CALIFORNIA
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ANIMAL ENCOUNTERS

THROWN FROM a HORSE -- The Mariposa ‘Gazette’ 
says J.G. BELL, formerly a resident of that  place, was thrown from his horse on the Lower 
Mariposa, Friday, the 1st instant, and had his  collar bone broken, beside sustaining other injuries. 
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Stockton Daily Independent
TUESDAY, 13 NOV. 1866
FATAL ACCIDENT -- Jonathan ROSS, familiarly known as "Grizzly ROSS," and for many years a resident of Mariposa and Fresno counties, was killed Nov. 3d at the BACHMAN Ranch, Fresno county, by being run over by a 2 horse team.  Dee S.

Stockton Daily Independent
MONDAY, 22 JUL. 1867
NARROW ESCAPE FROM DROWNING - A young lady named Emma REUTER, of Mariposa, has a narrow escape from drowning on Friday of last week, says the 'Gazette,' while crossing the ferry at Split Rock, on the Merced river. The animal she was riding 
backed over the boat and threw her off. Her foot, however, hung in the stirrup, while her head was under water, and in this position she was rescued by Deputy Sheriff AMES, who was accompanying her and Miss BEHAM to this place [Mariposa], to attend the school teachers' examination.  transcribed by Dee S

Stockton Daily Independent
WEDNESDAY, 6 NOV. 1867
MARIPOSA ITEMS - The 'Gazette' of Saturday 2d instant, has the following :
We learn that Mr. James MALONE, while returning from this place to his home on Bear Creek, on Saturday evening last, was thrown from his horse down a precipitous bank into the bed of the creek. Several of his ribs were broken and other injuries sustained.
transcribed by Dee S 

Bill NYE's Cow.
Bill Nye, it seems, has a cow which he offers to sell- in the following language: " Owing to ill health, I will sell at my residence
in township 29, range 18 west according to government survey, one crushed raspberry colored cow, aged six years. She is a good milkster,
and not afraid of cars or anything else. She is a cow of undaunted  courage, and gives milk frequently. To a man who does not fear death in any form, she would be a great boon. She is very much attached to her home at present, by means of a trace-chain, but she will be sold to any one who will agree to treat her right. She is one forth shorthorn and three-fourths hyena. Purchaser need not be identified. I will also through in a double barrel shotgun, which goes with her. In May she generally goes away for a week or two, and returns with a tall, red calf, with long, wobbly legs. Her name is Rose. I would prefer to sell her to a non-resident. submitted by Bill Disbro
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THROWN FROM HORSE
Saturday, 23 Nov. 1872, Stockton Daily Independent 
A MAN KILLED -- Last Monday, while a man named L.J WEST was riding a race up the principal street in the town of Mariposa, the horse stopped suddenly in front of Washburn & McCready's livery stable, causing the rider to fall over the animal's head violently to the ground. The injuries proved fatal. The accident occurred about 3 o'clock Monday afternoon, and Mr. WEST died 
about 7 o'clock Tuesday morning. transcribed by Dee S
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A HAIR RAISING STORY
A BEAR STORY FROM CALIFORNIA
Brooklyn Eagle, Friday , December 30, 1892

FEAR MADE A MAN’S HAIR STAND ON END TWO WEEKS

George F. LEIDIG, the proprietor of Grant  Springs hotel, Mariposa County, who arrived here a day or two ago, says that game of all kinds is very plentiful in his vicinity and a few miles away in the high mountains.  The bears are as numerous as has been known for some years, while grouse, pheasants and  quail swarm everywhere. Mr. LEIDIG has been in the hotel business for ore than twenty years in California and tens of thousands of people have met him.

