Year: 1878

Quincy dll.) whlg.


A curious and thrilling spectacle was
witnessed Sunday evening by persons who
were early at tn" acene of, the burning of
McDsde's icehnuss on the bay. 1t was
caused by this escape Of probably hundreds
crawl and bound directly out of the flames,
and to then run for the bay, creating q
continual splash, splash, splash, as one
after another of the reptiles went headlong
into the water. The whole country for a
mile around was light as day. The snakes
seemed to come from every nook and coz
ner of the building, and, writhing in agony
from the intense heat, iDstinctively made
directly for the bay, and, MANNED and
burned, as many of them undoubtedly
were, they plunged in promiscuously. the
larger ones-some of them of tremendous
sizs-thro wing great volumes of water high
into the air. The watchman at one Of tue
cav the flames they envoloped nearly the
entire building. He ran to the door and
attempted to enter, but was driven back
by the fire and smoke. Nothing whatever
could be done to save the iceho0se. 1t
had no doubt been act on fire by tramps,
several of whom were subsequently found
lying near the ruins, fast asleep. One of
these very graphically describes the rush
of snakes from tie burning building, which
was a sight as terrible az it was wonderful.
Out of the doorway, through the roof, in
the midst of dense volumes of smoke they
came by scores; large snakes and email OF
almoet every species known to this latitude,
their eyes extended and their forked
tongues darting defiance at the blaze, they
actually raced through the air for place
of safety. They hissed with madness and
pounded the earth with their tails in fury
and seemed to screech in the agony they
experienced in coming through the fire.
Tho nnm her nf fhom IN he apA-
less, until the whole structure was so fully
consumed that DO more could escape from
it if apywere there. Great rattlesnskes,
blowsnakes, moccasins, gartersnakes, wa
terenakes of every possible description and
age were huddled and hustled together as
they came forth, apparently borne by the
flames. The creeping things were horri
BILE to behold. No one dared attempt to
kill them after they had passed success
fully through such o furnace. Wild with
rage and tossing venom into the fire, which
seemed only to increase in volume, they
coiled upon the ground with arched necks
ready to strike the foe that approach
ed them. Some of them even seemed to
stand upon the edge of the ice house, as il
bidding defiance to the devouripg element,
and to lick up the flames with their
tongues before giving up what had been
their home. 1t is declared upon good
authority that some of these reptiles were
ten feet in length, with bodies of enormous
eize, which made large swaths on the earth
when they crawled, and as to their num-
her, no one could give q moro accurate
idea than that there were hundreds. One
of the largest, of bright green and gold
color, which was rendered beautifully
brilliant by the fire. light, appeared through
the side of the house, which was in full
blaze, bearing in it's mouth two of it's
young and scales fell from its body like
hailstones as it hurried away uttering
tones of torture as it proceeded. Some of
the snakes took refuge in large pile of
lumber near the icehouse, underneath
which several dead carcases were found
when the lumber was removed to place
of safety. The house was built with thin
bUards, by which vacant space WAS made
in~-the siding, creating an air cham Der
and it is supposed that the snakes had
taken possession of this for home. The
tramps who endeavored to stay in the ice
house Sunday night probably discovered
come of the snakes, and attempted to smoke
them out but the effort resulted in the
destruction of the building.