The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1867-08-16
A Monster in Lake Eichipan

Inc ChlcagO Tribune OF the 9Th pub
fishes the latest fish story. 1t says f|niGg
That Lake Michigan is inhabited by7a
vast monster, part fish and part serpant,
| no longer admits CT doubt. We have al
| ready published the fact that the crews of
the tug Geo. w. Wood and the propellor
Sky Lark had seen him off Eonsten, lash
ing the waves into tempest 1t is to be
regretted that these vessels were unable to
approach nearer to him, as from the united
testimony OF so many persons we might
have been able to obtain an accurate idea
of the nondescript. As it is, the evidence
of the crews sufficiently establishes the fact
! that the animal is between forty and fftv
| feet IN length, his shape serpantlne. the
size of his neck about that of human
and his body about that of an ordinary
barrel. &, o. .--.....
Tie monster was not seen again until
! yesterday morning, wnen he suddenly made
his appearance just below Hyde Park
about, a mlle and a half from shore, where
the bed Of the Lake, suddenly. dips to a
great depth. The facts we are abopt to
state We have derived from fisherman liv.
Ing IN that vicinity, named JOS Muhlke.
His estimate of the length, which
he informs us, was five times the length of
his boat, very nearly italics with the previ-
Gus account, while his estimate of the cir
cumferance is equally, confirmatory. The
general color of the animal was a blush
black, dark est in the centre, graduating to
nearly blue towards the head and tail
The side of the animal only was visible as
he lifted his head and tail occasionally, and
this appeared to be of grayist white, re-
sembllng the dog fish somewhat. The head
was little larger than the human average
head, growing smaller toward the mouth !
and sloping gradually toward the neck
somewhat ike a seal s. Toward the snout..
which was triangular in shape, the head
was very much depressed, and on the ex-
treme end on the snout, Mr. Muhlke thinks
there were barbels, but of this he is not
sure. No teeth were visible. The ewes
were large, larger than the human eye, but
OF their color and shape Mr. NJ. could form
no idea whatever. Only a portion of the
! neck was visible. This appeared to be
rough, and along its upper surface and ex
tending nearly to its TAIL was the series of
what appeared like the bony part of stur.
geon.
LATER.-We have just received the fol-
lowing noe from the captain of the schooner
Alert, which arrived day from Michigan.
loaded with lumber consigned to John ri
Noble, ON the North Branch The Alert
is evidently the vessel spoken of by Dir.
Muhlke: uu3 q rf.. yrI ~. a,.laI
J., SCHOONER ALERT, MOBILES Dock
:. CHICAGO, August 6, 1867. +
TO the Editor of the Chicago Tribune: .
Tins morning, about q: 80, I was called
on deck by my first mate, Alexander Bar
ret, and my attention directed to singular
looking object, apparently swimming, about
four miles to 'windward, bearing almost in
due range of the Hyde Park house. ex-
amined it with a glass for minute or two.
but 1t sunk before | could determine any
thing. further than that it was evidently a
very large fish, larger than any [ have ever
seen on any of my trips before. I-have
| often seen sturgeon in the Lake, but never
of size like this. The morning was. very
still at the time, wind very light and from
the southeast, the Alert making for Chi
cago. The Alert sails for Grand River in
the course of two or three days. Should |
see anything more of the, fish on the east
shore of the lake | will Inform yon.Dp1
'' Yours truly, Henry Du#aNT, of
,d31rItG7 p Captain Schooner Alert.
The following dispatch. received this eve
ming, confirms still further the fact that
such an animal is in the Lake :''''f'oq et
MICHIGAN Cry, Indiana, 81
ie.9a9g3g August 6, 1867
Considerable excitement has been created
here this afternoon by the sudden appear
ance OF monstrous animal in the Lake.
about mile and half from the shore. It
was on the surface of the water only for
minute or two; appeared to be, as far as
We could judge, about forty feet in length,
OF dark color, and resembled a snake,
both In appearance and motion. He was
at such distance from shore, and in sight
for so short time, that we could form little
idea OF his real character
CHARLES SANGER,
Justice Of the Peace.