The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1884-12-08
A Huge Monster


the widest excitement ever known in
Iowa, amounting almost to frenzy. now
prevails on Skunk river near Oskaloosa.
The excitement began Tuesday, and
though somewhat abated, still exists, and
there are now several hundred persons
there and many others hurry to lhe scene.
Early Tuesday morning. Mr. James
Wright, living few miles from Oska~
loosa rode into town and informed the
city authorities of huge monster he had
seen on his farm. An investigation fOl>
lowed, and gigantic animal or reptile,
large enough to appal the strongest man,
was found and at once arrangements
were made TO capture the thing. Guns
were procured and shot after
shot was fired at the mon
ster, but the rife balls glanced
of his body and did not effect him in the
least. The monster was near the banks
of the Skunk river and the shots fired
into him produced no other effect than to
cause him to approach the bank slowly
and unexcitedly, but when within ten or
fifteen feet of the bank he suddenly made
a lunge and grasped by the head and neck
a horse rode by young man, and was
jerked with such force as to carry him
into the river, and so deep did his tooth
go that the flesh was mangled and the
neck bone exposed in many places back
to the boly. The rider was only saved
from being carried in with the horse by
being caught by the ann and held by ans
other man, who was riding near him
The animal then plunged into the middle
of the river and it was apparent from the
commotion in the water (and his body
was seen every few rods) that he was go
ing down stream rapidly. Every man
with gun or revolver at every opportunity
fired at him The numbers increased so
that at IL O'Clock there were two thousand
following his movements. The firing
along the bank became So frequent and
reckless or perhaps thoughtless that it
seemed like a battle field Neither the
roar of musketry nor the impact of the
bullets against his body seemed to disturb
him.
Finally 12 pound cannon was procured
and loaded with railroad spikes and with
these the animal was killed. A heavy
| chain was thrown around the head and "A
ditching team of twelve oxen was secured
and the monster pulled upon the river
bank DR. HuntSman and Albeit SwOlnl, of
Oskaloosa, made accurate measurements
which are as follows: Entire length from
the end of the tail to the tip of the nose,
81 feet: from the fore legs to tip of nose,
10 feet; body, from fore TO hind legs, 4C
feet; its tail, 90 feet It's heat weighed
50 pounds and had four cavities, and was
pronounced by Huntsman to be the heart
of an air breathing animal, and not a rep
tile. The lungs and all the other organs
seemed like the yiscera of animals. Il
was found that none of the bullets haC
penetrated the skin.
II was skinned, and taxidermist is
employed to stuff it. and it will be sent tC
the Academy of Natural Science, at Phil
adelphia. The flesh is being carefully re
moved from the skeleton, which is to bt
properly wired and kept for the present a
at Oskaoosa on exhibition.
Dir. Peck, of Davenport, went out in
response to telegram, Wednesday morn
ing. After careful examination, he said
Gentlemen, this is no cardiff giant, bu
a veritablc animal or reptile, but as an
neither naturalist or paleontologist,
have only to say that it probably belong
to a species of gigantic lizard supposed Il
have been extinct many thousand years.
Pointing to one of the teeth, he said: q
will give fifty dollars for that canin
TOOTH which was found on measurement
to be seventeen and half inches long
The monster had been swallowing III
farmers hogs, which weighed 300 to 40
pounds, at one gulp.