The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-12-15
SNAKES TO BRING Rim.
A Southern Mayor Who Believes Them To
he as Enicscious as Prayer.

| Snakes. snakes nothing OUT snahcr'
were seen at the city hall yesterday.
They were coming In by scores. some
in boxes. some tied on the end OF a
pole. and some crawled In on their
own account. They were all coming
in response TO an advertisement which
the mayor inserted in the Telegraph
yesterday morning.
People who passed I'm sight OF the
city hall were Gstonished at the num-
Der of snakes TO be seen there. They
didn't know whether IL was a trouble
with their nervous system or whether
they were seeing real snakes. But aft
er A while IL woul dawn on a man That
IL was one OF the enterprises OF the
mayor and then the Joke would be ap-
preciated. Every nan inadvertently
turned his eyes toward the heavens 10
see what the prospect was for rain.
and for a fact great banks OF dark
clouds could he seen rolling up In every
direction. The mayor winked n
said:
''oh. IL never failed in the world.
I'll keep some of those snakes hanging
up there until we have all the rain we
want. I can't understand why we peo-
pie here ever forgot the trick so OFT
en- practiced I'm our boyhood. You can't
find a man in Macon who has not.
when a boy, tried the scheme and
Ohk Adlh 'N'As fa
the shiny side OF n snakes anatomy.
You watch me. II won't take but "a
hours. The rain may come in less
time than that. but you viii surely near
from IL by that time"
The mayors advertisement had called
for one or two snakes, Offering there
for 81 ach.
The mayor thought. after he had dec
GRATED all the trees around the city
hall with snakes. that he had bought
every reptile I'm Bib county. but he
had forgotten to state In his advertise
ment that he only wanted Bibb county
snakes. and the climax came late yes
terday afternoon.
Sam b.. Webb. passenger agent e the
Central in Atlanta. was passing
through the city yesterday en- route 10
Tampa with a carload Of dynamite m
a box containing l96 snakes of various
kinds. Mr.. Webb intended continuing
the journey on the Georgia ~sou'nein.
but got absorbed in business Mates
and was left. In Willing away the
time he decided to go up and call M IN
w. II. Schatzman. and 1t was rhiie
at Mr.. S~chatzman's office that ne read
the mayors advertisement for snlkrs.
by Jove. Schatz!" he exclaimed.
i've got EN-"
Go WHAT" asked Mr.. Schltz"tan
who had no idea what Mr.. Webb read
in the paper.
'"The snakes" replied Mr.. Webb.
The - you say
Yes. sir: I've got EN-. One hundred
and ninety-six Of them"
Mr.. SchatZman looked at Mr.. Webb
in a~mazement. He hadn't seen my
thing wrong or unusual in Mr.. Webb's
appearance. end after eying him criti-
cally for n few mute still failed to
see anything out OF the ordinary.
Look here. San Webb he said In
dead cold earnest. a o one
crazy. or is IL possible that you ave
been drinking"
Then IL dawned on Mr.. Webb that
Mr.. Schatzman did not know that be
had been reading about snakes. AMI
he laughed heartily. He explained
about his box of snakes at the depot,
n together the two friends went mp
to see the mayer. When they told the
mayor that they had 1876 as fine snakes
for rain making purposes as were ever
seen. and hat they were for sale. his
honor nearly tainted. When he recov-
cred his breath he asked Messrs.
Webb and Schatzman to wait a mo-
ment until he could find whether city
Treasurer Tinsley had enough money
on hand to buy the snakes. This was
only a ruse. however. as the mayor
slipped ou the front door. and, calling
n hack. drove rapidly away. At last
accounts he had not been found. and
the two gentlemen. after waiting n
couple of hours. left.
Mr.. Webb went on to Tampa last
night. but he left the snakes ard gave
Mr.. Schatzman authority to dispose OF
them at low p~rices.-Macon Telegraph.