Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1882-08-26
HERDSTOWN JEFFERSON COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA. SATURDAY, AUG 1882
PLAGUE OF GREAT SNAKES.

whitfield around country store stove
or waited for samaritaos at wayside
tavern, but not one Of them can account
for the extraordinary number OF snakes
that intest that part of the State this
year. Copperheads, vipers and black
snakes are as numerous as blackberries,
and, what is most remarkable, they at
! once attack instead of retreating from
those who disturb them. For many
years the country for miles around the
| Falls OF French Creek, and even across
the Montgomery county line, has been
infested with venomous reptiles, and in
some cases death has resulted from their
attacks. Last summer German farm
, hand named Flickmyer was attacked
by three copperheads and before he
killed them with his scythe he received
two wounds. Five miles away lived
Mrs. Debuey, an old woman, who has
for years made a specially Of curing
people that were wounded by snakes.
Tlickmyer went at once TO her house
and she promptly killed chicken and.
halying it, bound the bleeding meat
over the wounds. She gave him salve
TO apply on the following day, and
he went to his house in Reading,
where he died in convulsious TWEEN
ty hours later.
FARMERS BLOOD CHILLING TALES.
Old inhabitants OF Chester county
tell remarkable stories of monster snakes
that lived in the rocks along French
creek and chased people with uupleas.
ant determination. Then there was the
mythical hoop-snake, that held its tail
in its mouth, forming sort OF an ami
mated cart wheel, which rolled along
with such velocity that no ordinary run
rer could escape it If he did not run
zig zaggedly. 1t is said that in more
that one case, en- man escaped by
dodging behind tree, the enrage'
hooper would strike the sting in his tail
into the tree so deeply that he could
not pull it out and was easily killed.
Tradition has it that the poison in the
hoopers tail always killed the tree it
struck. Fortunately those revolving
reptiles, if they ever existed, are be-
lieved 10 be extinct, as is the whip
snake, which is credited with coiling
around a captured man and thrashing
him with bis tail until the poor mortal
sank from exhaustion.
The copperhead, however, is start,
ling reality, as every farmer in South
Coventry township, and the French
Creek Falls district will testify. For
weeks past scores of farmers go 10 their
work armed with shotguns. Sonumer-
ous are the snakes along the banks of
Frttch creek that there are many places
through which no native could be in.
duced to walk at night. On the farm
OF David Schweiler the snakee were so
numerous that his harvest hands re
fused 10 work, and six of them left in q
body, and the proprietor of the farm
shot eleven large blacksnaies, five cop
perheads and three vipers on his plan,
tation one Sunday morning in July.
FIGHTING AN ARMY OF SNAKES.
A rocky little rsyine that makes into
French Creek a short distance below
the big Chester pike has long been
known as great resort for snakes, and
on Thursday last Samuel Lowry and
three other men invaded the place and
dug hole FIVE feet deep in what was
believed 10 be the centre of the den.
While the others worked Lowry stood
guard to shoot the many reptiles that
we're disturbed by the diggers and came
wriggling out to do battle. Before the
hole was finished Lowry shot thirteen
snakes, five of which were copperbeads.
Ten pounds of giant powder were then
sunk in the hole and after beng well
tamped the pit was filed up aud the
fuse lighted: Tons Of rock aud earth
were thrown up by the terrific explo.
sion that followed and the debris was
covered with writhing pieces OF reptiles
that had been killed. 1t is believed
that IL ore than a hundred blacksnakes
copperneads, highland yipers aud water
sna'es were killed by the explosion.
-ARMER ELLlorrs ADVENTURE.
since wheat harvest began Samue
Elliott, of South Coventry township
has killed thirty-eight snakes, mostl y
copperheads, on his farm, and still tie
place is so infested that il is not safe tc
cross it unarmed. One day last week
when Mr. Elliott was harvesting oats
he disturbed huge blacksnake. Ac
cnstomed as he is 10 meeting snakes
Unexpectedly, the great size of this ono
startled him and be ran for his shotgun
which stood in fence-corner near by
The reptile at once gave chase, but Mr.
Elliott succeeded in reaching the gun
aud mounting a rail fence before the
snake got up. When the snake came
to the fence it raised itself 10 reach Mr..
Elliott, who then shot and killed it.
This snake is said 10 have been five
feet nine inches long aud thicker than
a mans arm. Although blacksnake,
are not believed TO be yenomous. their
great size ald the hat'i they have ol
chasing people make .hesn as much
dreaded as q copperhead.
David MinturD, John Zeck and bal
a dozen others have been struck by
bl, cksnakes this summer, but the swell
ing which followed the infiction o.
each wound was reduced by simplet
and the patient quickly recovered. The
copperhead, however, is very poisonou:
and Mr.. Elliott, who was wounded by
one last August and narrowly escaped
with bis life, says be still feels the efec'
Of the venom.
DEMANDING DOUBLE WAGES.