The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1878-07-12
Quincy, Ill, Whig.l
The Prize Snake story Of ISIS,

AS AAAO OudhO OtUEI 1900
curious and thrilling spectacle was wit
messed Sunday evening by persons who were
early at the scene of the burning of McDade,s
ice-house on the bay. Ii was caused by the
escape Of probably hundreds of snakes, which
seemed to wiggle and crawl and bound directly
out of the flames and then to ruu for the bay,
creating continuous splash, splash, splash as
one after another of the reptiles went headong
into the water. The whole country for mile
around was as light as day. The snakes
seemed to come from every nook and corner Of
the building, and, writhing in agony from the
intense heat, instinctively made directly for the
bay, and, MANNED and burned, as many of
them undoubtedly were, they planged In pro-
miscuously, the larger ones-some of them of
Tremendous size-thro wing great volumes of
water high into the air. The watchman at one
of the other ice.houses says that when he first
saw the flames they enveloped nearly the entire
building. He ran to the door and attempted
to enter, but was driven back by the fire and
smoke. Nothing whatever could be done to
save the ice-house. 1t had no doubt been set
on fire by tramps, several of whom were subse-
quently found lying near the ruins fast asleep.
One Of these very graphically describes the
rush OF snakes from the blrning building,
which was sight as terrible as it wss wonder
full. Out of the doorway, through the roof, IN
the midst OF dense volumes of smoke, they
came by scores; large snakes and small, of
almost every species known to this latitude,
their eyes extended and their forked tongues
darting defiance at the blaze, they actually
raced through the air for place of safety.
They hissed with madness and pounded the
earth with their tails in fury, and seemed to
screech in the agony they experienced in COM
ing through the fire. The number Of them ap-
peared to be endless until the whole structure
was so fully consumed that no more could es-
cape from it, if any there were. Great rattle-
snakes, blow snakes, mocassins, garter snakes,
water snakes of every possible description and
age, were huddled and hustled together as they
came forth, apparently borne by the flames.
The creeping things were horrible to behold.
no one dared to attempt to kill them after they
had passed successfully through such fur
mace: Wild with rage and tossing venom into
the ire, which seemed to only increase in vol
ume, they coiled upon the ground with arched
necks ready to strike the foe that approached
them. Some OF them even seemed to stand
upon the edge ef the ice-house as il bidding de-
nance to the devouring elements, and to lick up
the flames with their tongues before giving up
what had been their home.
lt Is declared upon good authority that some
OF these reptiles were ten feet in length, with
Dodles OF enormous size, which made large
swaths on the earth where they crawled; and
as to thelr number, no one could give a more
accurate idea than that there were hundreds.
One of the largest, of bright green and gold
color, which was rendered beautifully brilliant
by the freight, appeared through the side of
the house, which was in full blaze, bearing in
It's mouth two Of its young and scales fell from
its body like hailstones as it hurried away,
uttering tones of torture as it proceeded. Some
OF the snakes took refuge in pile Of lumber
near the ice-house underneath which several
dead carcasses were found when the lumber
was removed to place of safety. The house
was built of three boards, by which vacant
space was made in the siding, creating an air
chamber; aud it is supposed that the snakes
had taken possession of this for home. The
tramps who endeavored to stay in the ice house
on Sunday night probably discovered some of
the snakes and attempted to smoke them out
but the effort resulted in the destruction of the
hnildino