The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-10-23
racoaA.s MARVELLOUS roAD.
Attracting Attention From the Who'll,
worid-To Re sent East.

NC sent EA&t.
TACOMA. Oct. s2.-lSpecial l--Dosens Of
letters have been received from all corners
of the United States for more information
about the little gray toad that was dug an
under seventeen feet of hardpan on tho
premises of Henry and Eliza Henderson.
in the southern part of this city. Mana
gers OF museums and owners of aquariums
eovet the little hopper.
His toadlets is however month old, dat.
inc from the day he was unearthed. What
surprises the scientists most is the fact
that he does not turn up his eatlike claws
and die. Heretofore toads taken from
stones or dug out of the earth at great
depth have died in few days, most of
them expiring inside of an hour or two.
But this particular toad Is growing fat on
ilies and can hop eighteen inches any day.
He loses his appetite after eating six OF
seven plump house flies. These have TO
be caught for him. When they are placed
before him he jumps after them victously
and blinks, and.shifts his weight from one
forefoot to the other after swallowing
them.
Since he went into q trance and came
out of it as ehipper as ever. after hs was
pronounced dead, this toad has developed
into quite social lion. Every body wants
TO see HIM. Some guess he is 100 years
old; others 1000. and so ON up to 10000.
Trees which were saplings about the time
Columbus landed were growing in the four
feet of soil on the top of the hardpan an
I'll the Hendcrsons felled them three
years ago. This fact leads many 10 the
conviction that the toad must have en-.
sconsed himself In the hardpan formation
few dozen centuries before that epoch.
In few days the toad will be forwarded
to Harry Henderson, Of Pittsburg, Pa, a
nephew of the Hendersons. Harry will
place him in an aquarium In Shenly park.
East Liberty, at that city. Miss Hender-
son Is afraid to trust this ancient treasure
to the care of friend, an express COM
pany or the mails, and she will probably
make 8 trip East in the capacity of iiy
catcher and chaperone for his toadiets.
Under date OF Santa Clara, CAL, Charles
c. Woodward, who subscrihes himself,
yours in TRUTH" writes Mr.. Henderson
thus:
"Tear Sir: Having read with great
deal of interest an account of the finding
OF n toad on your place under seventeen
feet of hardpan, and hoping you will not
consider mo presumptuous in thus writ
ing. | would be very much pleased for
some of the facts of the case. The case Ia
so phenomenal and unprecedented that its
verihcation would open up to me as least q
wide Held for conjecture. But of course
you perfectly understand that in this age
of reporters yarns it IL sometimes rather
hard 10 separate the true from the false.
With these ideas write thus. hoping I
shall not DO infringing ON your time"
Mr. Henderson replied:
sThe toad was found under seventeen
feet OF hardpan. as stated. IL is now tiv-
ing on ilIes, which catch for Ii. When
found it seemed In n stupor. Three or
four minutes in the open air brought 10
around ali right. II is now very risky.
aud eats half dozen ilies each day. Ii IN
the color of hardpan. and barring curious
long hooked claws, Ii looks about like an
ordinary tree toad. Ever since IL died Gin
a traneeD aud was resurrected from tho
dead | am satisfied IL has been buried in
the hardpan for thousands of years. ft
can give cards and spades TO the India
fakirs and beat them all hollow on sns-
pending animation"