Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1892-06-17
A Strange Denizen Which Has Been
Seen III the Mysterious Death
Valley.
1t Has the Appearance of Being a
First Cousin to the Great
Sea Serpent.
1t Is the Gully Living Link Between
Prehistoric Times and the
Present.

Ine marvellous monster which was seen
In the Death Valley Desert, about twenty
miles from Daggett, by E. w. Spear and
Henry Brown, of Daggett, at separate
times, while out on prospecting trips, has
occasioned wonderful interest in scientific
circles, especially those who have made
archaeological research.
To-day Oscar W. Clark, says dispatch
from Los Angeles, who has been spending
some time in Daggett and who has been
making geological researches along the
coast In the interest of the Royal Academy
OF Sciences, was on his way to Colonando
to take rest. Mr.. Clark has made a
number of journeys into Death Valley
Desert and vas one of the parties who saw
this gigantic monster.
lie has sent the result of his experiences
to the Smithsonian Institution with view
to having party sent here to endeavor to
capture the monster.
"The announcement of the experiences
Of Messrs. Spear and Brown rather antici-
pated me, said MIR. Clark yesterday. 81
had fine opportunity of seeing this
strange denizen of that mysterious land
known as Death Valley Desert, and de-
sire to say that this animal is the most
wonderful living proof of the exact au-
thenticity Of the researches made by
savants into the field of archaeological
study.
This animal is really the only living
link between prehistoric times and the
present. 1t is virtually marvel of the
ages, an eighth wonder of the world, a
marvellous illustration of the profound
economy Of nature. 1t was six weeks ago
that had the pleasure of seeing this re-
markahle animal. | was some thirty
miles distant from Dagget and stopped at
| 6 o'clock in the evening to rest, having
made some valuable additions to my col
lection of fossil remains.
Happening to glance to the southwest
through the haze peculiar to the desert
saw strange bcdy moving along about a
mile away. | went toward it and was
soon both elated and Mortified by seeing
an animal fully thirty feet long that differ
ed from any of the known forms of the
present epoch.
''tt was an immense monster, walking
part OF the time on its hiud feet and at
times dragging itself through the sar d
and leaving tracks of three-toed foot
and peculiar scratcby CONFORMATION in
the sand whenever it changed it's form of
loCoulC11ou duu OIdGSiuS llSelI.
1.-The forelimbs of The animal were ex-
tremely short and it occasionally grasped
the nearest shrub and devoured it. The
thumb Of the three-pronged forefoot was
evidently a strong conical spine that would
be dangerous weapon of attack. When
ever the animal stood upright it was fully
fourteen feet high.
The head was as large as good sized
oh ~ oh Id IL
horse, while the body was as large as that
OF an elephant, with long tail extending
from the headquarters something like that
of an alligator.
''When | saw it the great animal was on
water-a sink hole, by the way, that my
guides told me was a bottomless pit, and
evidently remnant of the days when
Death Valley was an inland sea. | ap-
preached within 300 yards of the monster,
crawling cautiously over the sand, and
watched it for fully half an hour.
Suddenly the beast:began to below, and
the sound was Of a most terrifying and
bloodcurdling character. It's immense
eyes, fully as large as saucers, projected
from the head, and cleaned with wild
and ferocious fire, while from the eEorm-
Jus uOudu VI Lue mOuSI6T STREAMS OF
steamlike vapor were exhaled, ard as they
drifted toward one the effluvia was some
thing awful
"lhe animal was liver color, with
bronze like spots. rhe monster dragged
itself to the edge of the sink mole and lash
ed its tail, and finally fell off into a
quiescent condition. left the scene and
attempted to secure the assistance of my
guides in an effort to capture the monster,
but they were absolutely terrified and re
fused to do anything.
From what | saw of the animal | am
perfectlyssatisfed that 1t is one of the
species of the iguanodon bennissantensis,
Of the European Jurassic, an animal pre-
senting many points of structure in COM
mon with the iguana Of today. In fact,
that is the report that 1have sent in, and
knowing full well the geological environ
pnents of the Pacific Slope and the very
remarkable and peculiar conditions re-
garding the Death Valley section, am
satisfied that my deductions are correct and
that there is to-day living in the desert of
Death Valley one of the mort remarkable
animals now On the face of the globe, none
other than one of the monsters of the pre-
historic epoch-a wonder of the centuries. -
Chicago Journal, June 10.