The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-11-20
JOSHUA Sommers' Snake Hunting
on Shaggy Mountain.
A~SNAKE-INFESTED REGION
He and His Sister Ellen Jane Are the
Champions ofEiaryiand-Thsir Mount
tain Home and h Methods
OF Killing vermin.

rails are more than infrequent. and
furnish the ever present loungers with
conversational topics for weeks to
come. But there Is never IN idle
speculation as to the strangers mis-
sion. No sooner Is his foot upon the
platform of the tiny neglected little
station thar up steps a friendly ma
tive and says:
"Ah s'pose yeh want a team to drive
We up to Shaggy mountain. don't yer
Mine times out Of 10 the range
in the Affirmative. and the
friendly native volunteers to escort
him to where the desired team may be
obtained for a small consideration,
but not. however. before he has ask
ed the stranger. Ever seen josiah
Sommers before?"
Shaggy mountain and Josiah Som
mers are ~inseparable in the minds OF
the natives. The former Is a lofty pm
nacle of the Alleghenies In Maryland.
and II noted for its countless dens OF
rattlesnakes. The latter Ii the occu-
pant of the mountains topmost spur.
and IL famed as the greatest rattle
snake exterminator in that or any 9TH
er part of the country. To reach SOM
mers' abode In no easy matter. and Ia
a journey which In ssayed hardiy
more than once a year by either the
natives or from afar. HIS
particular spur OF Shaggy mountain
is about six miles distant from Terra
Alta. and the usual method pursued
by those intrepid spirits who brave the
periIs and difficulties of the trip Is to
hire a horse and brake wagon and
likewise the services OF a guide. a
recent visitor thus described his ex-
periences:
II left Terra Alta In a brake. trav-
eled over a turnpike for three miles.
and n plunged into a thicket
through which a road leading to SOM
mers' place was supposed TO run. the
underground was so dense In places
as to be entirely impossible. The road
was at times so narrow that the wag-
on scraped and jostled against the
sides of the mammoth boulders. When
these little trihes were not dispelling
the monotony of travel. the perch
pole OF the wagon was ~ploughing the
ground. for our wheels had often TO
run hub deep in gullies.
Travel eventually became so abso-
lutely perilous that my guide and
driver. who were one n the same,
and myself were forced to dismount.
Whichever way we turned there was
a seemingly impenetrable wall or I'M
/ dergrowth and boulders confronting
us. To add to my brimming cup OF
delight. even the horse. which mad
made the journey several times before.
became confused. and my guide can
didlv confessed that he did not know
where we were or how we would pro-
| coed or retreat. However. we at last
succeeded In picking our way out. al
though, as we advanced, the road be-
| came rougher and more indetermin-
ate. Near the top of the mountain
we came to a small dilapidated house
in a small plateau.
Some half dozen ragged little tow
heads were hanging on The snake
fence which surrounded the place. As
we approached they bolted into the
house like a flock OF frightened chip
hunks and slammed the door Violent
ly to. as IL to make certain OF their
safety. We pounded on the door. but
for several minutes there was no re-
DOT Then we lifted up our voices
and Increased the vigor OF our knocks.
This had the desired effect. and the
door opened the fraction of an inch.
A long, sharp nose was inserted in the
aperture. but as IL apparently shifted
our harmlessness. the door was flung
wide open, and the owner or the nose,
a tall, gaunt woman, stood before US.
We have lost our way, / explain
ed in answer to her silent inquiry.
Can you direct us to the home OF Mr..
Josiah Sommers?
THE people OF the AlIeghanies are
nothing II not cautious. and. Yankee
fashion. she answered me with anoth-
er question.
"'what do yeh want Nv imp she
said.
"T understand he Is the champion
snake erad.cator of these parts,
continued. An amiable smile replaced
the sharpness OF her expression. but
in the next instant a slight sneef
curled her long. thin lip
Him she commented. Iawd bless
yeh, sab. Ellen Jane, her that Is Cy
Sommers' sister. jest lays all over i'm
In kilnn' tn varmints. Heah.' she
commanded. turning to the flock oi
~towheads, who. emboldened by the
maternal presence. were crowdin
around and examining us with the
deepest curiosity, 'one Nv yo' chillur
show tn gentlemen over to Cy som
mers'.'
.sThe largest of the flock clamorec
for the privilege of directing us. bu'
she a other and preliminary worl
in store for all.
liar down them bahs.' she ordered
pointing to the snake fence. an le
tn gentlemen take a short Gu
through
ITO this destruction of property VI
would have demurred. but with
majestic sweep of the hand she silenc
ed US. and in a jiny wide sections o
the fence had been removed for tn
entrance and exit OF our team.
ut sutainly do DO a body good I
see range folks once In a time. con
tinued our hostess as we drove through
her property. with many thanks an
apologies. stop in on 20 way from
Cy's an have q snack. Taint mucn
, but yo' an mostful welcome
The lad who escorted US up tn
mountain to 'rattlesnake dem was
curiosity. / offered him a quarter
which he regarded with a great sho,
of wonder. but persistently refused.
faint no good to we'uns. mis-
tah.' said he. KANT spend IL u
heah. FL yo'uns got some tobaccei
would ruther have 1T
You dom mean to a that yo
smoke. do your I asked in surpris'
for the lad was hardly more than I