The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1906-10-12
RAT. T[ESNAK < killer |
MASSACHUSETTS MAN PROTECTS
VILLAGE FROM DEADLY
.,.@ REPTILES.
.eceives Bounty Of 81 for Every One
He kiIIs-Hunts Them as Boys
Do Woodchucks and Is
Never Bitten.

Never Bitten.
Orange, Mass.-W. E. Dressey en-.
joys a we'll earned reputation as de.
fender of the public safety in the lit
tie manufacturing village Of Farley,
on Miller's river This reputation has
been gained by his activity as slayer
of rattlesnakes, which live in count
less numbers in the huge granite
lodges overlooking the village. How
many of these Mr. Dresser has slain
he does not know himself, but they
count up in the hundreds. For Mr..
Dresser rattlesnake hunting is an en-
PERTAINING diversion; he makes no
more of it than the ordinary farmer
does of going out to hunt woodchucks.
At this season of the year the
snakes usually seek the rocks to COM
mence their long Information. Now
and in the spring, when they come
forth from their habitat for the sake
OF. basking in the sunshine near the
entrance to the dens, Dresser gets in
his best work.
Rattlesnake mountain at Farley is
remarkably ada pied to the comfort of
it's serpentine inhabitants. having
countless riffs. and crevices In the
rock, extending far into the interior.
These lodges have southern expos
IRE, which gives the snakes the
warmth and shelter that they are look"
ing for. So well fortified are the rep.
tiles, and so plentiful in number. that
they have maintained their strong
hold in spite of efforts to eradicate
them. For years the town has paid a
bounty of one dollar apiece for dead
rattlers. This course was adopted
after they had become so numerous
that their appearance in the village
streets was common occurrence.
Located at the very base of the
mountain is a schoolhouse. Hear that
funny noise," said one of the children,
playing in the yard last spring. The
teacher heard him, and went out, and
found that the children were playing
around a rattlesnake. A messenger
was dispatched for Mr.. Dresser, who
soon made an end of the invader.
In hunting rattlesnakes, Mr.. Dresser
depends upon sharp eye and re-
vOlver. He never sees snake until
the snake sees him, but always man
ages to keep out of the way Of their
deadly fangs. He never bothers to
carry an antidote for rattlesnake poi
son.
Much has been told about Dresser's
feats as slayer of rattlesnakes, and
some of the stories have been exag-
gerated. 1t is nothing remarkable,
however, for him to kill four or five in
an afternoons stroll. Many of the
snakes killed are four or five feet long
and three inches or more in thickness.
Several rattlers have been killed in
Farley this fall, one close to the high
way leading into the village on the
Erving side of the river.
While RATHER will strike with
lightning rapidity, it - is >. otherwise
sluggish of movement and will not
pursue >molester If he keeps a little
distance away The worst: danger is
in stepping unawares close to the
snakes head. b.. H.
Last fall Roland Grout of this place
was partridge hunting in the mountain
and stopped to crawl under log
which was In his way when snake
sounded its rattle, close to his head. !
Instantly, Grout discharged his gun and
blew, the snake to pieces. A year ago
a party Of residents started coon hunt
ing at night and had proceeded only a
short distance when. five ratings were i
sounded almost I. simultaneously in !!
close proximity to the hunters. The
party concluded to search for, coons
where rattlers we're less plentiful.
Rattlesnake mountain is a steep !
having granite lodges rising
distance of $50 feet
in places. In the rock are great clefts,
running both horizontally and perpen-
One way of hunting the
snakes is by means of hook attached
to the end of long pole, the snakes
being pulled out of their retreat and !
then shot or dubbed to DEATH ! Il
The village pastor was out walking
one Sunday. afternoon, when he came
upon q huge rattlesnake.ft After a;
plucky fight he succeeded in putting it
to death. - = . - !.
a -Flnds MILLIONS for Others. q
.Bessemer,, Mich, Although. he made /
the original discovery Of iron ore on +
the Gogebic range. Uncle Dick Lang:
ford is now in the poorhouse.. Old age
and the need of some one to care for
him has necessitated It.. In an old
on the shore of Lake Gogehic
Langtortl has been living, alone. for
years. visitors to that lonely section,
mostly hunters and fishermen, remem-