The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1881-03-29
SNAXHs AND sNAKs TRADE.
The Serpent Dusio0oo in New.
York-tho Dos h Of Q Vet
0Ion Dealer.

O400 OS0SOS.
Mes York T.n->.
| The snake season opens later than
usual this year. The weather in oil
parts vi the world has been % cold
that Nd attempts have been made u
gather the serpent crop. Late adj
vices received in shi. city. however,
say that there il some activity in the
South American market, and the
usual supply may be expected
here. Que 1t the leading city dealers
expects his first order VI anacondas,
assorted sizes, in about three weeks.
Prices rule about the same ~ last year
from $50 to $500, according to
length. Sizes vary from eight to
thirty feet.
! The trade will actively set in about
the first Of April, and will continue
brisk until about June. when the trav-
cling shows will al be On the road.
For . short season during midsummer
there will b . lull in business. and
only email stock will b carried over
to replace snakes that have died in
the shows. In the early fall when
the eide shows are getting ready for
the country fairs, the snake mer-
chants again enjoy \ prosperous trade.
The Merchants are conservative in
ordering their goods. however, - o.
not 10 he compelled to carry . large
stock through the winter. The late
| Mr.. Mooney only had one snake, and
tnst very small one. to carry over
this winter.
The recent death Of Patrick Mooney,
the pioneer snake merchant II the
city. vas . great loss t0Ishe trade, aud
il mourued in the Fourth Ward, in
which he carried on business ~ many
years. Mr.. Mooney was m Irishman
by birth, and started in the animal and
snake business in Newry. Ireland,
when young man. He lived more
than quarter Of = century in this
country. most Of the time in this city.
He travelled extensively in his earlier
lie. and collected serpenIs In nearly
every part Of the globe. As rule.
he did not handle venomOus reptiles,
but the boas and anacondas proved
nearly AZ dangerous. He bore many
scars On his hands aud body from
their teeth. and he used to tell thrill
ing stories If his escape from the coils
Of the monsters that wrapped around
his body. He used frequently to take
u good-s,zed anaconda from its box in
his store and brighten spectators by
letting in crawl around him. He a.
ways took good care not to let the
snake get . purchase With iis tail on
any adjacent objec. against which TO
squeeze him.
He had many hearty laugh ut the
fright Of people at the reptiles. One
day party Of roystering sailors got
rather demonstrstive around the win
;iow Of his store. which wac then in
Front street, snd . large crowd col
leesed. Mooney determined to dispense
it. Seizing q huge and lively ana
cOnda from its case hs swung it over
his shoulder and rushed out into the
crowd. The snake wrisglel and coiled
itself, thrust is head out. and opened
ito mouth in . way to tsrrify the
s,outsst nerves. The crowd broke
and ran, the terror-stricken sailors
leading the fight, and not hating
until they had put several blocks BE-
tween them and the snake. Moneys
onslaught Was long the talk of the
neighborhoo,l. and the boys were shy
about lettering around bic door for
months.
Moneys courage was undsunted.
lie was . small. slender built man,
but men Of twice his size Who knew
hin did not care to incur his displese-
urs. One day last Summer . tipsy
lOnsshoreman Of gigantic stature
made some disturbance in the shop.
Mooney seized . stick and drove the
man out. The fellow showed fight
when be reached the sidewalk, seized
an empty beer keg from in 'front.' Of . !
neishboring bar.rOOm. and hurled it
At MONEYS head. The little snake |
merchant lodged successfully. bat his /
wrath vas up. Stepping back into
the shop he seizsd an AZ and renewed
the attack. The 'longshoreman BY
that time had started for . pile Of
looss paving stones near by. but seeing |
Mooney with uplifted AZ close upon !
him h. took 10 bic heels. |
Mooney knew oil about snake path .
ologv, and rarely lost any Of his ser
penis from disease. It was rather ,
startling to the nerves to step into bis .
shop and see him holding open the
mouth Of . boa, and touch /
ing up canker spots. from which the
reptiles frequently suffer. He lost
the slippery reptiles other ways than
BY disease, however. IL spite Of all
precautions, thew would occasionally
Escape from captivity.
Mooney found one Ans snaeonds
dead one morning several blocks from
his store. An excited crowd he'd fol-
lowed it and stoned il to death, not
knowing whence il came. |,
On another occasion Mooney arrived
1t his store and found that Eve snakes
we're gone. After long search they
we're discovered eoiled up inside Of .
'toreroom. The reptiles braced them
,elves and resisted oil efforts at get
ing them out. Az snakes 90 with f.
,ut food . month at . time, the proc
pect Of cnaxing them out WAS not
promising. Finally, the rivets in the
i'd. of the pipe were cut, and the ~,
uctsnt snakes we're gotten out. !,
Another suake once escaped, and
sas missing for six mouths. II was
given up - hopele'.ly Lost. One day
a removing snme Old rope and rub
p IL