The sun., 1881-01-16
VAS rhIs raIxe EVEN A ssAKn,.
Tho Curisus Remain. Feund On nm Island IN
OayveEO County.


, FULTON, N. Y, Jan. I5.-Thomas Gale, tho
wealthy Syracuse salt manufacturer. contrac-
tor. and politician owns a grassy plat OF land
known as big Island" lying In the oswega
River about ak miles south OF this village II
contains about twenty acres. and is partly COW
cred with low bushes and wild shrubbery. Dur
ing the summer and fall Mr.. Gale has had men
clearing up the island. cutting down and up-
roofing the bushes. grading the land and pre-
pairing 1t for n summer resort 1t ia said he in
tcnds to put up hotel OF mammoth size. The
foreman OF the gang is Levi Wilbur. who lives
near Fulton. Late In tho fall while Wilbur was
clearing away somo bushes at the north end Of
tho island. where tho land slopes down to the
stone and slanced OIL lie S" was aute @ surprised, G
not oan1 amy Ms stones Seore S woPFed away
however ernbbing out the roots. and soon un-
eS,ithed ear an odd;ooking piece OF round stone.
ground; Ho thought he would bring pick and
The following day ihe weather came OH cold
and freezing and Wilbur did not go to work,
weeks. '''' '"' ''' was u'''0n''i'''u LOT severn"
Last week; h2Iwoyer. Mr., Gallo gave orders to
tho island. Taking two or three men. Wilbur
cehclnded to dig up tho rest of tho stone. and
%sna san a IT. A2E ScS IN svSrs
the earth. l'y this time they had all become
curious. and cutting away tho stumps and roots
lieging. and soon broke OF another Sec section. c
ThcL Wilbur gave orders TO work with -pore
After digging along about eight feet they came
iotbe end Of the stone and on raising it. found
The, three pieces were laid together, and the
whole formed the perfect body OF an immense
snake, except about foot Of the tail. which vas
and. tested by concussion. gives forth a ringing
sound as l. hollow as the other sections Of the
and jaws are distinctly marked. The body
swells In size toward the middle where its di-
twenty feet. Tho head Is n fiattened oval, and
nearly twelve inches long; The general color
reddish an So which is The stone gen,
are marked by stripes of lighter color and
Mr.. Wilbur had the monster removed to his
barn. where the whole population OF the village
and vicinity; and many people from distant
of Faioy Seminary. a conscientious gentleman
ana practical and experienced teacher OF mt
oa, grSl science hss examin9d fhs ob,ett With
petrifaction OF the bon constructor type. and
relic OF ages long past. The opinion that II Ia
so soss'l serpent prevails among all who have
Yesterday THE SUNS correspondent visited
the Wilbur place with Prof. Paige. who 10 de-
liyering a course of scientific lectures in this
village; but. unfortunately the owners Of the
fossil have got into controversy abost pos
sesslon. and 1t has been hidden away so Prof.
Paige could not examine it. Indeed. its COM
mercial value seems to be appreciated. for
within few days after ii was unearthed 1t WAS
seized on an execution to satisfy n judgment
against one OF its owners. and was only with
drawn from public sale by payment of the debt.
From what Prof. Paige has heard he Is inclined
to believe that it is n genuine serpent though.
OF course, he reserves a positive opinion till he
can examine 1t.
The discovery is attracting tho attention OF
persons OF scientific attainmonts throughout
central and northern New York. and many
letters have been received inGuiring about II
from eminent teachers and students. The own
crs have been invited to exhibit it in New York
and elsewhere. but 1t is not probable that they
will do so at present. Search will be made for
the tail part. which. having been probably
little above the surface of the ground. may have
been broken off II long time ago and knocked
about unnoticcd. Where the tail IL broken of
il is about two and half inches in diameter.
The body does not seem to be hollow all the way
through. but only in spots.