The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-08-20
SOME ARIZONA STORIES.
Concerning Snakes. Harmful and
Helpful. "A ella Monster and Toads

The mining camp OF Kingman was re-
Gently invaded by host Of rattlesnakes.
creating great CONSERVATION among the
people. Snakes were discovered in beds
and made desperate fights when tackled
by the owners People sleeping out
doors narrowly missed a. violent death
from the poisonous fangs OF the serpents.
The snakes wiggled through the crevices
OF tight board fences. and we're caught
while endeavoring to enter the houses.
People have taken to sleeping upstairs,
and a band stand and pavilion are
crowded every night by sleepers VINO
dare not risk sleeping on the bare
ground A spell OF unusually warm wea-
Their is thought 10 be the cause OF the
snakes leaving their rocky Businesses for
a cooler abode in the settlement.
A man at Mesa City has a pet glia
monster. lie let IL go about six weeks
ago in order that 10 might shed It's skim
as is its annual custom. The other CAV
90 returned 20 its usual haunts. looking
thoroughly rejuvenated. Its owner gave
IL a bath. after which IL made a break
for It's feed box. where It has been IN
the habit OF eating eggs and other lux
uries.
Toads grow 10 an abnormal size in
EWMhHfAM A4laNAo anu pAN'Ai ~N.Ase+N
preternatural intelligence Recently arc
lights were started at Mesa city and
myriads Of bugs are In consequence at
tracted AZ night by the glare. The toads
have discovered this new source of sup
ply and eat the bugs that fall TO the
ground as rapidly as they come within
reach II is supposed that the new diet
has created an unnatural thirst, and in
looking around for a source from which
20 quench It they discovered the troughs
tha- receive the drippings from the beer
faucets in the saloons. They now IN
trude I'm the saloons and line up TO the
troughs and drink until they are thor
oughly intoxicated. many falling 70 the
floor as though dead. while others IN
steadily hop to the sidewalk and resume
their feasting.
James Thomas, a ranchman living on
the Verde River in Yavapai county. has
discovered "a scheme that threatens TO
revolutionize existing irrisating methods
While walking along the Canal bank tha
other day he observed an enormous bull
snake stretched AZ length. with its head
in the water and It's body pulsating like
a steam pump. Observing the reptile
still more closely. he was amazed 70 see
stream OF water flowing from It's tail.
n was actually pumping water. The
bull snake is a harmless creature, and
Mr. Thomas. seized with an idea. also
seized the snake HOW 10 make II throw
a larger stream or water was the ques-
ti0n. and after considerable thought he
tried the experiment Of cutting on por-
tion Of the tail BY this means the snake
was induced 10 throw o. full head Of
water an a minimum eXertion end seem
cd 10 enjoy the job Mr. Thomas captur-
Cd many other bull snakes. which. by as
ISOLATION with the original pumper. soon
became adopts az the new system Of ir-
rigating. Then their tails were removed.
and for days the side Of the ranch next
the river was lined with snakes engaged
I'm throwing up streams or water from
an inch 10 an inch and a half I'm diane
ter a mining man came along o. few
days ago and was struck with the novel
ny Of the lrrigating method adopted. He
| thought that the snakes might be used
in hydraulic mining. and % number OF
them were coupled together like a gar
den hose. The experiment. however. was
NOT entirely successful, several OF the
snakes busting through unevenness OF
pres suro-DenVer Republican,