A Woman's Odd Victory

1896

At a country fair held near Dedham, Maine, the prize offered for unhitching and hitching up again in the shortest time was won by a woman, and won under circumstances comic as well as curious.

The winner was Mrs. Linus Pond, of Dedham, who, since the death of her husband, two years ago, has carried on the work of the farm alone. She does the plowing and hauling with a Hereford bull, and works the bull just as she would a horse.

When she goes to market she hitches the bull to her wagon with a pair of traces and guides it by ropes running to a ring in its nose. In the harnessing contest she had the Hereford unhitched and hitched again in a twinkling. — New York Sun.


Deer On The Track

Three deer jumped on the railway track a few hundred yards or so ahead of a locomotive near Trout Lake, Michigan, a few days ago, and remained staring in surprise at the headlight until they were struck by the pilot and tossed from the track.

Instances of a single deer being thus attracted by a locomotive headlight and falling victim to its curiosity are not uncommon in Michigan, Maine and other regions where deer abound; but for a trio of the animals to be hypnotized in this way at one time is a novelty. — New York Sun.


Saved By A Cracked Plate

Two hundred barrels of oil, part of the cargo stowed between decks of the steel steamer W. H. Gilbert, shifted during a gale while the vessel was rounding Kenawee Point, on Lake Superior. Ten of the barrels were broken and the oil rolled down into the fire hold and was ignited by the furnace fires.

The crew turned to and fought the fire with but little impression and it was thought the vessel was doomed. The heat of the blazing oil, however, cracked one of the steel plates below the water line, through which the water poured in volumes, and, converted into steam, smothered the fire.

The pumps were started and, finding them adequate to keep the steamer afloat, she continued on her way and reached Duluth, Minn. The vessel was bound from Buffalo with a cargo of general merchandise. — Chicago Times-Herald.

Big Bull Kills One at Poor Farm, Injures Another

1911

BIG BULL GETS SECOND VICTIM WITHIN A MONTH

James Huffman Perhaps Fatally Injured at Poor Farm

TRIED TO TIE UP BEAST

Same One Which Killed Noah Ross in April—Ordered Killed Monday

DAY'S REPRIEVE WAS DISASTROUS

The big bull at the County Home has a second victim, and his savage onslaught upon James Huffman, an inmate, this morning at 6:30, may yet result in the latter's death.

Ever since the bull's attack upon Noah Ross, which resulted in Ross's death on Saturday, April 29, the bull has been kept tied in its stall. Early this morning Huffman went to the barn and discovered that the animal had slipped its halter and had gotten into the entry to the stalls.

He secured a club and started to drive the bull back to its stall, intending to tie it there. When the bull saw him it charged him, knocked him down and savagely trampled upon him. Luckily, the beast had been dehorned some time ago.

Huffman's cries attracted Superintendent Pifer and John Walsh who went to his assistance. The infuriated bull was driven into a corner and securely tied. Huffman was then picked up and carried to the Home, and Dr. George E. Simpson was summoned.

The physician found that four ribs were broken, that the ligaments about the shoulders were badly torn and that internal injuries, of grave nature, had been inflicted. It is feared that the injuries will prove fatal.

Ever since the fatal injuring of Noah Ross, the bull has been kept tied and the County Commissioners had intended to kill him.

On Monday Commissioner A. F. Bowman made arrangements with a man to kill the bull that night, but the man failed to put in his appearance, and the animal was given the reprieve which resulted so disastrously.

It is said that Huffman had been in the habit of taunting the bull when about the stable, and this may account in part for its attack upon him.

—Indiana Evening Gazette, Indiana, Pennsylvania, May 23, 1911, page 1.

Comment: How'd you like to be the guy who "failed to put in his appearance"? You show up now and they're not very happy with you. But, hey, Huffman had a "habit of taunting the bull," so maybe it all worked out fine.