Year: 1879

[Poughkeepsie Correspondence New York SUM-.


Some seven or eight years ago an
astounding snake story came from South
Canaan, Connecticut, and it was copied
far and near, both in this country and
Europe. About the time referred to
much alarm was manifested along the
line of the Housatonic Railroad by the
appearance of a tremendous snake.
The reptile seemed to make its home in
a dense swamp near the railroad track.
1t had been seen by different persons,
and the stories of those who saw it
were laughed at despite their earnest
protestations of the truth of their
statements.


Time and again the reptile was shot at
by hunters, but it always. managed to
get away. The track of the Housatonic
Railroad runs through the swamp
named. Early one morning the engineer
of a passenger train saw a long black
object lying across the rails, and he shut
off steam and whistled for brakes.
While the speed was slackening the
engineer saw that it was the snake about
which 80 much had been said, and he
pulled the throttle open again, intend
ing, if possible, to run it down and cut
it In two; but just before the engine
reached it the end of the tail slid off the
rail and into the swamp.


Four or five years ago two men were
riding in a buggy along a road which
skirts the swamp, and saw ahead dark
object lying across the roadway. as
they neared it it began to wriggle slowly
away, and then it was discovered to be
the famous snake. 1t slowly disappeared
into the deep underbrush, and the men
were certain from the measurement of
the ground where they first saw it
stretched out that it was over twenty
feet in length.


Parties were organized to hunt the
reptile down, but without success, and
the interest in the snake soon died out


On Saturday last two men named
Kelly and Smith, both well and favorably
known in the neighborhood, went into
the swamp with yoke of oxen and q
sled to get load of wood, the ground
being frozen SO hard that there was no
difficulty in passing over any portion of
it in safety, which it would beimpossible
to do in warm weather. After little
while they came to large buttonwood
tree, which had decayed and fallen to
the ground. They discovered that it
was hollow, and in order to handle it
easily, they applied woodman's saw to
it. After saving nearly through one
part of it the saw grated as though it
had struck stone. They then split the
tree, and, to their establishment the
obstacle which the saw had struck
proved to be q bone.


They opened the tree as far as they
could find bones, the length opened
being twenty-one feet, and the remains
proved to be those'of the monster reptile
SO often seen but never captured. The
largest. bones measured six inches in
diameter, and from that tapered down
to smaller sizes. : ?


The tail of the snake was found
imbedded in the upper part of the tree.
There is no doubt that this large tree
had been the snakes winter home for
many years, and in it he had breathed
his last.


1t is believed that the last time he
was chased, some four years ago, he
sought refuge in this tree, and never
came out again. The bones and other
remains have been preserved, and will
be sent to the Society Of Natural Science
with history of the case.