Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1877-08-29
An Aquatic Monster.
ST Louis Globe. Democrat

The men working at lnG government
dixie in the Mississippi River, opposite
Quarantine Station, tell very curious
story concerning 4 singular monster
seen in the water at that point on the
9th inst The reporters information in
the case is Mr. Thomas Eagan one of
the workmen alluded to, who lives at
2525 South Seventh street, in this city,
who was himself the first to discover
this strange aquatic animal, and to call
the attention of his fellow-laborers to it.
1t was about 10 o'clock in the morning,
and the day so clear and bright that
there could be no optical illusion result
ing from any unusual condition of the
atmosphere.
Mr.. Eagan states that his attention
was first directed to peculiar movement
of the water about forty feet above
where he was working on the dixie. The
motion seemed to be caused by a round
body rolling over and over III the water
with considerable violence, throwing
the waves foot high with each revolu-
ton, The object rolled in this manner
until it reached point Immediately
opposite Eagan and his fellow-workmen en-,
and here it seemed to pause for breath,
though at no time being perfectly still.
1t remained co1n paratively quiet how
ever. long enough for the men to get q
good sight of a part of its body, though
it was plain that not more than one-third
of its length could be seen. There was
about ten feet of the middle portion of
the body partly lifted above the water,
and though the head was visible several
times. the tail was not seen at all, and
thus no accurate estimate of the entire
length could be made. The back of the
monster was covered with course black
or dark brown scales, much like those OF
the alligator, while the under portion
of the body, brought frequently to view
as the monster turned over, was OBJ
served to be of dark blue, and bright
and glistening like that of the Missis-
sippi catfish. The head, most curious
to relate, was that of dog, the ears and
ewes being plainly discernible, While the
mouth or bill was in the perfect shape
of a pelicans. and more than foot il
length Some of the men who got
good look at the head and ears declare
that they were covered with a thick
coating of hair, black in color, and
hanging down in long, stringy locks
The ears were long and pendant like
those of a hound or sea-liOn, and sever
al fins. The monster shook them as il
to rid his head of the dripping water
From the long bill he threw stream OF
water, at intervals, much like the spout
ing of whale, and with noise that
was heard by all on shore. The spouts
of water were thrown at least two fee
high, about a minute apart. The rep
title had either six legs, or four legs anC
two huge leg-like fins. At any rate two
of these members were much longer
and larger than the other four, and were
thrown out of and along the surface O
the water as if they were being useC
as paddles for propelling, or keeping
the body still, or turning it over. On
the thick, corrugated neck there was q
long, black name, reached like that O.
a horse, and reaching so far down thai
the ends were lost in the water Why
the monster paused so long opposite the
dixie cannot be surmised, but it is be-
heved to have been attracted by the
noise and shouting of the men at work
for several times it was observed to turn
its head in that direction, as If curious
to know the cause of SO much com
motion. One of the men went to neigh
boring house for gun, but few mo
ments before he returned the monster
turned over several times with grea
velocity, spouted violently, and sunk IL
the water. The event created adecideC
sensation among the large number O
workmen engaged in work on the river
front, and there was no end to the sur
misses concerning the real nature of the
strange sight. Several contended thai
it was a sea-sepent, others that it was
nothing more than huge alligator, and
others (of a superstitous turn of mind
that it was nothing less than the devil
who had assumed this monstrous guise
for some porpentous or premonitory
purpose. An equal diversity of opinion
was held concerning the shape, size, and
length of the monster Some thought
it was forty, others sixty, feet in length
and one or two were certain its body
was as large as hogshead, and I'm
doubtedly 100 feet in length. Mr. Eagan's
judgement is, and he is doubtless cor
rect, that its length would not exceed
thirty feet.