Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1888-05-18
LAST AND GREATEST.

In Central Dakota, on the "Missouri
bottoms" there exists one of nature
strangest freaks. The settlers term it
the "pump snake" How it came there
or where it came from is yet unknown.
1t first made its appearance in Emmons
county in the spring of 1886. A full
grown pump snake measures about six
teen feet in length and about three inches
in diameter. They are of gregarious
habits, roaming the praires in large
herds, as many as 300 having been count
ed in single flock. In dissecting one of
these reptiles there is found tube which
extends from the roof of the law to the
extremity of the tail and terminates in
an opening. This tube is about two in
ches in diameter and lined with tough,
yielding substance, similar to rubber.
The pump snake is easily trained to an
swer to the call of man. The inhabitants
in this section trap them in large num-
bers.
A farmer on Cat Tail Creek has flock
of twenty pump snakes trained to a re-
markable degree of proficiency. At the
blast of whistle the snakes assemble on
the bank of the creek. The leader-there
is always leader to a herd of these
snakes, who is elected by two-thirds ma
jority-dashes into the water of the creek
leaving only the extremity of its tail on
the bank. Another snake Immediately
grasps the end of the leaders tail in its
jaws, the third snake takes hold of the sec
ond snakes tail in a similar manner. and
so on until there is a continuous line of
snakes Joined end on extending to the wa
ter troughs in the cattle yard 300 feet
away. The leading snake commences to
swallow or pump the water of the creek
which passes through the long line of
snakes, as it would through hose. and
falls in heavy stream into the trough
The agriculturist told of an extraordi-
nary circumstanc which occurred a
short time ago. While working in the
field near his home he observed flames
issuing from the roof of his barn. Wild
with excitement he hurried to the burn
ing building, only to see that it was
hopeless task for himself alone to at
tempt to eXtinguish the flames. In des-
pair he gaZed on the work of destruction /:
suddenly he heard loud rustlng in the
tall grass, whence issued his herd of
pump snakes on the run. The leader
hurled himself into the creek, the rest in
stantly adjusted themselves. heads and
tails, from the creek to the burning build
ing. The last snake, standing on its head
waved its long and flexible body. from
the tail end of which issued a stream of
water that was thrown with terrific force
on the burning building. Back and forth
dashed the tail end of that living hose.
squirting the water where it would do
the most good, while the loud pumping
of the leader could be heard above the
roar of the conflagration. Within fifteen
minutes the last spark was out. Then.
and not until then, did the pump snake
quit work. They were completely eX-
hausted, the leader having tainted away.
The main part of the building and its
contents were saved, thanks to the pres
ence of mind of these wonderful snakes.
The Territorial government is becom-
ing awakened to the extreme usefulness
of these interesting creatures and laws
are to be enacted to protect the pump
snake Chicago Inter-Ocean.