Harry Stevens Relates Strange Fish Story – But Has Valid Liars License – 1905
Harry Stevens Sees Things In Tunnel
But Later Kills Big Fish and All’s Well That Ends Well.
Harry Stevens, who has just returned from Clinton, where he has mining property, has a strange fish story to relate, and some of the oldest disciples of the celebrated Ike Walton in this section state that it discounts anything ever before related in this section of the country. Harry vouches for the authenticity of the narrative, and not only this, he states that he is willing to make an affidavit before any notary public in the town and bring two or more witnesses to corroborate his story.
Harry, it appears, went into the tunnel of the Hidden Treasure mine at Clinton several days ago for the purpose of examining some new ledges that had been discovered there, but before he penetrated the inside for a distance of 25 feet he discovered that there was water there fully two feet deep on a level. Determined, however, to make the inspection, he returned to one of the camps, procured a large pair of rubber boots that came away above his knees. He returned and went into the tunnel for a distance of several hundred feet, when he was again stalled by one of the queerest noises he had ever heard. Amazed for a moment, he made several lunges, thinking, perhaps, that a devil fish, or even a whale, had broken loose. He reached his destination, however, where there was a crew of at least half a dozen men at work, and he related his experiences. They informed him that he need not have any worry, as it was only a fish, and that the tunnel was infested with them. Stevens was skeptical about what was told him, but he was determined to investigate. Scarcely had he finished talking when a monstrous fish came through the tunnel and swam immediately under the shaft, where considerable light was reflected upon it. It came in such close range that Stevens saw an opportunity to capture it, and reaching out for a shovel close by he hit it a stunning blow on the head, bringing it to the surface.
Stevens packed the fish out with him and brought it back to Missoula and when it was placed on the scales it was ascertained that it weighed something over 14 pounds.
“The story sounds a little incredible to this bunch of heathens about the court house,” said Mr. Stevens yesterday, “but it is an absolute fact that I caught the fish in this way. I would have no occasion for lying about that, even though I have a liar’s license. How the fish ever got in that tunnel is a matter that has puzzled myself and the people who saw me kill it and take it out, but I can vouch that the story is a true one, and I can bring the witnesses to substantiate what I say.
The above article appeared in The Daily Missoulian on December 17, 1905.
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