The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1900-11-30
PRIZES HER SNAKES.
KLAMATH FALLS PEOPLE DON'T
LIKE TO PART WITH THEM.

On PIearant Days They May Be Seen
by Thousands Wriggling About on
Rocky LedRes Beside the Falls
Harmless to Humanity.
The snake industry at klamath Falls
bids fair to become important. A few
weeks ago Postmaster Castel received
a letter from q concern In Minnesota
making inquiry as to the price Of the
reptiles, and If shipment could be
made to Minnesota snake farm. Al
though the letter was written on print
ed letter heads. the postmaster thought
some one was trying to perpetrate a
joke upon him. He replied, however,
and stated that it would supply all the
snakes wanted at % cents pound. BY
return mail. much to his surprise, came
an order for 400 pounds of snakes, de-
llyered at the nearest railroad station.
The Mlnnesotan went on to state that
next season he would make further
orders an object to Mr.. Castel, but he
would take 800 pounds more this fall.
Snake catching is now the order of the
day here. 1t Is paying business, as
one man can easily capture 100 in a
day, and this represents at least fifty
pounds.
The klamath Falls snakes have a
worldwide reputation. The town is
situated at the foot Of klamath falls,
which begin at Upper klamath lake
and continue through a narrow, rocky
gulch for mile to the lower lake. The
descent is gradual and the falls nothing
more than rapid mountain stream,
100 yards or more wide, between the
two lakes. This place forms sort Of
curve, or elbow, and was called Ewawa
by the Indians, meaning elbow. Along
this river or falls on warm day miles
Of snakes, curling, wriggling and crawl
ing over each other Is no unusual sight,
and IL the weather is little cool one
has to wait for them to get out of the
way or take a stick and lift them aside,
as many do. The stranger on his first
trip to this section is continually dodg-
ing and jumping sidewise, although he
is informed that the reptiles are per-
fectly harmless. The inhabitant doesn't
mind them at all. Little girls gather
apronfuls and boys carry small ones
around In their pockets. They are re-
garded as pets here generally and are
seldom harmed. They come down into
the very town and while walking along
the streets couple of dozen may be
seen in going block. They simply
wriggle out of the way-crawl between
the cracks of the plank sidewalks or
move off to one side. The snakes are
regarded as benefactors by the COM
munity and there is some complaint at
parting with the few required to fill
the Minnesota mans order.
The reptiles live and breed among
the rocks and cliffs along the falls, and
1t is asserted that they have completely
routed the rattlesnakes from the entire
section, besides destroying all the mice
and other pests that infested the place.
They attack a rattlesnake and while
one alone has been known to kill the
largest rattler, number will wind
themselves about the venomous reptile
and strangle 1t in short time. 1t is
claimed that before these snakes made
their appearance the rattlers infested
the region, but they are now seldom
seen.
The species Is said to. be a water
snake, and this is evidenced by the fact
that they will take to the water IL there
Is no other means of escape when
crowded, and move about In that ele-
ment with the ease and skill of fish,
They are of dark color, about three
feet long when full grown and have a
stripe a little lighter than the general
color down their back. All sizes may
be seen among them, from the three or
four inch baby snake to the full-grown
ones. On warm day they are visible
by the thousands and In many cases
they coil up by the dozens in huge rolls.
Pictures of these rolls have been sent,
upon inquiry, all over the world. A
farmer living In the gulch by the banks
of the river has great difficulty in using
his hay at the last of winter. The
snakes take refuge in his barn during
the cold weather, and as the hay gets
low he finds great masses of the be-
numbed reptiles rolled together all
through the hay.
1t is believed here that tons of the
snakes could be shipped from this place
annually without materially decreasing
the supply, and the industry may prove
paying one. Snake oil commands an
enormous price for medicinal purposes,
and 1t is known that a superior quality
of the oil can be manufactured from
the klamath Falls species.-Portland
Uregonian.