Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-08-28
THE SEA SERPENT.
1T is SAID TO BE GAMB0LING ABOUT
IN THE OVERFLOW.
Pleasant Grove People in a High State
of Observation-Disclosures ST. Clair
Has Gone After 1t.

j. r. Williams, well-known rancher,
who is located near Pleasant Grove (for-
merly Gouge Eye, about thirteen miles
north of this city, was in town yesterday
and told a remarkable story to RECORD
UNION reporter.
According to his statement the oft-seen
but never-captured tabled sea serpent is not
only not myth located in some foreign
sea, but is reality and may be seen right
here within few miles of Sacramento.
"The country around there is in great
state of excitement over it" said Mr.. Will
Jams, land they are sll afraid to venture
far from their homes. have not seen the
thing myself yet, and am not over-anxious
to. But there are plenty of reputable citi-
zens among my neighbors who have seen
it, among them being Mr.. Lyons, Mr.. Rob.
erts and his wife and Mr.. Murphy. The
serpent has been seen several times in the
overflow east of Pritchard's lake and very
close to the Spanish ranch and again
HAS BEEN SEEN ON THE LAND,
Where it seems to be as much at home as
in the water. Those who saw it in the
water say that it is over forty feet in length
and fully seven feet in diameter near the
center of its body. II has great flat head
and pair of jaws that, when distended
could with ease admi! q full grown man.
Those who saw it in the water describe it
as being a very rapid swimmer, carrying
his head at times about eight feet above
the surface of the water.
tNrho NO Loot oh
ago on the land, short distance from the
Spanish ranch. Those who saw it then do
not believe that it is over thirty feet in
length, but aside from this their descrip-
ton of 1t is the same as that given by the
others. 1t doesn't appear to have any fms
or wing-like appenoages like the sea-ssr-
penis we read about, but is more like q
giant eel except that it has a terrible look.
ing head"
How do the people up there account for
its appearance in their locality ?" asked the
reporter.
well, there are many theories, but the
one most generally accepted is that it came
up the possibly from the ocean
during the high water, and got over into
the overflow"
LYONS WAS SCARED.
Mr.. Williams, continuing, said a neigh
Dor of his named Lyons, while out looking
for some stock, came upon the tracks of
the serpent. He followed it for fully half
mile, when he was seized with premo-
milton that he was getting too close to the
reptile, and hastily dug out"
Several parties have been made up, said
Mr.. Williams, to capture the monster, but
when the time came to start out they all
backed out One man. however profess
sional hunter named Pete St. Clair, who
has the reputation in that neighborhood of
being daredevil, started out day or two
ago accompanied by another man, with the
intention OF killing the serpent. They
were armed with large bore Winchesters,
and were confident of success. Mr.. Will
Jams is of the opinion, though, that they
wheeled cannon along with them, or pro-
vided themselves with whalers' dynamite
harpoons.
WILL ST. CLAIR SUCCEED?
'St. Clair is a pretty brave fellow" said
Mr.. Williams, ''but think he has tackled
a tough job this time. He says he will
camp on the enemy's trail until he lands
him. He thinks his fortune will be made
if he can succeed in capturing this monster
dead or alive, and I've no doubt such
would be the case"
Has the monster been doing any damage
in the vicinity?" asked the reporter
"Yes-at least it is attributed to him.
You see there are great many sheep up
there, and as a number of them have
turned up missing lately, I've no doubt the
serpent is responsible. The people. how
ever, are not so much concerned about their
stock as they are for their own safety. You
don't see any more fishing around there in
the lakes particularly in Bartwell Lake,
where they think the serpent has now To-
Gated himself. But everybody is now wait
ing anxiously for news from st. Clair.
While many of them are confident of his
ability to kill the serpent, the majority of
them-more particularly those who have
seen it-believe that if he runs across the
serpent, he will never come back alive"
Query-Has this sea serpent ever been
heard to bark, or have the good people of
Pleasant Grove seen anything of the sea
lion that escaped from here some months
ago ?