BULL AND BEAR: We continue the story of the 1879 fight in Custer
City between a bear and a bull as recounted in the Bradford
Historical Society’s July newsletter:

“July 3, 1879. The day of the fight. Such a throng Custer City
never before witnessed.

“Eleven rows of seats ranged around the pit. About 500 people
occupied seats, among them a dozen women and eight or 10 little
girls.

“The fight begins. In the pit above, men with oaken clubs
prevented the bear from leaping out of the pit. Others with long
sharp poles goaded the brutes into action. The bear, weighing 300
pounds, wistfully looked toward the top of the pit. The bull, with
stout, sharp horns, weighed 1,700 pounds.

“The bull stopped suddenly and gazed fiercely at the bear, who
glared wildly back at his antagonist.

“What followed was a desperate fight between two animals,
neither of which wanted to be in the ring, but each of which were
goaded into action by poles handled by men. The animals took turns
clawing, goring, biting and stomping the other. The crowd cheered
them on. In Round Two, the bear escaped, springing up into the
grandstands among the spectators. A yell of horror arose from the
panic-stricken spectators. The animal bounded and sent his sharp
claws into the flesh of a woman, unable to escape. The terrified
female jumped 25 feet to the ground below while the bear passed
along the seats. In several places the boards broke, and occupants
tumbled to the ground.”

The bear’s owner was able to get a chain around the bear’s neck,
but the crowd clamored for the fight to continue. It did.

“After an hour and a half, the bloodthirsty crowd had had
enough. The bear was dragged into his cage, and the bull taken out.
At 5 o’clock, four carloads of spectators landed back in
Bradford.

“Later that day, two SPCA officials from Philadelphia who had
learned of the match charged the men who ran the fight with cruelty
to animals. A hearing was held a few days later.

“Those fined were ordered to pay ,10 and court costs. The SPCA
officials returned to Philadelphia, disgusted by the
Bradfordians.

“Surprisingly, both the bull and the bear survived, and were
later sold at auction in the Public Square.”