Wyandot County Republican. [volume] (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1869-1903, 1869-07-08
A Shower of Snakes.

Il
night will be long remembered in
this State. In addition to the de-
tails heretofore given, we have in
formation from a reliable citizen of
great damage at Taylorville. The
storm burst in it's full fury at that
place about dark, and the rain fell
in torrents. The electric storm
presented the same features as here.
The wind, however, was more vio-
lent, and intermissions blew in great
strength from every direction
Sc, eral buildings were damaged, and
young hickory trees actually twist
ed off by the wind. The growing
crops were prostrated by the wind,
and beaten into the ground by the
rain and hail But the most singu-
lar phenomenon, and one which
was not vouchsafed to any other
community, was shower of snakes.
We have heretofore read ofshowers
of sand, of fish, and sometimes Of
flesh, but never before of a shower
of snakes and yet we are well as
sured that the phenomenon, which
occurred on last Friday night can
be described in no more fitting
terms.
On Saturday and Sunday last,
every ditch, brook, and pool on the
prairie north Of Taylorville was
alive with nondescript creatures,
which have been described to US as
being from one and a half to two
feet long, and of three fourths of
an inch to an inch in diameter.
This diameter is very slightly les
sened at the head and tail The
tail is fiat, like that of an eel, but
has no caudal fin; indeed, there is
no fin at ALL The head is in shape
like that of an eel, but the mouth is
like that Of a sucker. The eyes are
small, and the ears are simply orr
fiices. Immediately behind the
head, on each side, is a fipper, like
that of a turtle, say three -fourths OF
an inch to an inch in length, includ-
ing the limb, which has perfectly
developed joint. In color, these
snakes, or whatever they are, are o1
a dark hue.
The number of these creatures is
beyond all estimate. They swim il
every branch and puddle of water
Their mode of progression, in addi
ton to the undulatory motion OF :
snake in water, is by the use of tht
flipper described above, and they
swim entirely under the water, o.
with the head and a few inches O
the body above the surface, thu
indicating that the fiippers are no
absolutely essential to notion
They are perfectly harmless. Boy
and men take them from the pool
in hundreds, and they are brough
to town for inspection.
We are willing to admit that on
knowledge of technology is no
sufficient to determine what the,
are. Eels have teeth, are carniv
erous. and some species are yer,
, voracio,ss and belligerent. Thes
creatures are Of the genus evolup
terus, or suckers, having no teeth
and are evidently unprepared fo
attack, and except by flight ar
defenceless. Furthermore they hav
no fins, and their flippers are onl
adjuncts, and not their prlncipa
means of progression. They ar
not scorpions, as they want fangs
either hooded or naked, which in
variably distinguish the order O
ophidians.
We will not worry our reader
with any speculation on subjec
coufessedly beyond our knowledge
We are promised some specimens
which will be submitted to natural
lists of acknowledged ability, who's
opinions we shall lay before tn
public.
:, 1t is the universal testimony Q
all the people of the country that n
creature anything like those wa
ever before seen by them. Th
size renders it certain that the
have not been developed there, as
: is practically impossible that the
7 could have grown to that size with
!. out having been seen. 1t is quit
7 certain they were never there befor
e the storm, and it is almost equal
: certain the storm brought ther
| there. This storm, which passe
e over so large an extent of country
f and was so violent, undoubtedl
oatboro6 oc do most ofc,ob ~ NV,
!, in the vast plains Of the northwes
e 1t was tornado, and, in passin
q through the country, disturbed tn
a usual atmospheric and electric:
Q conditions so as to produce, in at
dition to the central tornado,
high wind. heavy rain and an elet
trical storm. The most plausibl
!, theory which occurs to us as a,
counting for the presence of thes
r. fishes. is that the tornado in pas.
. ing over some lake or river in til
immense unknown region of tn
u northwest, drew up water, and wit
it these animals which are evidentl
Il amphibious. The tornado the
sped on its mission of destruction
d passing perhaps miles above til
;, earth, and occasionally, as at Shil
: man, striking the earth. -Nes
h Taylorville the central body of til
Y storm was dissipated, as is show
i by. the fact that the wind blew
: gusts from all directions, and thes
; creatures fell to the earth to astol
# ish the people, and perplex tt
scientific.
e To CLEAR A Room OF MosQU1ToE
= "A writer says: II have tried I'll
following, and find it works like