The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1890-07-30
AN ARKANSAS SNAKE FARM,

H. Si'l'us' oI harrisburg, Ark.
has monopoly Of snake cultiva,
ton and the production of rattle,
sake oil in Arkansas, in which
state is located what Is well known
through that country as the Childs
snake tarm. This peculi II aud un.
envied enterprise is situated in the
suburbs of this little village, in the
northeastern part OF the state,
where snakes, especially rtttlers,
are found in abundance.
The writer. in his ramhlss, in
search or interesting news for the
Interesting News for Nimr0ds'
department of the Globe Demo
crat, met by accident Mr.. Childs,
who willingly gave his snake hunt.
ing experiences in the swamps of
northern Alkansas.
The manner in which the rattle.
snakes are caught and handled is
enough to make cold chills run
over persons who are timil. Twen-
ty-hve cents to 81 per pound for
raltlesnakes, however, m kes it an
.hducenent for the natives no
live near a good market to 'm?t
and catch raitlers for livelihood
and here is how they do it;
Two men in their scare for pro-
hit in the snake Industry 90 TO-
gether. One OF them carries a
long, forked pole Cor cane), and
when a snake is .ound this pole lq
used to hold The reptiles to the
ground, which is done by pres lug
The pole down upon the sake, just
back Of the head. The other snake
hunter carries strong co ri,
which is looped over the head of the
poisonous prey, and is then used
for carrying the reptile to market
| (Which, however. Is done witbout
injury to the snake). Other hum
Iers use the pole in the way describ-
ed, but instead of bringing their
captivrs to market by mt ms Of tn
string, they use a box which has
siding lid,and which car he oi,erit
ed with ease and out Ofreach OF the
coOped up RATHER.
When the snake catchers arrive
at the residence of Mr. Childs the
latter, in Il carelcsslike manner.
takes the matter in baud, and if a
box OF rattlels, for instan e, j.
brought to him, he removes the
lid OF the box and takes the snake
wild from the woods out just a.
one would reach 10 Tor aud take
hold OF a rabbit. lie rather, rs
soon as lhe top of his caga is taken
off, sets up continuG'u> rattle and
misses tearfully. MIR. Cbilds, how.
ever, pays no attention to this lit,
tie racket, but SIMPLY takes the
snake into his arma, weighs it
pays the catcher, anI IS then ready
for repetition oflhe act. A good
lig rattlesnake will weigh from six
to ten pounds, and, ifiat, will he
worth nearly "r quite lis many dol
lars.
The size of the snake farm is
about halt an acle, With a tightly
close d pen in its center, which Is
the abiding place of the srak es.-
Here the ugly reptiles are kept
and fatlened, and When they are
ready to be put under process for
the production of oil, the REPTILES
heads are neatly chopped of, ani
by means of n string are tied, head
upwards. to the side ol the pen,
where the sun ia brightest The
heat of the sun, it appears, cause.
the oil of the Snakes to drip ont
md it is caught il n receptacle and
Ibid aside to be subsequently sold
at from 81 80 to - IN onnee. nr
rom $40 to S32 II pint.
Mr.. Ch.lds is said TO h. the oaly
genuine prod.cer of ratIl'snak "
oil in this country. When quite
young he herled in Dakota. and
here it was that he formed the
friendship which, he states, has
grown, until now he will pick up "a
RATHER wild from his den with rs
little fright as he gathers the limo
cent rabbits and toads which he
constantly feeds to his cap'ives.
Willie the writr was viewing
with a feeling Of reluctance) til
snakery, Mr.. Childs was asked il
certain snake could swallow the
y,ung rabbit which was near it,
whereupon the afiable manager OF
the snake farm induced the snake
+, try the capacity Of its throat,