Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1883-06-15
SUBTERRAsEAN sERPENTS.
A beaver House Rendered Uninhabi-
rable-The Cellar Sunk In a Snake
Bearing Stratum.

There is house in - fashionable por-
ton Of the city, the exact location of
which is withheld on account of the
injury which would be given to it by
the facts which are ABOUT to be related,
which is haunted by something much
worse than the creations of disordered
minds, called ghosts.
The house has been in q constant
state of change OF occupants, ii being
seldom found possible to induce ten
ant to remain more than q couple OF
weeks. 1t was built by Mr.. French, of
Morgan, French & Co., real estate men,
and the cellar was sunk in bed of
loose gravel. This bed of gravel seems
to have been = bed in more senses than
one, as it would appear that q family
of rattesnakes had made il their place
of repose. When sinking the cellar a
large number CT these were killed,
while dozens of others that were seen
glided out OF sight among the loose
gravel Or rather partially disintegrated
rock of the bottom and sides. Six
years EGG :ne house was cupied by
George [. Clark, the well known states
man who acts as Secretary to the Cap
itol Commission. Shortly after taking
up his residence in the building, Mr..
Clark went into the cellar one morning
in search of the pickle jar, and was
frightened out of his wits by the appear
ance of several large snakes. Mr..
Clark at first took the reptiles to be
mental hallucination which probably
led to his alarm ard was pleased to
fad that the snakes took fright at his
appearance and disappeared as though
by magic. Still in doubt as to whether
the snakes were real or imaginary, Mr..
Clark said nothing about what he had
seen. He was soon convinced, 10 his
no small relief, by other members of
family that the snakes were rsal they
appearing with painful regularity in
the cellar and growing bolder as they
become more familiar with the sight
of human beings. The Clark family
did not wait for the expiration of the
month, but at once sought house
which, while it presented fewer of the
attractioas of a museum, was less try
ing on persons as delicate nervous or
ganizati0n.
From the time since there has been
a constant change of tenants, very
few of whom cared to hold the house
for the term leased. The snakes sesdi-
ly grew bolder, and for SOME ycars
pntthey have ava lel themselves OF the
cellar stairway for reaching the open
air, although they appear to return to
the cellar through the gravelbed. 1t
not uEfrequently happens that the ten
ant upon opening the door leading to
the cellar finds number of fully de-
veloped rattlesnakes waiting upon the
steps to glide through the open door
and seek the outer air by traversing
the hallway. The serpents do not ap-
pear inclined to act Oh the offensive,
and seem perfectly willing that the ten
ants should ocoupy the house jointly
with them. The cellar of the house
has been rendered useless by their in
cursions, as any thing of an eatabie
nature placed there is appropriated by
the reptiles in ntter disregard of the |
rights Of ownership. The neighborhooa |
in which the house is located does not |
appear to be particularly adapted to |
snake culture, and, with the exception |
of those which escape from the house, |
few are ever seen there. It is suppGs- |
ed by the scientists Of the locality that
the snakes have a means of exit from
the rock at some distance from the |
house, and that the cellar accidentally |
reache the snake-bearing vein in sink
ing: Most of the ten ants have been |
new arrivals from the East, and many |
have returned home with the impress
sion that Colorado is a great snake |
producing State. Strange as it may
appear, while other members OF the |
family have BEEN badly frightened by |
the appearance of the snakes, the |
head Of the house, as rule,
appeared to be thu most visibly |
affected, a dim horror of delirium
tremen5 seeming to fash upon kis
mind at the frst glance.