The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-10-08
snake Yarns From Arizona.
From the Denver Republican.

iOil tue DGnNSL INcpuDitNdll
The mining camp of Kingman was ie-
Gently invaded by a host of rattiesnakes,
creating great CONSERVATION among the
people. Snakes were discovered in beds
and made desperate fights when tackled
by the owners. People sleeping outdoors
narrowly missed violent death from the
poisonous fangs of the sqrpents The
snakes wiggled through the crevices of the
tight board fences, and were 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, 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 Businesses for cooler abode in the
settlement.
man at Mesa City has a pet ella
monster. He let 1t go about six weeks
ago in order that it might shed its skin,
as is its annual custom. The other day
il returned TO its usual haunts. looking
thoroughly rejuVenated. It's owner gave
it a bath, after which it made break
for its feed box, where it has been in the
habit of eating eggs and other luXuries
Toads grow to an abnormal size in
Southern Arizona, and often exhibit pre-
ternatural Intelligence. Recently the arc
lights were started at Mesa City and my
RAIDS of bugs are in consequence attracted
at night by the glare. The toads have dis
l covered this new source of supply and
eat the bugs that fan 10 the ground as
rapidly as they come within reach. 1t
is supposed that the new diet has created
an unnatural thirst, and i'm looking around
for a source from Which to qUench il they
discovered the troughs that receive the
drippiugs from the beer faucets in the
saloons. They now intrIde in the sa-
looms and line up to the trough and drink
q thOrOnghiV Intoxicated
many falling 10 the floor as though dead,
while others unsteadily hop to the side
walk and resume their feasting.
James Thomas, a rauchman living on
the Verde river, In Yavapai county, has
discovered scheme that threatens TO
revoluiionize existing irrigation methods.
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 it's body pulsating like
steam pump. Observing the reptile still
more closely, he was amazed to see
slream of water flowing from its tail. It
was actually pumping wafer. The bull
snake Is a harmless creature, and Mr..
Thomas seized with an idea. also seized
the snake How 10 makefit throw larger
stream Of water was the question: and af-
ter considerable thought he tried the OK
pertinent Of cutting of a portion of the
fail BY this means the snake was induced
10 throw fun head of water at a mini
mum exertiou, and seemed TO enjoy tie
lob. Mr. Thomas captured many other
bullsnakes, which by association with the
original pumper, soon became adopts in
The new system of irrigation. Then their
tails were removed and for days the side
Of the ranch next the river was lined
with snakes engaged in throwing up
streams of water from an inch to an inch
and a half in diameter. A miring man
came along few days ago and was
struck with the novelty of the irrigating
method adopted He thought that the
snakes might be used in hydraulic mining,
and a number Of them were coupled to-
gether like garden hose. The experiment
however was not entirely successful, sew
eral of the snakes bursting through I'M
evenness of pressure.