Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1878-07-12
Snakes in a Fire.
quincy (ln.) Wing.


A curious and thrilling spectacle was
witnessed Sunday evening by persons
who were early at the scene Of the
burning 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, und then TO
run for the bay, creating continuous
splash, splash, splash, rs one after an
other Of the reptiles went headlong in
20 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, instinctly made for the bay, and,
manned and burned, rs many of them
undoubtedly were, they plunged in pro-
miscuously, the larger ones-some of
them Of tremendous size-throwing
great volumes of water high into the
air. The Waterman at one Of the other
ice-houses says when he first saw the
flames they envcloped 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. II had no doubt been set on
fire by tramps, several of whom We're
subsequently found lying near the ruins,
fast asleep. One Of these very graphic
ally describes the rush Of snakes from
the burning building, which was sight
~ terrible us it was wonderful. Out Of
the doorway, through the roof, in the
midst Of the 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 mir for place of safety They
Kissed with madness, and pounded the
earth with their tails in fury, and seem
o - :" fcreech in the agony they expert
T The number II b,omi ag through the fire.
be endless until II appeared I, a,i,,t to
structure was so fully con-.
sumed that no more could escape from
it, il any there were. Great rattlesnakes,
blow snakes, moccasins, garter snakes,
water snakes Of every possible descrip-
ton and age, were huddled and hustled
together us 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 fur
mace. Wild with rage and tossing ven
ON into the fire, which seemed to only
increase in volume, 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 ofthc ice-house rs if bid
ding defiance to the devouring elements,
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 rs to their
number, no one could giyea more accu-
rate idea than that there were hundreds.
One Of the largest, Of IL bright green and
gold color, which was rendered beauti.
fully brilliant by the iire-ight, 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 hailstones rs it hurried away,
uttering tones of torture rs it proceeded.
Some Of the snakes took refuge IN a
large pile Of lumber near the ice-house,
underneath which several dead carcass
ses were found when the lumber was re-
moved ton place Of safety. The house
was built with three boards, by which II
vacant space was made in the siding,
creating an air-chamber; and it is sup
posed that the snakes had taken posses
sion of this for u home. The tlamps
who endeavored to stay in the ice-house
on Sunday night probably discovered
some Of the snakes, and attempted
to smoke them out, hut the efforts
resulted in the destruction of the build
ing.