The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1902-03-03
ST. PATRICK IS HIS MODEL.
Father Rodrigues Would Rid Arr
IONA Of Snakes.


Phoenix, Ariz.-To emulate st. Patrick
and do sor his country what the Irish
saint Gio fOr Ireland-rid il of snakss-is
the desire of the Rev. Father PEDRO Rod
TigueZ- Indeed. Father Rodriguez would
go even further and not only rio the
southwest OF its rattlesuakes, but also
destroy the insect life which makes life
unpleasant on the arid lands.
Fifty years ago he came TO Arizona,
and began his labOrs for the church in
New Mexico, Arizona and Old Mexico
A short time later he brought his sister
and younger brother out west and es-
tablished them on d small ranch in the
upper valley of the Yaqui river
He himself was stationed at Guaymas
One day a message came 10 him, telling
Of the death OF his brother and sister.
The latter had gone to a spring for water
and as she stopped q warning rattle had
sounded under her hand.
3 q 3
Before she could draw back the rattle
snake bit her in the cheek. She tore the
reptile loose and hurrying to the house
fell in faint Her brother reached home
to find her dying The following day AT
the spring be, too, was bitten by a rat
tier and died.
Father Rodriguez buried the bodies
side by side, and for nearly twenty years
remained in the solitude of a monastery.
Some ten years ago, failing health
obliged him TO live in the Open air. Since
TO scientific and persistent slaughter OF
snakes. and the walls of his country
home are covered with skins and rattles
No. it is not a feeling of revenge that
urges me on my war on the REPTILES. -
SAYS Father Pedro. but I must In some
manner improve my time out Of doors
and | know of no better way than to kill
snakes Then, too, it is not an unprofit-
able business. and from my snake skins
and oil am enabled each year to give
snug sum the church
Father Pedro has killed nearly f. 800 rat
tlesnakes in the last ten years. In all that
time he has never been bitten. Nearly
all the snakes have been secured bv his
tanned and trained road runners.
+ The road runner or chapsrral bird IS
the hereditary enemy of the RATHER ard
Its most dangerous foe, and il is by the
use OF these birds. rather than his own
powers. that Father Pedro hopes to force
the ratuesnake to extinction. All through
northern Mexico and the territories Faith
er Pedro has hunted with his birds and
1t Is by securing, the general tanning and
use of the chaparral birds for the purpose
that he hopes to rid the southwest of
snakes. tarantUlas, scorpions and CONT
Dedes.
As far back as traditions of the Indians
so the ehaparral bird has been looked
upon as a benefactOr of mankind. while
photographs have been found which indi-
cate that. in prehistoric times. he was 4
familiar object. Many rude pictures in
stone show the long-legged birds in the
act of devouring snakes.
g g g
The name of road runner the bird
earned by his habit of frequenting road
ways, perhaps better 10 discern in the
dust the trails of its victims. and its pro-
Density for showing its remarka BILE speed
10 Dassers-bye. It is able to keep pace
with most horses for a short distance.
The road runner is poorly equipped with
wings. In fact the short fippers which
take their place. are only valUab bic in ac-
celebrating its running powers.
Plainsmen who have seen Il at work
tell remarkable stories Of its fighting
qualities and immunity from poison The
latter theory is true 10 certain extent
and when the marvellous quiClIneSs of the
bird does not save it from the lightning
Ike stroke of the rather it resorts to a
remedy which it gathers from the stem OF
the smaller cactus.
So careful. though. is the assault of the
bird. that only rarely does the snake e.
cape or injure its asssilaut Coming upon
a victim, the birds attack it from Opp0-
site sides and so fierce is their assault
that it Is usually a matter Of only a few
moments until one of the birds has its
beak around the neck OF the snake, which
Is then easily killed.
At times an especially alert snake is
found and then the plan of attack is
changed. on opposite sides and running
RAPIDLY. the birds circle their victim until
IL Is worried into frenZied rage. Then,
when an opportunity offers. the birds
close in on the snake like fash
The most interesting method which
the road runner is said to employ is USED
when il finds d snake asleep. On nearly
all the desert lands grows the choya cac-
tus. with burrs of small sharp spineS.
Whenever these needles touch flesh then
barbed ends hold them in and they are
as difficult to extract as fish hooks
The road runner quietly gathers some
of these burrs and lays them in circle
about the snake. Then arousing the snake
the bird works it into a furious lashing
which eventually fills its body with the
cactus spines. Every movement puts the
. barbs deeper and adds new ones. until
finally the bird its desire for torture be-
ing gratifed. finishes its victim with a
blow on the head