The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1859-06-16
Fi.E,l villa "a Rattle anissee.

We have hitherto supposed the day lone
since passed 70. .chronicling a big snake fight
in the vicinity of Central City, but such it
appears is not the case. from scene which
recently TRANSFERRED within a short drive from
the Court House. Some Of the older resi-
dents will remember building which for
nerly stood on Prospect Hill, about sixGnieS
distant from Peoria. and was DESTROYED some
seven or eight years since During the past
season another house was erected near the
same location, and all that has remained as
relics ofthe old hotel, was a partially filled
excavation for a cellar, and two well preserved
brick cisterns. which had been kept covered
up Last week, the proprietor of the place,
while busy with his wife in preparing their
summer fewer garden, found himselfin want
of few bricks for the edge of the walks
Remembering the csterns, 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.
Itseems there was piece of plank with one
end partially imbeded in the earth that some
what disconnected him. on Selling it, with
some exertion he pulled it out and threw it
to the top. What was his horror and sur
prise, at the next moment, to find that he
had unearthed an enormous rattle snake,
and him self without weapon in his hand !!
As the cistern was round, and only about
five feet in diameter, h. could not jump out,
and the snake bri sting with anger and rat
Ting 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 meantime had COM
menced the fight, making repeated springs
at him, but fortunately he managed on each
occasion to hit him upon the head with his
boot, without racei ing bite, the snake all
the time becoming m Ore defiant and enraged
During the whole scene which lasted severa'
m ties, the man did not lose his presence
of mind, but watching his chance, made
several frantic effots to jump DO lily from
this seeming pit of destruction. At the las
trial, he fortunately grasped brick which
gave way with him, and remained in his
hand as he again stood fronting his enemy.
After a few more kicks, and watching his
opportunity, he fired it, making probabl,
one of the best shots on record, or it struck
the snake on the head, and between the one
sent and the wall, he became pretty well
used sarpint." Weak and exhausted, our
hero by the assistance of his life, was ena-
bled to climb from the pit, but when once
more upon the earth he tainted away, and it
was some time before he could be recovered
For several succeeding days he was quite
unwen, owing probably to the poisonous
efluvia inhaled, while his desperate exercise
in the encounter rendered him exceedingly
lame The snake was afterwards tax IN from
the cistern, when it was found to measure
seven feet in length, an | contained thirteen
rattles. The latter have been preserved,
and are placed in Shots Museum for exhlbi7
tion.-POria Tra1script.