The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1878-07-18
A Curious and Thrilling Spectacle.
GQuincy Whig.l

A curious and thrilling spectacle was
witnessed Sunday evening by persons
who were early at the scene of the burn
ing of McDade's ice-house on the bay.
1t was caused by the escape of probably
hundreds of snakes, which seemed to
wiggle and crawl and bound directly
out of the flames, and to then run for
the bay, creating a continuous splash.
splash, as one after another of the rep
tiles went headlong into the water. The
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 di-
rectly for the bay, and, manned and
burned as many of them undoubtedly
were, they plunged in promiscuously,
the larger ones-some of them of tre-
mendous size-throwing great volumes
of water high into the air.
The watehman 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 at
tempted to enter, but was driven back
by the fire and smoke. Nothing what
ever could be done to save the ice-house
1t had no doubt been set on fire by
tramps, several of whom we're subse-
quently found lying near the ruins, fast
asleep. One of these very graphically
describes the rush of snakes from the
burning building, which was a sight
as terrible as it was wonderful. 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 coming through the fire. The num-
ber of them appeared to be endless,
until the whole structure was so far con-
sumed that no more could escape from
it, if any there were. Great rattle
snakes, blow-snakes, moccasins, garter
snakes, of every possible description
and age, were hudd1ed ard hustled to-
gether as they came forth apparently
borne by the flames. The creeping
things were horrible to behold. No one
dared attempt to kill them after they
had passed successfully through such a
furnace. Wild with rage and tossing
venom into the fire, which seemed only
the ground with arched necks ready to
strike the foe that approached them.
Some of them even seemed to stand
upon the edge of the ice-house, as il
bidding defiance to the devouring ele-
ment, and to lick up the flames with
their. tongues, before giving up what
had been their home. 1t is declared
upon good authority that some of these
reptiles were ten feet in length, with
| bodies of enormous size, which made
large swaths on the earth where they
crawled; and as to their number, nc
one could give a more accurate ides
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 its mouth
two of its young, and scales fell from
its body like hail-stones as it hurried
away, uttering tones of torture as il
proceeded. Some of the snakes tool
refuge in large pile of lumber neal
the ice-house, underneath which severa
dead carcases were found when the lum
ber was removed to a place of safety
The house was built with three boards
by which a vacant space was made il
the siding, c'eating an air-chamber, anc
it is supposed that the snakes had take1
possession of this for home TIL,
tramps who endeavored to stay in tn,
ice-house on Saturday night probabl,
discovered some of the snakes and at
tempted to smoke them out, but tn,
effort resulted in the destruction of tn
s building