The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1899-07-21
GREAT SNAKES
IN PENNSYLVANIA
Many Stories Concerning the Opera
tons of the Reptiles,
HAVE GOOD AND EVIL TRAITS.
The stories Nearly All Relate to Some
Peculiarly on the Part of the
Snakes Many Shipped
toSnakc Farm.

The harvest Of Pennsylvania snake sto-
res this year promises 20 break all pre-
vioas records. bat tho snake crop is be-
lng harvested as well as the crop Of
snake stories. AZ the Glenolden snake
farm Ia Delaware county. Dr. McFar-
and Of the Medico-Ch.rurgica College.
mas an extensive and interesting expert
mental collection OF living copperheads.
rattlcrs and other venomous serpents.
one OF his rattlesnakes measures eight
feet in length and q foot in diameter
once a week Dr.. Mcfarland manages 20
OBTAIN from this monster snake poison
enough 20 XIII a thousand people Cap
turing snakes FOR Dr. Mcfarland has be-
come business ON the Loyalsock, whore
rattlcsrakes are so numerous this season
mat many wOOdsmcn have quit Work Tor
tear OF being bitten. AS many as sixty
ratffers have been killed near one camp
in that region. Most OF the shipments
of rattesnakes from the Loyalsock are
made from Pine Station. but over four
hundred rattlers and copperhcads were
me snake farm at Glenoiden. While
catching snakes on the Loyalsock FOR Dr.
mcfarland. j. j. Garris was bitten on
me hand by a RATHER. lie plastered the
wound with chowcd tobacco. and. put
ting his finger foo his mouth. successfully
drew ont the poison
ARE ECCENTRIC.
This years snake stories nearly an
..f..fa. srf Of
tho reptiles Benjamin Nann0y of West
Falls Township Monroe county while
driving 20 Milford. came across rattle
snake four feet nine inches In length.
70 had eleven rattIes. This snake was
evidently fond of spring chicken. for after
killing 90 Mr.. Nann0y found that it had
ms fangs fastened in 70 young fowl
At Pine Grove church, Perry county.
snake made it- appearance among the
w0rshippers while they were at prayer.
II was not a dangerous reptile. but 10
caused a panic in the church
Near Salladasburg "a iouryear-old son
of Luke Olmstead who was picking ber-
RES In a field. complained that something
had stung him. The swelling soon show
cd that It was tho sting of a rattler.
Mrs 9. IT, Bussom. of South Williams
poi was attacked by hve-foot rattle
snake while wheeling baby carriage ln
the street This huge snake coled i,sct
around her ankle and was preparing 10
striks when she thrust n parasol through
the squlrming coils and thus loosenod its
noid As soon as she AS free She yam
screaming down the street. but number
~ bows took mp the battle and succeed
Do killing the snake.
Near Hanover however. woman. MIS-.
ANNA Haverstock had the courage 10
kn q huge black snake.
Less fortunate than ether Of these l8-
dies Miss Mary kegerrcls of fannetis-
nurr. Franklin county. was $50 unuerVed
bv seeing snake crossing her path
while she was making her way across ihe
mountain on bicycle. chat she fell from
her wheel and may Doe badly crippled for
lie
MONSTER ROUTs A POSSE.
> In the South Mountain. over which
Lees army crossed on the way Go Get
tvsburg there is famous blacksnake
known as the Mont Alto mon -er 10 was
airaady a good-sized snake at Che time
or the battle OF Gettysburg and now %
Sc described by she mounta.noers as being
as chick as a stoyepine and long ace
cordrngly' The monster was last met
hv Or w T. Holland of Fayetteville
while driving along fha FunkstoWu road
The reptile was stretched in the
aust across the road Al the
sight of 10 the horse or Holland
was driving became frantic. but instead
OF attacking the ulunsing animal tho
snake curlcd into the undrehrush and
slowly crawied aWaN When the doctor
told % his encounter posse off noun.
ia'neers started i1 pursuit of fhc mon
sfer Armed with guns they vowed that
the snake would not escape them this
time and they succeeded in finding The
reptile The snake was evidently expect
ms them for 10 received them standing
erect on IT'S taiLond mcnac.ne them with
noise Ike that of a "crazed bun in ID
night" one Of the posse, BIZ smith.
fred and then the whole party beat -
nasty retreat At last accounts the Mont
Alf0 monster was stll unhurt
CHAMPION OF THE BLACKsNAKE.
Aftcr reading the story ct Dr. Hollands
encounter with me Mont Alto monster.
one OF his nelghhors wrote Go the Cham
tersourg Repository in defence of that
much.abused reptile, tAe hlacksnake. ln-
deed this authority ON olacksnakc- dogs
more than defend the monster-he points
out lts virtues Hc says the blacksuake
s. the mortal enemy of the ratticr and the
Ccpperhcad ana declares That % 10 were
not Tor The fact that ln ninoty-niae cases
u a hundred the bl8cksuake Is The vic
for in a hght With ratlesnake or copper
head the mountains oi Southern Penusll-
,ania would De SO infested with these
deadly reptiles that 90 would not Poe safe
Tor any one fo 20 ihcre during the sum-
mer 81 have met many one ho says
of his fay0ritc blacksuake. "in my tramps
say have Killed "a great many. and some
monsters too Sometimes They would
show hfht. bur 0ftener pull oui at q rate
of speed that was marvellous. Z have NOT
kiiiti one for many "a year and viii
mover kll another one for have learned
tacg GOOD Qualities AND now hold them
m h.eh esteem
RATHER GAVE LIFE FOR a CHILD
That me 6.acksnake can De very visions
81 fp.,e OF tho many good qualities Is
shown oy the experience OF the little TWO
yfar-old daughter OF Richard Brannins
of Deep Hlover Columbia county. Nh
Eranning has pet rattesnake This
pet has history. Eafy in the
spsns while Nj Brannng was blasting
away Gin with dynamite. Doc uncOv-
cred 81 pest OF rstlcra. AN OFF the snakes
EXCEPT three or four were killed and an
that saved their lives escaped except one.
Ihs one was so badly wounded that %
could not get away. lt WAS "a bis follow
OF "a remarkably am.able disposition and
with Is keen sense OF gratitude. While
recovering from iis wounds the snake colt
"a itsof into Mr. Brannlng good graces
and constituted itself the special guardian
OF hls little daughter The latter fire.
Qucntly fondled &C. and IL always mani
Tested a marked iondness for The child
One day last week large blacksnake at
tackled The iit;le girl enfoidlhg her IN iis
deadly embrace AS ii Was drawing It's