Enterprise headline — July 1962

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This story came from a trove of old newspapers given to me by my friend John Law, along with copies of the Olympic Digest published by The Enterprise during the 1980 Olympic Winter games in Lake Placid in 1980.

There is also a copy of New York Daily News from Jan. 29, 1986; with a story telling of a day we remember as we remember the day of President Kennedy’s assassination and the day men landed on the moon; the explosion of the space shuttle Challenger killing a New Hampshire teacher, Christa McAuliffe, and her six crew members. The shuttle lead story: “The space shuttle Challenger exploded into a gigantic orange and dirty-white fireball yesterday, 72 seconds after liftoff and plunged 10 miles into the Atlantic off Cape Canaveral …”

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The Enterprise story about the bear was written by Bill McLaughlin and it is dedicated to Brendon Olsen, a hunter and Physical Therapist at the Adirondack Medical Center. He is as tough as he looks and he probably could have dispatched this bear in a wrestling match.

(Sub-head on the story – Prowler to Become a Camp Rug)

“Pearl Prevost can stack arms with Annie Oakley anytime when it comes to crack shot artistry and there’s a 400-pound defunct male bear lying in her front yard as evidence.

“The bear, as bold a marauder as one could imagine, was charging toward Pearl in spite of the howling of five dogs which had warned her of the bear’s presence.

“The prowler paid a visit to the Prevost home, which is a quarter-mile off the McMaster Road and in thick woods, about 9:30 Friday night.

“Pearl and her husband Joe were sleeping in different parts of the house when the barking of the dogs aroused her. She had a feeling there was a bear around the house because the place has been visited many times in the past three months.

“She called to Joe, who came to the porch where Pearl was standing with a loaded 32-calibre Winchester Special. The bear had passed within three feet of a chained German Shepherd and was making directly for the porch when Joe hollered, ‘Shoot’.

“In spite of very poor light from a porch bulb she sent two bullets crashing into the bear. One struck him in the nose and the other one directly between the eyes.

“When the bear fell the German Shepherd was able to grab it by the hind leg and drag it a few feet away from its mistress. However, the bear was dead. It measured eight inches between the eyes and its foot pads were five and a half inches across.

“In the light of day the carcass was inspected and it was estimated to weigh over 400 pounds. Pearl thinks it is the same bear that entered the home of Mrs. Charles Bomyea a week ago and rampaged through the dining room of her house which is only a few miles from the Prevost home.

“The basis of her contention on the fact that the bear was utterly fearless and the presence of dogs in both instances didn’t deter him. Pearl worked for the sterling Fox Farms [then located across from today’s Price Chopper on Route 86 in Lake Placid] and recalls that bears were mating as late as this in captivity. She believes the wild variety may also be voracious and bold at this time.

“Pearl showed us where a beagle was sleeping on an outside screened porch, went through the screen when the bear came onto the front lawn.

“They are dressing the bear out and will make a camp rug of the hide. Pearl says that anyone who wants some bear meat can come and get it.”

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Bear shot at North Pole, Whiteface Mountain

“NORTH POLE, N.Y. (AP) – A 275-pound black bear was shot to death early today as he returned to Santa’s Workshop, where he had feasted on a white-tail deer before dawn Saturday.”

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Feifer takes karting race

“Larry Feifer, racing in the 8 to 11 Bushing Go-Kart competition Saturday night at the Saranac Lake Kartway on the Saranac Lake Airport Road, topped his class to take a win over Craig Duso. Third, among the contestants was Ken Voudren, all from Saranac Lake.

“A large crowd was on hand to see Fred Perry of Fulton won the “A” Stock Class. He nosed out Ed Cross and Bob Thompson, both of Plattsburgh followed by Carl Wood of Saranac Lake.

“Richard Willette of Saranac Lake hung in for a third place in the 12-15 Bushing Races which was won by Mike McCarroll of Peru with Don Dooley taking third.

“Angus Voudren of Saranac Lake won the “B” Class, twin engine racers with Pete Sellers of Plattsburgh taking second. Mishaps limited the field to two racers.

“Senior Bushing winner was Mr. Wood, followed by Sid Feifer and Andy Fortune Jr., all of Saranac Lake.”