Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1879-03-22
A yxEc SNAKE.

n special 10 the New 1Olk NcIIu,
from Poughkeepsie, \. Y, sn.s:
Some seven or eight years ago much
alarm was manifested along the liue OF
the Housaton;c Railroad by the appear
auce ola tremendous snake, but oi what
opnidan species he was a sample 10 one
could tell. The reptile made IFS homo
in dense swamp in tho vicinity oil tho
railroad track. Time and again the rep
tile was shot at by hunting parties, but
it always managed TO get away safely.
The track of the Housatonic Railroad
runs directly through the swamp nemed.
Early one morning the engineer OF
passenger train suddenly discovered
long black object lying across the rails
he shut off steam and whistle Tor brakes.
While the speed was Stacking The engi-
neer saw that il was the verltabIe snake,
about which so much had been said, and
he pulled the throttle again, intending,
If possible, TO run IL down aud cnt IL in
two, but just before the engine reached
it the end Of the tail sliG. oil the raj! and
almost Immediately the entire snake dis
appeared. Four or five years ago two
men riding in buggy along road
which skirts the swamp say they saw
the now famous snake wriggling slowly
across the road. They were certain,
from the measurement OF the ground
where they first saw it, that il was over
twenty feet long. Again the snsse
excitement broke out in the neighbor-
hood, and parties were organized TO
hunt the reptile down without success,
and the interest in the matter soon died
out. The cause Of the disnppearsnco Of
the snake for the last -four years has
been great mystery, but it has been
completely solved in an extraordinary
manner. Some imagined that The snake
bad found hi, way TO the Housatonio
River and, escaping death by drown
ing. thence to the ocean and became tho
veritable sea serpent. Others held that
he had taken 10 the mountains. Really
he rever loft the swamp Of his birth, for
his colossal remains have been discover
ed. On Saturday last Two men named
Kelly and Smith, both well and iayora-
bly, known in the neigbborhsod, went
into tho swamp witb.a sled TO get a lead
of wood. After a little while they came
70 large buttonwood tree which had
fallen to the ground. They discovered
it was hollow, and in order 10 handle il
easily they attempted TO saw II mp. They
had sawed nearly through oGe part
when suddenly the saw grated IS though
il bad struck a stone Thinking that it
was a curious place 10 fad stone ;hoy
at once went TO work 10 Investigate.
They piled their axes snd by dint OF
bard labor split the tree, when 10 their
astonishment tho obstacle which tho
saw bad struck proved 10 be boncs.
Then they opened the tree Is far NJ
they could find bores, some tweDtyODe
feet, and the remains proved 10 be those
of the monstrous reptile SD often seen
bat never captored. The ribs measured
six inches in diameter and from that to
pered down 10 smaller sizes. The tail
Of the snake was found imbedded intbc
upper part Of the tree, and both meu
believed that the lsst time he was chss-
ed, some four years ago, be sought ret
uge in this tree and never oniDs ont
again. The bones and other remains
have been preserved and will be sent 70
the Society Of Natural Science, together
with the history Of the esse.
WnAr FARMERS AND TIE COUNTRY
NgEp.-Fewer dogs and more sheep.