Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1890-11-13
SOMEWHAT STRANGE.
ACCIDENTS AND INCIDENTS OF
EVERYDAY LIFE.
Queer Episodes and Thrilling Advon-
lures Which Show that Truth is
Stranger than Fiction,

queer Eplsodes and Thrilling Advcn-
lures Which Show that Truth is
Stranger than Fiction.
A PARTY of surveyors returning to Cor
pus Christi, Texas, from Brownsville
were surprised, on making sharp turn
in the road, over terrible commotion
going on between some large objects
few hundred feet distant from them.
The first thought was that some wild
beast had attacked steer, but as there
was no sound audible except the noise
occasioned By the wild lashing of the
ground by some living things, the COM
motion could not be accounted for in
that way, says the st. Louis Globe DEM
ocrat. Great volumes of dust filled the
air, shutting out every view, but by
gradually drawing closer it was discov-
cred that fight was in progress between
two large snakes. On nearing them
their Kissing could be distinctly heard.
Suddenly the snakes, which were what
are commonly known as ''bull, became
aware of the presence of the surveying
party, when the larger of the reptiles,
with lightning like rapidity, caught the
smaller snake with his mouth just back
of the head, and, amid violent lashing
of the ground, attempted to carry it into
the brush, in which it would have been
successful but for the volley of bullets
that was poured into their bodies by the
gentlemen of the party. The snakes
measured twelve and nine feet respect
lively. 1t was an exciting and interest
ing scene to see these two monsters lash
aud coil their bodies around each other
in a crushing embrace, their eyes look
ing like small balls of fire, large jaws ex-
tended to the utmost capacity, and with
their heads thrown back, watching for
an opportunity to strike. Some Mexi-
cans to whom the occurrence was related
said that it was not uncommon to wit
ness such fights as this one between much
larger snakes than those of this species.
AN occurrence of singular character
was witnessed not long since in one of
the thoroughfares of Leeds. While a
drove of cattle were passing one of their
number suddenly took fright, and ran
into u workshop in the neighborhood,
in which number of persons were then
employed. 1t made its way upstairs in
to the workroom, and naturally created
who happened to be there. Every
device had to be resorted to
for their protection, but before the first
beast could be driven out another was
on its way upstairs. This one could
get no further than halfway up the stair
case, with the result that the passage be-
| tween the workshop and the street was
blocked, and neither the beast on the
stairs nor the other that was above
could he driven off the premises for
some time. Eventually ropes were pro-
cured, and by their means the beast on
the staircase was first pulled up into the
room and subsequently hauled down in
to the street. The other was got into
the street by similar process, but not
before the workshop they had seized pos
session of had been completely dcranged
and its occupants considerably alarmed.
ANovEL exhibition was given the other
night in the transmitting room of the
American Telephone and Telegraph
Company, New York City. The music
of an orchestra concert was listened to
by at least six audiences, all several
miles apart from one another. In the
long distance telephone central offices
ut Philadelphia and Baltimore people
heard all the numbers of lenthy pro-
gramme. The members and guests of
the Newark Board of Trade were also
favored with the concert. In a big hall
over in New Jersey an immense receiver
had been placed and the music was trans
mitted from Cortandt street clearly and
distinctly. General Superintendent
Hibbard from his residence at Morris
town, N. j., directed the programme by
means of his cabinet telephone. He en-
tertained a party of guests and in his
parlors were placed three big receivers
and eighty 'police telephones" The
service from New York was so good
that sets were formed and quadrilles and
waltzes were danced with delight add
cd by the new experience.
| ALEXANDER WILSON, brakeman of a
freight train, recently met with what is
considered at Chester, Penn, the most
remarkable escape from horrible death
yet recorded. The. train was being cut
to switch portion of it on a siding at
/ Welsh street. Wilson uncoupled the
cars and stood on the top Of the one at
tached to the locomotive. A sudden
! Jerk caused him to lose his balance and
he fell between the rails directly in front
of the six cars that were rapidly ap-
preaching him. One arm was thrown
over rail, but with rare presence of
mind he withdrew it and crouched close
to the ties. The six cars passed over
him, and as they did so the beams and
rods underneath caught his clothing and
turned him over. The spectators shud-
dered, expecting to see him torn to
pieces. He made a miraculous escape,
however, and after the cars had passed
he crawled off the track and coolly re-
sumed his post on the train. His body
was slightly bruised and the end of one
finger was cut Off Wilson belongs in
Wilmington, Del, and is an old and ex-
perienced railroad man.
A STORY which, whether true or not, is
at all events "well found" is told in a
New York paper. A contractor, under
the stress of financial tightness, sold a
house very much under its value. Puz-
cling his wits to recover his property, he
hit on the idea of working on the super.
sttious fears of the new owner. Every
night the purchaser heard rappings and
other strange noises but the tenants
were not disturbed. The noise had, at
last, such an effect on the nerves of the
frantic owner that he was in the act of
dashing himself from the roof to the
ground in fit of insanity, when some
OF the neighbors came on the scene and
| prevented him. An examination of the
building resulted in the finding of an
electrical knocker, which had been hung
over the roof and made available for