St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-01-25
SOME SNAKE STORIES.
A Locomotive Runs Into a Big Ball Of
Snakes of Various
Kinds.
A Ratflesnake Nine Feet and Seven
Inches Long Lassoed bya
Texan.
A Willy Young Constructor That Preyed
on Rats in a Packing
House.

UniS pOlnU Jle ROAD runs through a
swamp, and the grade is but slightly
higher than the water and mud. While
going along at fair speed the engineer
noticed queer ball or bunch of some
thing about 100 yards ahead, in the cen
ter of the track. The morning was
somewhat fOggy and rather cold. Be-
fore he could clearly see if it was really
an obstruction, the engine was almost on
it. Then. to his amaZement, he saw
it was ball of snakes, They were all
rolled and twined in together, with
their heads sticking out in all di-
rectiOnS, and about the bulk of bushel
basket. The engine struck them fair
and threw the bunch into the air, when
it burst, and the snakes flew in all di-
rectiOns. some on the cOw-catcher, others
to alight near the cab, says the Sanford,
Fla, correspondent of the st. Louis
Globe-Democ
The engineer says the snakes were all
colors and sizes and kinds, the big black
snakes predOminating. He saw them
sQuirming on the running gear Of the
engine. and he put on an extra head of
steam and pulled ahead as fast as pos
Sible. At the next station, some five
miles below, the crowd at the platform
gave the locomotive wide berth. An
examination and search revealed over
ten big black, whip, cow and water
snakes. The section master afterward
said it was common sight on cold,
frosty mornings to see such snake balls.
Where the engine struck the mass the
remains of fifteen serpents were found.
few large. 1t is said probably $50 and
over were together when disturbed.
John Powell, an old Texan, now lives
near Bowling Green, South Florida.
running a SaW-mill. Like all eX-cOW-
boys, he is an expert in the use of the
laSSO, and amuseS his neighborS good
deal by his manipulation of the hide
rope. Last week he had occasion to go
into one of the many hardwood swampS
near his mill, and, as usual, took his
weapon Of defense and Otfense" along
with him. About half mile from the
edge he suddenly came upon huge
RATHER. The snake was at the roots of
a big water oak, and seemed to be
steps disturbed the reptile, and, with
an angry hiss and ominous sound of its
rattleS, it gathered into coil, and, with
head erect, waited to get its WOuld-be
victim within reach.
Powell says it was one of the largest
snakes he ever met, and its strong,
Snaky OdOr fairly made him sick. Adj
vancing to a point as near as he de-
sired, he carefully threw the lasso.
The RATHER, however, neatly lodged
and struck at the rope, which missed
him. Time and again he threw. the
snake each time escaping by striking at
the folds of the rope as it was about to
settle on him. Finally, out of patience,
he advanced close to the snake, and by
a deXterOuS throw caught it under the
head, pulling the moose taut and jump
ing back, escaping, as he did so, the
spring of the RATHER. which, rendered
furious by the folds of the rope,
sprang VlciOuSly at him, clear
log over seven feet, his fangs just catch
ing the edge of Powell'S coat, but not
holding. Then the circus began. The
snake was a powerful fellow, and he
thrashed about in very wild way. At
times he would follow the rope towards
Powell with vim that indicated his
buSiness-like intentions if he could Sc
cure tete-a-tete, but Powell desired no
closer acquaintance, and kept at the end
the moose frightened. This was accom-
pliShed at the end of an hours hard
struggle, and Powell sat down for rest
and to contemplate his captive. One of
his men on horseback came along
shortly after and between them they
managed to tie up the ''surpint" and
pack it to Bowling Green. where it was
safely housed in a strong box.
1t will be sent to Jacksonville and be
placed on exhibition in the Sub-TrOpical
exposition there. The snake measured
nine feet seven inches from tip to tip.
The center of his body was as large
around as an ordinary mans thigh, and
he had fifteen rattles and button of
extraordinary size. The snake was ex-
tremely vicious and lively, and Powell
says its 'singing" sounded like the rat
Ting of the SnareS of tenor drum, and
was terribly loud and terrifying.