The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-04-18
rArrrp ! DEN OF sxAkss.
hThere were Ifi OF Then IL n Nan N the
Rottor Of the Ola We'll.

NORWICH. April 1A-Henry Dolbeare. with
| Frank Baker OF MoDtville. in the country. six
miles south Of this city. went to the extremc
end OF Henry's house lot early yesterday
morning to clean an old we'll thero. and after
! ten minutes work In the well tapped the most
extraordinary subterranean snake reservoir
noted in the annals OF eastern Connecticut.
The well was a deer. dry Que. and for years
Dolbeare and his family AMI other people had
flung all sorts OF rubbish into u. There wore
stones and rails. and sticks. old boots.
hoopskirts. and tin pans In IL. but
nobody suspected that away down in
the bowels VI 1t was n seething colony OF ser
penis. With their coats of. crowbar in hand.
the Two mon stepped into the rubbish hear.
which reached almost to tho mouth OF the
shaft. and with vigorous thrusts loosoned tho
pieces OF debris and fiippcd them out on the
ground. After ten minutes thor we're almost
at the bottom OF the we'll. twenty feet below
the surface ofthe house lot. Then they removed
a%couple Of broad boards. and OF o sudden the
bottom ofthe well rose up. heaving and bill
Toying beneath their feet.
mysterlously that their eyes bulged with awe
and terror. and they hopped about with trem-
saw at one that they had struck a sort OF !
solid stratum 81 well snakes. deep. convoluted.
school rlobS. Of hdiJsrnating reptiles, Worse
SUI. the sphere q aim snake strands. which
Of wrapping twIne In criss.cross fashion dur.
IA the winter had Instantly burst into multi
tsiHditPI under sn the n 1rsnd o; ftGSn s isrmsls' c aSa "a,
S IsSf.s sG ,Ss: ss q s:s;Ds ;psu, .sIi: End . ssad
mass and shot upward. twIning themselves
about the mans legs and slapping them
dissolved into its component parts. which first
straightened themselves. forming q ~pnlpitat-
Thick TIKI " or m ms".i aal f then tho %, w se1GRsfh1S r% 1wS lest
hissing and coiling themselves into swift
loops. turned upon the fearful intruders in
in snakes. had been stepping liveiy, IN, order to
seized with . panic OF fright and ioathing and
and losing their hold on tieir ladder. which
and a"% % SiSe Be- bo W essaJ 81 t tn ei sins q q. the h. s .nme
I'm Time; they Tell back into the pit and resumed
tRsir ssot fPG ron pp pissS bars q ,hs t1 s,PjeS and Into with i'm
EardIss. Of style and form. The combat was
br tor and .la, decisive &c a; It WIS extraordinary: :.
full Of flying snakes, arms and legs. and gesti-
splatlTg pinch bars; and the whole under
mic nurring Or, swishinr nproar. and an nc.
c"mpaniment OF intermittent but regular dull
f Inv h:ss Th Sh VEL y l% IKE a hive q swarm:
lar. however; and they finally got the best OF
the battle. Then they fought more leisurrly.
The enemy had weakened. The attacking
column Of s~erpents. the first, onset OF which
from subterraneam regions. had dribbled
away toa mere rivulet OF reptiles. and the men
us, speedily disposed Of the rivuiet.
me well was now knee deep in dead
farmers. who wero tired out with their exer-
tons and bRthed with perspiration. took a
short rest. after which they climbed out Of the
SHAFT. At Mr. Pol5eare's home they procured
turned to the, well. and drew all the dead ser
penis out OF it.. There were Just ia Of them.
and the men placed them in a row in the tnn-
mel at tho mouth @, the pit. All Of them
three venomous. Unattended ndders. and
the blacks averaged Ave feet in length.
some OF the largest ones were seven feet
long and as thick as u mans forearm. It was
SNAKES; probably. in the record Of the State.
30 Mr.. Dolbearo kept them in line Mt the we'll
until most OF the farmers in Montville came
and saw them: Some farmers drove eight
blacks Mr.. Doibeare brought to this city to.
day, and displa yed it In the office of the Nor.
witch Erening Record. saying:
Now. this ntnt no fish story I'm giving you,
gage to take him. in. my foam anil show him
the we'll and the hull snake collection"
The sides Of tho we'll. said Mr.. Dolbsare, in
the neiGhh2rhood OF the snake nest. were per-
had bored. and into which they might retreat
liko lGhtinE-in winter. say. when s~erpents In
ConneSti;ut are In a conatose state.
water. but. said lie. Pm going slow now,
and Keeping on my guard. for l suppose I'm
liable to tap another den OF 'em any moment"