Evening journal., 1898-10-15
SOME ARIZONA STORIES.
Helpful, "a GiIR Monster and
Some Tipping TOads.

The mining camp of Kingman was
recently invaded by host Of rattle
snakes, creating great CONSERVATION
among the people. Snakes were dis
covered in beds and made desperate
fights when tackled by the owners.
People sleeping outdoors narrowly
missed a violent death from the poison
Gus fangs Of the serpents. The snake
wigglcd through the crevices Of tight
board fences, and were caught while
endeavoring TO enter the houses. Peo-
pie have taken 10 sleeping upstairs,
and n band stand and pavilion are
crowded every night by sleepers who
dare not risk sleeping on the bare
ground. A spell of unusually warm
weather is thought to be the cause
of the snakes leaving their rocky fast
nesses for a cooler abode in the settle
ment.
A man at Mesa City has a pet gila
monster. He let it go a few weelss.ago
in order that il might shed its skin,
as is its annual custom. The other day
it returned TO its usual haunts, looking
thoroughly rejuvenated. Its owner
gave it a bath, after which it made
break for its feed box, where il has
been in the habit of eating eggs and
other luxuries.
Toads grow to an abnormal size in
southern Arizona and often exhibit
preternatural intelligence. Recently
arc lights were started at Mesa City
and myriads of bugs are in conse-
quence attracted at night by the glare.
The toads have discovered this new
source of supply and eat the bugs that
fall to the ground as rapidly as they
come within reach. 1t is supposed that
the new diet has created an unnatural
thirst, and in looking around for a
source from which TO quench it they
/ discovered the troughs that receive the
/ drippings from the beer faucets in the
/ saloons. They now intrude in the sa-
| looms and line up to the troughs and
/ drink until they are thoroughly intoXi-
Gated, many falling TO the floor as
though dead, while others unsteadiiy
hop to the sidewalk and resume their
! feasting.
James Thomas, q ranchman, living on
the Verde river, in Yavapai county, has
discovered q scheme that threatens TO
reyolutionize existing irrigating meth
ods. While walking along the canal
bank the other day he observed an
enormous bull snake stretched at
length, with its head in the water and
its body pulsating like a steam pump.
Observing the reptile still more closely,
he was amazed to see a stream of water
flowing from its tail. 1t was actually
pumping water The bull snake is a
harmless creature, and Mr.. Thomas,
seized with an idea, also seized the
snake. How to make it throw a larger
stream of water was the question. and
after considerable thought he tried the
experiment of cutting off a portion OF
the tail. BY this means the snake was
, induced to throw n full head of water
at minimum exertion and seemed tc
enjoy the job. Mr.. Thomas captured
many other bull sanles, which, by as
sociation with the original pumper
soon became adopts at the new system
Of irrigating. Then their tails were
removed, and for days the side of The
I ranch next the river was lined will
3 snakes engaged in throwing up streams
, of water from an inch TO an inch ant
a half in diameter. A mining mar
came along few days ago and wal
struck with the novelty of the irrigat
ing method adopted He thought tina
t the snakes might be used in hydraulic
e mining. and a number Of them wer,
T coupled together like a garden hose
nj The experiment, however, was not en-
tirely successful, several of the snake
bursting through unevenness Of pres
= sure.-Denver Republican.