THE COMO CROCODILE.

Full Statement of the Facts
Concerning the Great Find.

Yesterday we briefly alluded to the
operations of the discoverers of the re-
mains of a mammoth beast of some
sort near Como, about sixty miles west
of this place. As intimated in that-
item, we had heard frequent rumors of
this discovery, but the affair was kept so
darkly secret that we could obtain noth-
ing definite or authentic upon the sub-
ject. Our information yesterday was
deemed reliable, but it, too, was some-
what faulty. This morning we found
a man who is familiar with the discov-
ery, and every detail of the subsequent
operations, but who does not wish to
have his name published in connection
with the matter. From him we learn
the following particulars, which we
deem perfectly reliable:

Several months ago, two railroad em-
ployes at Como, Mr. Carlin, the agent,
and Mr. Reed, a section boss, while out
antelope hunting, discovered the fossil,
and extracted small portions of the
tail, which they at once forwarded to
Professor Marsh, with an inquiry as to
their value. A reply was shortly re-
ceived that the specimens were very
valuable, and the discoverers were at
once authorized by the learned gentle-
man to begin exhuming the remains at
the expense of Yale College.

The two men above named at once
resigned their positions on the road, and
set about the work of taking out the
fossil, which proved to be the carcass
of a huge animal of the crocodile species,
and instead of being bones, as asserted
by our informant yesterday, is a petri-
faction of the hardest character, re-
sembling flint.

In taking out the body, which was
found to be forty-six feet in length, of
course it was necessary to break it into
sections. Lumber was procured here
by Mr. Carlin, and the remains, weigh-
ing 8,000 pounds, boxed and forwarded
to Yale College, where men are now
employed in reuniting the sections and
putting them into proper shape.

At the instance of Professor Marsh,
who was fearful that some rival insti-
tution should obtain possession of the
wonder, the strictest secrecy was main-
tained concerning the discovery.

The two discoverers have already
realized the handsome sum of $2,000
for their labors; and, besides this im-
mense crocodile, have discovered the
petrifactions of two other smaller ones,
which have been shipped to Professor
Marsh.

In appreciation of their services in this
valuable discovery, these two gentle-
men, Messrs. Carlin and Reed, have each
been placed on a salary of $130 per
month, and commissioned to lead two
parties this summer on a search for
fossils through the National Park and
the Big Horn country under the direc-
tion of the authorities of Yale College.