Lake monster in Bear Creek, Utah.

A mysterious monster has long been supposed to haunt the waters of Bear Creek, Ride County, Utah, and a full description by an eye witness is given in the following letter, which, "by courtesy of President Brigham Young," is published in the Salt Lake City News: -
"To President Brigham Young. - Paris, Oneida County, Idaho, May 18th, 1874.
Dear Brother,
- Last Friday morning, May 15th, on our return from conference, William Broomhead, Milando Pratt, and myself, were in a light waggon, travelling northward by the lake shore, when our attention was attracted to an object in the water about a hundred yards ahead of us, and about twenty-five yards from the shore. At first sight, we thought it might be a very large duck, as we distinctly saw ducks nearer the shore; but as we got near we saw it was an animal, the head and a portion of the back about a foot from the head being visible, leaving also about the space of a foot between the back where the animal was not visible, the invisible part no doubt being the neck. When we were within about seventy yards the animal dived under the water, andf rom its action we judged it was not more than five or six feet long; still we did not see its length.

When it went down we stopped our waggon and waited, hoping it would come up again, which it did in perhaps about a minute, a little behind us, and probably twenty-five yards from shore and not more than thirty-five yards from us. Its face and part of its head were distinctly seen covered with fur or short hair of a light snuff colour. The face of the animal was apparently flat, very wide between the eyes and tapering to the nose, with very full large eyes and prominent ears resembling those of a horse, but scarcely as long. The whole face in shape was like that of a fox, but so large that the space between the eyes equalled that of the distance between, the eyes of a common cow. It did not look ferocious, and was in no hurry to go, but kept moving slowly; then, diving again, came up and moved off into the lake as fast as a man could walk. As there has been considerable interest excited in regard to the 'Bear Lake Monster,' I submit a description of what we have seen, thinking it might be acceptable to you --
Very respectfully, William Budge."

It seems a pity this monster cannot be secured for the Brighton Aquarium.


From the York Herald, June 26th, 1874.