A Night of Terror in the Timber
A prospector narrowly escapes a grizzly bear attack near his camp.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
A.J. Stevens of Seattle, who has been prospecting in the Cascades, arrived in the city yesterday with a tale of a narrow escape from a grizzly bear. While camping near his claim, Stevens was startled by a large grizzly that entered the camp. He attempted to fend off the animal with his axe, but the bear proved too powerful, driving him up a nearby tree. Stevens remained in the branches for the better part of the night while the bear kept watch below, eventually departing at daybreak. He managed to secure his gear and trek back to town, thoroughly shaken by the encounter.
“Stevens remained in the branches for the better part of the night while the bear kept watch below.”
While grizzly populations in Washington were significantly higher at the turn of the century, human-wildlife encounters remain a part of life for those working in the state's wilderness areas. This account highlights the isolation felt by early prospectors and the unpredictable dangers of the rugged Cascade interior.
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