“I have known of some curious things in reference to the varied wild game of Mariposa”, he said to Chief Clerk George WARREN and one or two others as he leaned over the counter and toyed with the leaves of the register.  “But I never knew of a stranger thing than happened to my son George and Stage Driver Joe RIDGEWAY of the Yosemite line some time since.  George, you know, is engineer on the Central Pacific railroad, on the division between Wells and Carlin.  Well, he and RIDGEWAY thought they would go up above Glacier point one day and have a look around .
You know that to get to Glacier point you must climb about 3, 500 feet and do it all in but little more than a couple of miles.  It’s a hard task and when you get up there you look sheer down, as it were, from a balloon upon the world.  Before you is spread the waterfalls of the Merced river, the snowcapped cones of the Sierras and everything to make up a garden of wonders.  Probably in the work there does not exist a grander sight.  It is within the confines of the celebrated Mariposa grant, to which the dauntless explorer, Colonel John C. FREMONT, once had a title, but which he finally lost, after much litigation.  This was for many years known as the home of the large numbers of grizzlies, the most formidable to be found anywhere.  Since there were so many of them,
not all the hunters that have gone into that region have succeed in wiping them out.  When George and Joe had finally succeeded in getting to the top and they had gazed upon the panorama before them, they started to the south on a shoulder of the mountain. They had not proceeded far when there were indications of bears.  Their great tracks were visible in some places along the trail and they kept a sharp eye out for them.  They thought, with out noticing  much,  that they were the tracks of black bears.  There were some birds and altogether the boys were enjoying themselves.  Just as they began to descend a winding knoll on the edge they heard a thrashing in the bushes, as of someone whaling them with a long club.  The two had become separated.  RIDGEWAY was where he could get the best view, and he suddenly caught sight of a big grayish black object lying on a log.  He knew at once that it was a grizzly and he let fly at him.  Whether he hit him or not was never found out, but immediately there was more thrashing and a shriek from the bear that make the tall pines ring.  Then there began a journey of
the bear toward George.  It was rapid, for a  grizzly can run like a wild buffalo as unwieldy he looks.  RIDGEWAY could see that he had sniffed George or caught a glimpse of him through the bushes, and he yelled to him to look out, as the grizzly was after him.  Then he took to his heels himself.  George had scarcely got the warning then the bear was almost upon him. He turned and flew down the mountain.  It was a terrible race.  Now it would look as though George would evade the bear and then would appear that there was no escaping his paws.  George zig zagged over stumps, fallen trees and bushes, the bear still after him, and finally fell down a rocky declivity, where for a time he lay half dead.  The great brute had finally given up the chase, luckily for the young man he was after,
and at length RIDGEWAY got to George and helped him to stand up.  How, here a a strange discovery was made, to which I want to call your attention.  You have heard of people's hair turning white in a night, as though a man had lived a lifetime in a a few hours?  When George got down to my place his hair, which had since his birth lain flat on his head, stoop up like stubble, as though it was waxed and combed up.  More than that, it staid up so for two weeks before he could get it down to where it was formerly.  The terrible race he had with the bear had
caused it.  We all took notice of it, and talked about it during the whole two weeks.  I suppose this may seem impossible to some, and they may not believe it, but it is entirely true.  Nothing any of us could do during the fortnight would make the hair stay down.  George is as brave as anybody, but he couldn't help knowing the awful danger he was in, and when his hair rose up the consciousness of the danger was so great, and remained so long with him,, that it took this length of time for it to get down again.  Since then he is having no use for bears, especially grizzlies, and those familiar with the dangerous race he had do not at all wonder at it."  San Francisco Examiner
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GORED BY A BULL – Thomas Price, a wealthy farmer of Plainsburg, and a pioneer settler of this county, was dangerously gored by a vicious Jersey bull at an early hour Tuesday morning, while in the corral. The animal being chained to a fence post. The bull struck Mr. Price with his horn, breaking his collar bone in two places and jamming him against the fence. A hired man being near by, ran to the rescue with a heavy club and beat the infuriated animal off and rescued Price from further harm. He now lies at his home in Plainsburg in a precarious condition.

Fresno Bee,  June 3, 1925
 Bear 'Strike" Brought to End At Yosemite
 Yosemite- (Mariposa Co)
 The bear strike that has tied up Yosemite National Park is over.  The bears are back on the job at the bear pits,  seeing folks and being
 seen. 
 Both bears and officials  claim to have won the strike, or walk-out, or  whatever it was, when the bears hid out because  Superintendent W H  Lewis replaced the park garbage dump with a new incinerator.  "We won," claim the bear Brotherhood leaders, "there's food down at the  garbage dumps again."
 "The incinerator's still on the job, and it's going to stay on the job,"  declare Yosemite Park officials.
 Jack (last name unreadable) , who has charge of  stages for the Yosemite  Park and Curry Company, is the fellow who ended the strike. 
 (last name of  the above Jack still unreadable) got a couple five gallon  cans, which he filled with honey and syrup. He took a brush and painted  everything in the neighborhood of the bear pits with honey.  He painted  trunks of trees, boards, tin cans, and every little thing that was in  the way.  That "busted" the Yosemite bear  strike- c feroben
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Fresno Bee, June 2, 1929
TWO HELD FOR STEALING CALF- Madera (Madera Co) Feb. 3
Roy Phelps and James Sturlock, the former under two years probation in this county, were arrested yesterday by Sheriff W C Rhodes, Deputy Sheriff Irwin  Schnoor of Madera County, and Sheriff James Castagnetto of Mariposa County, on the Gill ranch on the Mariposa side of the Chowchilla River, for stealing and killing a calf on the ranch.
The dressed calf and its hide were found in a deserted cabin on the Madera side of the river. Indications were that the animal was killed on the Mariposa side.  It is expected that the men will be brought to Madera County to answer to the charge of stealing the calf. transcribed by c feroben 
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GIRL RATTLED BY RATTLER? NO, SHE GETS HIS RATTLES

MARIPOSA (Mariposa Co)

Fresno Bee, July 21, 1934

Finding a rattlesnake wrapped around her ankle would frighten many a 
young woman out of her wits, but not so Miss Rebekah Fournier of Mount 
Bullion.

