Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1899-10-27
A SEASONS PRIZE SNAKE STORY.


Anu hCto AAAd N NoNcA way Va
Destroying the Reptiles.
John Ludwig of Minnequa Springs,
Iowa, has invented an entirely new
way of destroying snakes. The whole
country is overrun this season with
5iack snakes and rattlesnakes. The
farmers say that they have eaten up
all the frogs and toads in the state.
There being nothing to eat the beetles
and insects when the frogs and toads
are no more, the crops suffer horribly.
But Ludwig's invention will save the
lives of The insect eaters by Staying
the snakes, and all may yet be we'll.
Mr.. Ludwig is engaged in the occu-
patton of blasting rock. He never
goes around without few pounds of
dynamite or nitroglycerine in his
pocket. SO thoroughly familiar is he
with high explosives. The other day
he came across a large black snake
coiled around his dinner pail, which
he had tried in vain to swallow. Lud-
wig attacked the reptile with a club,
and gave it terrific blow on the back.
Suddenly there was frightfnl explo-
sion that blew the snake and the din
ner pail to pieces, and very nearly
made mincemeat of Ludwig. AS it
was, it knocked him several feet, and
wedged his head between the two
forks of tree, and from this he had
great trouble in extricating himsel'.
When the dynamiter finally got free
lie made an elaborate investigation.
He discovered that the snake had
swallowed half-pound dynamite cart
ridge. This fact was the basis OF his
anti-snake discovery. After the in
SEPARATION came to him his next moyo
was to discover ii snakes really liked
dynamite. He was not long in find
ing out that they do. 1t has sweet
Favor, and is put up in shape very
convenient for a snake to swallow. 1t
is not Of too large caliber, it is very
smooth, and can easily be eaten. Since
that time, according to the stories
told by Ludwig, he has destroyed
hundreds Of snakes by his ingenious.
process. He makes little rolls of dyn-
amite weighing an ounce or two apiece,
and leaves them around as bait. They
are readily swallowed by the snakes.
Having got thus far with his inven-
ton ludwig had to think up some
method to have the dynamite explode.
Fin lily he hit upon it. He bored holes
ito the small cartridges and filed
them with red pepper, carefully cover
ering up the holes with a soluble ma
terial so that the snakes would not
taste the pepper while swallowing the
cartridges and reject the dose. After
the plugged cartridge has reposed
for some minutes in the interior of the
snake the red pepper becomes free
and begins to get in its work upon the
snakes internal economy. Rattle
snakes are peculiarly susceptible to
red pepper. The agony is terrific.
The doomed creature writhes in pain,
beating himself against stones. This
gives the required conclusion and the
fatal explosion follows. The story
is based entirely upon information
furnished by Inventor Ludwig. He
says that on still night he puts his
head out of his bedroom window and
listens TO the snake explosions up the
valley. 1t is only fair to state in the
interest of science that no one has
been seen or found who will youch for
the story told by Ludwig. 1t is GER
tain, however, that there has been a
great decrease in the rattlesnake pop
ulation, and the farmers are talking OF
| getting up some sort Of demonstra-
ton to show their appreciation OF
Ludwig's brightness.