some faithful dogs, a few minutes before the first shock, awoke their sleeping masters by barking and pulling them, as if anxious to warn them of impending danger; and several persons were thus enabled to save themselves. On the recent occasion all the dogs in the neighborhood of Vallo howled before the people were sensible of their danger. To account for these circumstances it is conjectured that, prior, to actual disturbance, noxious gasses and other exhalants are emitted from the enterior of the earth through crannies and pores of the surface, invisible to the eye, which distress and alarm animals gifted with acute organs of smell.
Thursday, February 16, 2012
Published in the Waukegan Daily Sun, Waukegan, Illinois on Monday, July 29, 1907
    Frank Robben of St. Louis had a dairy, but no cows. He was arrested with his two sons on the charge of stealing milk, and the younger boy confessed that every morning they went out and stole every bottle and can of milk they could find on the steps of residences, stores and restaurants. The milk was taken to the “dairy,” rebottled and delivered to their customers. The younger boy was sent to the reform school for five years and the father and elder son released on bonds.