To Miss Fournier it was just another opportunity to get a novel souvenir. 
Her foot descended on the snake while she was walking along the street. She look (sic) down to see the reptile twisting itself around her ankle. She killed the snake and detached its two rattles and buttons which she now carries in her purse. c feroben

Fresno Bee, Thursday, Aug. 11, 1927
MARIPOSA (Mariposa Co)- Aug. 11- A rattlesnake five and one-half feet in length was killed by C F Ramsden at Hites Cove. Ramsden, who was doing some mining in that section found the "old timer" coiled up and ready for action near the cabin door.  A welll-aimed rock brought a speedy victory over the reptiles, which was found to have twelve large rattles and evidence of twice that many having been worn off by being dragged over the rock hills at Hites Cove.- c feroben

Fresno Bee-November 29, 1929
HUNTER KILLS FOUR LIONS
Mariposa (Mariposa Co. Nov. 29-Jay Bruce, California State lion hunter, was in Mariposa today on his return from a mountain lion hunting expedition to the Wawona vicinity where he slew a male lion weighing 140 pounds, a female lion and her two half-grown cubs.  The lion was killed on Panoche Mountain and lioness and cubs on Bishop Creek.
Bruce will leave tomorrow for Jerseydale where he will hunt five or six days for lions reported in that vicinity. From there he will go to the north side of the Merced River in the Hazel Green country to do more hunting. transcribed by c feroben

GAME REFUGE IS ESTABLISHED BY MARIPOSA MAN

Fresno Bee, Sunday, May 24, 1936
Guy E. Quick Closes Large Area to Hunters, Exterminates Hawks
Ben Hur (Mariposa Co.) May 23
Guy E Quick, pioneer cattle rancher and owner of  3,600-acre ranch, announced he has started a game refuge in the Striped Rock Canyon, about fifteen miles southeast of Mariposa.
Quick, a veteran fisherman and hunter as well as a rancher, began his work of exterminating all the hawks and animals that  prey on the wild game in the region in and about his ranch.  In the fist eighteen months he killed 209 hawks and nine big horned owls as well as twenty-two coyotes and two wild cats.
A group of ranchers in the Striped Rock region closed the canyon to all outside hunting, the territory taking in approximately 6,000 acres.  Quick was instrumental in signing up the land, thereby making possible the game refuge.
The game that will be protected in the area include quail (both valley and mountain), doves, pheasants, deer and cottontail rabbits.
The canyon is an ideal place for a game refuge, stated Quick, as Striped Rock Creek is fed by numerous springs located in the surrounding hills, providing plenty of water and green feed throughout the Summer months for all wild game.
He also says it is astonishing how the wild life has multiplied during the past year, especially the mountain quail, as this district is really below the belt in which they live.  He believes the extermination of hawks and coyotes is mainly responsible for the increase.
Quick recently placed a few pair of pheasants on the east part of his property and said he has arranged for the purchase of 100 additional pheasants which he will plant in the Striped Rock district in July.  transcribed by c feroben
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RATTLESNAKE KILLS BOY
Hayward Review- Hayward, California, July 25, 1944
MARIPOSA-Arthur Chapman, 11 died Sunday as the result of a rattlesnake bite suffered while visiting on a ranch near here. His home was in El Monte.. c feroben

Modesto Bee and News -Herald, Saturday, June 25, 1949
MARAUDING BEARS BRING WILD WEST TO COULTERVILLE
by Claire K Wheeler
COULTERVILLE, June 25.  All over California, people are making an all out effort to bring back the days of 1849-that is every place but in Coulterville.
Here a few brown bears, uninvited, brought back those bygone days without help two weeks ago
TERROR REIGNS
Their reign of terror has gone unabated ever since.
Ranchers, miners, and vactionists in this sparsely inhabited mountain area cannot leave their homes without fear of depredations.  Even staying home does not always help. One bear entered the opened door of Martin Glover's cabin at the Argo mine while Glover was away.
On his return in a jeep, the bear leaped through a  window and ran under the jeep. Colliding with the hot exhaust tailpipe, the bear took off over the mountain.  Glover has driven off the bear with shots on several other occasions.
ENTERS SHED
A bear, possibly the some one, entered a shed at Westmoreland Brothers store here and tore open sacks of feed late one night.  Arlo  Westmoreland investigated. The bear charged Westmoreland as it sought a path of escape then crashed into a corral fence. Westmoreland headed in another direction, collided with a garbage can. The store is about a mile from the Glover cabin.
Further up Smith Creek, a bear entered the apple house on the Walter McLean ranch through a window five feet off the ground.  Attempts to break in a door had failed.
A bear also entered the vacant Lloyd Carter home on Jordan Creek, doing considerable damage.
The McCleans and Lyle Converse saw a small bear near the McLean gate early on that  evening but the animal escaped.
The National Park Service doubted the bear or bears causing trouble in this area were any of those released from the Yosemite National Park.  They state the bears were released at a distant point and would work their way back toward the park. transcribed by cferoben

BIG HORSE DRIVE DONE , UNTIL FALL
June 24, 1970- Iowa City Press-Citizen

WAWONA, Calif- Bob Barnett and his boys have the horses back up to Yosemite now, and what is probably the biggest horse drive left in the West is done until next fall.
They use 300 horses and mules during the summer season in and around Yosemite National Park, whose elevation is in the 9,000-foot range.  A lot of snow there in the winter, so the horses are driven down to warmer pastureland around Lake McClure, 85 miles west.  Then, in a three-day drive reminiscent of the Old West, the cowboys escort them back up to their summer home.