Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1859-05-30
From the Peoria Transcript, May Is.
TERRIFIC FIGHT WITH A RATTLESNAKI

TERRIFIC FIGHT WITH RATTLESNAKE
We have hitherto supposed the day long
since passed for chronicling a big snake fight
In the vicinity of the Central City, but SUCH
II appears, is not the case, from a scene which
TRANSFERRED within a short drive from the Court
House. Some of the older residents will re-
member building which formerly stood on
Prospect Hil about six miles distant from
Peoria, and which was destroyed some seven
or eight years since. During the past season
another house was erected near the same To-
cation, and all that has remained as relics of
the old hotel was a partially filled excavation
for cellar, and two wel-preseryed brick els
terms which had been kept covered up. Last
week the proprietor Of the place, while busy
with his wife III preparing their Summer flow
er garden, found himself in the want of few
bricks for the edge of the walks Remember
ing the cisterns, he uncovered one of them,
and finding it dry at the bottom, and only
about six feet in depth, he jumped in, and
commenced throwing out some of the best
brick he could pick from the walls. 1t seems
there was piece of plank with one end par
TALLY embedded in the earth that somewhat in
commoded him, so Selling it, with some exer-
ton he pulled it out and threw it to the top.
What was his horror and surprise, at the next
moment, to find that he had unearthed an
enormous rattlesnake, and himself without II
weapon in his hand AS the cistern was
round, and only about five feet in diameter, he
could not jump out, and the snake, bristling
with anger and rafting defiance, was ready
for battle
His screams brought his wife to the scene,
but she was so overcome with fright that she
became powerless to render any assistance
The snake in the m antime had commenced
the fight, making repeated springs at him, but
fortunately on each occasion he managed to
hit him on the head with his boot, without re-
ceiving bite, the snake all the time becoming
more defiant and enraged. During the whole
scene, which lasted several minutes, the man
did not lose his presence of mind but watch
ing his chance, made several frantic efforts to
jump bodily from this seeming pit of destruc-
ton. AT the last trial, he fortunately grasped
a brick which gave way with him, and re-
manned in his hand as he again stood fronting
his kissing enemy After few more kicks,
and watching his opportunity, he fired it,
making probably one of the best shots ON rec
ord, for it struck the snake on the head, and
between the brick thrown and the wall
he became "pretty well used sarpint."
Weak and exhausted our hero, by the assist
ance of his wife, was enabled to climb from
the pit, but when once more upon earth he
tainted away, and it was some time before he
could be recovered For several succeeding
days he was quite unwell, owing probably to
the poisonous efiluvia which he inhaled, while
his desperate exercises in the encounter rem
dered him exceedingly lame, The snake was
afterwards taken from the cistern, when it
was found to measure seven feet in length
and to contain thirteen rattes The latter have
been preserved, and are placed in Shoaf's Mu-
scum for exhibition.