The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-09-05
FEARFUL FIGHT WITH SNAKES.
When the Smoke of Battle Lifted
FOrty-nine RattIerS Lay Dead.

From the Philadelphia Press
Bellefonte, Pa.-David Chambers and
William r. Haynes, two residents Of
Snow Shoe, this county, were in this city
this week attending court. While here
they told a thrilling experience they had
in battle with nest of rattlesnakes
yesterday.
Recently. John Oleson. a Swede, who
is a foreman on the Beach Creek railroad
at South Fork, several miles from Snow
Shoe went out in the mountains in quest
of huckleberries. Oleson was alone, and,
when he had gone about a mile in the
woods, he came upon region which was
very stony. There were a great many
huckleberry bushes in the near vicinity,
and Oleson Immediately commenced fill
ing his buckets with the luscious fruit.
He had been picking the berries for
probably an hour, when he suddenly
heard the sharp warning from a rattle
snake, which seemed to be a short dis
lance away. Oleson at once started in to
look for the reptile. He ascended a
high ledge of rock and looked down the
slope. To his surprise he saw no less
than a dozen large rattlesnakes. He pro-
cured a club and started in to kill sons
of the reptiles. He succeeded in dis
patching a large snake, and, concluding
that they were getting too thick for him,
he quit the fight and made UP his mind
that he would return to the battle when
he was better equipped for the fray.
Yesterday, with some companions, no
set out. With Oleson were William
Haynes George Harnish and David
Chambers, the latter two being from
Clarence. They reached a spot a short
distance from where Oleson had found the
snakes the day before, and when they
~. ueTa
ten large rattlers lying dead on the ground
at their feet. They then proceeded to the
place where the snakes had been so pleh-
tiful on Saturday. but to their surprise
not single snake could be seen
One of the men threw a stone down
into the gulch and Immediately they
were rewarded by hearing the SHARP
rafting of fn- poisonous reptiles. From
under almost every stone in the gulcn
a snake glided, and the rocky TERRITORY
for space of twenty square feet seem
ed to be a wriggling mass of snakes
The men were prepared with shotgun'
and at once opened fire on the snakes
A lively firing was kept up for sonle
time and soon it appeared that all oil
the snakes had been killed The men
were, however, not satisfied, and WIN
their long iron crowbars they pried up inc
stones.
This had the desired effect. and again
the ground was awe with tHe SlSoi.,,,.
reptiles. When the men ceased frlns ul.s
time the snakes were all dead althous'
a great many escaped in the excitement
A count of the dead snakes disclose
the fact that there were, in all, iorts
nine dead ratters, the largest OF Whta
measured four and half feet in iens,-
and on which there were thirteen tas
ties. Some of the snakes did not mea
ure more than two feet in length vi
the greater number were about three a'is
a half feet long. Chambers was anAlovs
to secure a trophy in the shape OF the Ia'
ties off of large snakes, and, etoop.hhs
down, he attempted to pull them from "a,
tail of a large snake which was lyme
his feet apparently dead No sooner h
his hand touched the snakes tai lna ap
the RATHER turned like flash ana SUI ,s
at Chambers hand, coming within an az
of biting him.
The snakes were gathered together IL
pile and a large fire built on top OF TIA
In this way their mangled bodies WA
disposed of, much to the relief OF ds
hunters. who We're almost afraid to haH ~
the reptiles for fear that they were ss
all dead. II is without exception Il
largest number of snakes ever kiueN
one time in this county.