The Grit-advocate., 1900-05-04
RATTLESNAKE KING.
A MAN CONDUCTS A REPTIL-
IAN FARM,
Abnsr Dodge Of California Has Fol-
lowed the Peculiar Business for Twen-
ty-Five Years - Characteristics of
AAttlorA.

cattle kings, horse kings, copper kings
and money kings, but the distinction
Of being the rattlesnake king belongs
to queer old character named Abner
Dodge, who lives in San Bernardino,
Cal. He served in New York regi-
ment during the civil war and after
ward sought his fortunes in the west
For some years he was a trapper and
hunter. but about IL years ago he suf-
fered severe fall in the San Antonio
canyon and has since devoted his en-
tire time to the hunting and cultiva-
tion OF rattlesnakes. He lives in
small cabin near the headwaters of
Lytle Greek Canyon On the San Ber-
nardino spur OF mountains In the
Sierra Madre range. He is a bachelor
and his only companion is a green,
lanky lad of II, whom Dodge has
adopted. The old man dresses in self
made clothing Of skins and rough
woolens Of all hues and fits and is al
ways subject Of keen interest to the
many travellers in that section of the
country. He is we'll informed and evi-
IDENTIFY received a good education in
his youth. His long life among the
wtlds of the mountains and canyons
have had their effect upon him, and
he is now typical mountain charac-
ter. Abner Dodge and his boy assist
ant get their livelihood from the sale
\pf rattlesnake oil to the druggists in
Ithe mining regions Of California and
Arizona, and also by selling the dry
skins and rattles from the snakes to
the dozens OF curio shopkeepers in
southern California towns, where east
ern tourists flock every winter. The
old man roams over the mountain
sides, searches through irrigating
bitches and arroyos, climbs up and
down In canyons, and travels the
country for miles around in search Of
rattlesnakes, with now then shot
at some game. He has been in the
rattlesnake business about rs years
and in that time has handled perhaps
1000 snakes. He gets about 40 cents
worth of oil out of each snake. The
oil is in pure, white fat that lies in
the strips along each side of the rat
tiers intestines near the backbone
The fat is tried out carefully in earth
en- pots. The snake season opens in
April and lasts until December Dur
ing this time Dodge and his boy as
sistant are kept very busy searching
for the venomous reptiles. Owing to
his long experience with the snakes
he is considered an authority on them.
As he says "I have lived next door
asighbor to the critters for rs years
and I ought to know something about
them" He says there is not wiser
or more curious specimen Of life in
the brute creation than the rattler. AL
though he Is attached to them in
way, he would not trust one for a mo-
ment II it was in striking distance
They want to be left alone and never
show any disposition to become IA
miliar. Dodge has pet rattler which
he calls Doctor" He raised him
from the time that he was 2 months
old, and from him has learned many
characteristics peculiar to rattlers.
The old mans observations have also
set aside many theories regarding the
habits Of rattlers. They do not strike
unless they are hungry. When rat
tier has killed and swallowed enough
for one meal, anything that is left can
crawl on him and tumble him around
and he will not offer the least objec
tion. People all over the world be-
iieve that when a rattlesnake is she'd
ding his skin he gets blind. There is
no mistake that his eyes do get COW
cred with blush film at that time.
ir