West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1885-10-09
FUN IN THE MARKET.
An Eei That CouIdnt Bo Hold Even
VOL as an Ordinary ErI.

An Eel That CouIdnt Be Held Even as
We'll as an Ordinary Ecl.
Any one who lifts that eel ont of
the tank may have il, said Eugene
Blackford yesterday to crowd of per
sons who stood in Fulton Market be-
fore an open aquarium watching large
eel moving gracefully about i'm the
water H. attracted attention because
it was not "A communicating eel, such
rs may be bobbcd for any day Mt low
tide in Ncwtown Creek hardy-look-
ing fisherman, who had probably caught
many cells I'm his time, asked Mr.. Black
ford if he WAS in earnest, and being as
surcd that the offer was made in good
faith he tucked up the sleeves OF his
pilot jacket and after briefly explaining
to the crowd the precise manner In
which an eel should be graspcd to pre-
vent IL gliding through the fingers ho
plunged his hands into the water To
practically Illustrate how the thing was
done He seized the eel very artisiical-
ly, but. with n sharp explosion of bias.
phemy, he let il 90 again before he had
brought il to the surface. The eel
swan around indillercntly II had evil
IDENTIFY grown accustomed TO such ex-
per.cncc The fisherman followed it
with his eye. at stung me bad, - was
the only explanation he cared TO offer
10 the wondering spectators Just then
a whistling boy came up, and looked
at the eel bee ciuse the Others were look
ing at il.
Il don't see anything uncommon in
him, he said, conteniptuously. I've
kclched bigger ones than that
Say, Bob, said tie fisherman. struck
with an idea. ''pick that eel out Of the
tank and follow me down 10 South
street with il, and I'll give YOU quar-
ter
Without stopping to make any in
quirics as TO the Legitimacy of the offer,
the independent lad graspcd the Gel
lie liberated il Immediately and uttered
n yell that brought in the policeman
who twirls his club just outside the fish
market TO see what the matter was
Later i'm the day many persons
touched the eel and tested It's curious
powers After the contact some
shrckcd, some laughed and some
looked frightened, but none essaycd to
mcddle with II second time New
'WIli'i7 NDiAiluh''l W lDNiU W. NlUAIi WI
Blackford. fearful that its vitality might
bc exhausted, put il into high closed
tank, and pasted this legend upon the
glass: "Gymnotus, or Electric Eel.
The tank contained several "hell-
bendcrs. and tho eel shocked them
very much and caused them to spring
around in the liyclicst manner II was
given to Fish Commiss oner Blackford
by Mr. Donald Burns, who received IL
carly yesterday morning from the Anna
non River. Captain Bears brought it
with him in the steamship Finance. He
is rather a handsome creature. and q
great point i'm It's favor is that IL keeps
ils mouth always shut, except ~ meal
times and seems 30 breathe through
two rows OF holes on its head and neck.
II is about two and one half feet long
and rather disproportionatelv thick. u
has n heavy fin. Ike the keel Of boat
running along the belly the entire
length Of the body The throat is of
orange color and the head, though
short and clumsy, is Ornamented with
two little flaps that look like ears u
can administer an electric shock as
powerful as that of y small battery A
man yesterday touched IL with steel
f-h-knifc. and he felt tho shock as for
chilly as II nc had touched it with his
bare fingers. " r. Sun.