The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-10-09
KILLED 100000 RATTLERS.
JOSIAH soMMERs's SNAKE HUNTING
ON SHAGGY MOUNTAIN.


MnrylAnd-Thair Mountain Home and
Their Methods of Killing varmints.
When a stranger allghts from a railroad.train
at Terra Alta. W. Va. 1t causes n sensation, for
such arrivals are moro than infreduent. and
furnish the ever-present lounGers with CONVEX
sationnl topics for weeks to come. But there
is never any idle speculation rs to the strangers
mission. No sooner Is his foot upon the plat
form Of the tiny. neglected llttlo station than
up steps q friendly native and says;
"Ah s'pose yeh want n team to drive We up to
Shaggy Mountain. don't YEP"
Nine times out Of ten the stranger answers
In the affirmative. and the friendly native vol
unteers to escort him to where the desired
team may be obtained for n small consldera-
tion, but not. however. before he has asked the
stranger, Ever seen Josiah Sommers before?"
Shaggy Mountain and Josiah Sommers arc
inseparable in the minds OF the natives. The
former is n lofty pinnacle OF the Alleghanies
In Maryland. and is noted for its countless
dens OF rattlesnakes. The latter Is the ocau-
pant OF the mountains topmost spur, and is
famed as the greatest rattlesnako exterminator
In that or any other part Of the country. To
reach Sommers's abode Is no easy matter. and
is a journey which is cssayed hardly more than
once a year by either the natives or strangers
from nfar. His particular spur of Shaggy
Mountain Is about six miles distant from Terra
IhiNut ulh NlC uSuuh ObAOh .buiSugu w NlhVb
intrepid spirits who brave the perils and ditfi-
culties OF the, trip Is TO hire q horse and brake
recent visitor thus described his experiences:
i left Terra Alta in g brake travelled over
into q thicket through which a road leading to
Sommers's place was supposed, to run. The
undergrowth was 50 dense in places as TO be
so-narrow that the wagon scraped and jostled
against the sides Of mammoth b]oulders.
the mOnOtOny of tTnVel, the perch DOle Of the
whRgoin was was PllonGhin & the ground, iPE our
perilous that my guide and driver. who were
one and the same. and myself were forced to
was a seemingly impenetrable wall of under.
growth and boulders confronting us. To add
which had made the journey several times be-
fore, became confused and my guide candidly
co hn,s that Mo ne di dr Lot know oT where ! we were we're
ever. We at last succeeded in picking our way
out. although. as, We advanced. the road be-
d III ID house : in a small plateau le;S 70 " u"
were hanging on the snake fence which SUR
boited into the house like, a Gock, Of frightened
pounded on the door. but for several minutes
This PAD The desired effect; and the door
nose was inserted in the aperture. but as It
S Mns \ rent yi shifted 6edD our 1n5 ha f5n awsne =; the the n door
a tall. Gaunt woman, stood before US.
We have lost our way 1 explained. in an
nwe ,6 to to her SGm silent oq Mn INQUIRY Hn Car, Can you direct
THE people Of the Alleghanies are nothing II
not cautious, and. Yankee fashion, she an
What. do ych, want Nv IMP she said.
rodio. Inder rs thls he Is the hamper snake
amiabie. smile replaced the sharpness Of her
expression. but in the next instant a slight
sneeE curled her long. thin lip.
sab. Ellen Jane. her that is Cy Sommers's
sister. lest lays all over i'm IN KILN, tn var:
flock OF, towheads. who. emboldened by the
maternal presence. We're crowding around and
Nv yo' chtllun show tn gentlemen over to Cy
sIhe largest Of the flock clapored for the
and preliminary. work in store for all.
Tar down them bahs. she ordered, point
take, a short, cut through
TO, this destruction OF property we would
the hand she silenced us, and in a jifry wide
sections of the fence had been removed for
the ftt satsinl Sn do e do a q BODY Ssr r sesm t. see stran-
ger folks once in a time continued our hos
tess as we drove through her property, with
much MSs .' but y Q an 4 nm most aaiS weico a%seN' 1"'n'
lhe llhu W III tSCOIItu US w Lnt HlOunIdlu
to 'Rattlesnake Den was a curiosity. / offered
him a quarter. which he regarded with a great
" nT'i mo good S%' to peT We'uns, :m retaie'' said
he: KANT, spend hit up heah., Ell yo'uns
got some tobaccer. would rpther have f.
your | asked IN surprise, for the lad was hard: |
ly more thar 70 years old. fthat. He looked
ousss sdI'f tsss like a'f pap Sm 20 70 G yeaS SHsT Tas Els Els
An hour later we reached the very tip and
top OF the mountain and beheld the primitive
fRt In Poa SRlSR h tns 1ie onsw Rsd c sS%%e Fs i axisi
300 yards away and finish the e%ventfuI Jour,
through H. the Window. Ne WE'VE We're S %reGei1e de win
tic Of the mountaineers, a silence and gravity
which, would probably have remained undis-
y tpF I Sad fo r e a;st SO f SftS as y we e, we're e s01nnSseeTrn 4
the man addressed hesitated n moment
that, attracted. by his fame as a rattiesnaHe
enjoy a personal acquaintance with him. Even
the anathetiS mountaineer Is susceptible to
unhended and smiled a cordial welcome.
Fl is q fine specimen Of tho hardy noun
sna n Hi tss age Tid is about smd 90 ~, but yTT,tvh his (, p : yaHtE
He Is big and blond and broad chested as
dr9ught horse. His face; which is burned to
u uNtp pl'llLN ny bul nlu ga bJShIt 10
gent. nm attribute emphasized by a clear blue
eye and a strong, mobile mouth. Like most
OF the adult mountaineers he sports a tuft OF
whiskers beneath his chin.
As to snakes said he while was making
this Inventory of his physical merits. come In
an talk hit over with tn wimmen folks.
Granny he continu ed, addressing the elder
of the two women, q wrinklcd crone. but
straight as q pine, 'yo' an Ellen Jane come
heah; We air Goin' to talk %rattlers.'
The word '%rattlers' produced a remarkable
alteration In the rather dull faces OF the wo-
men. Both frightened with expressions OF
keenest interest and the apologies for the
plainness OF the hut's exterior which had been
pouring forth In a convoluted tumble were in
stnntly checked.
"'Slster Ellen Jane she's tn real cham
pion,' continued Mr.. Sommers lnodestly. at
which Sister Ellen Jane. who had seated her
self on the big scaflold Of a bed the room CON
tanned. swung her bare feet vigorously back
An ben a-killin' %rattlers sence Ali ,wah so
high. began Sister Ellen Jane proudly. and
extending her hand before her to measure
an, insignificant height. Ans foty, yenhs
old now. an until tn day All dies Ans goin'
annHn hI1nfin' ay'ry GnnQ0n Whnn All unh