davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1908-10-17
OLD BOILER WAS
Den OF RATT[ERs
REMARKABLE SNAKE STORY EN-
ANArEs FROM THE OIL RE-
cIoNs or PENNSYLVANIA.
Is BIG REPTILES ARE KILLED
District Noted for Its Number OF Dan.
Qerous Denixens = Posses of
Hunters Organized u De-
crease Colonies.

OIL City, Pa.-The best properly au-
thenticated rattlesnake story of the
season to date comes from Tarkill.
this county, where Henry Hess and
Edward Kennemuth Of Fern City
killed IS rattlers. The men had re-
Gently purchased the Densmore lease
and commenced to move an old boiler
that had stood out all winter. AS
soon as they had 1t In motion snakes
commenced to appear from the fire.
box. from the fiues and from under
meath. The men were taken by sur
prise, but were used to snakes and
lost little time in securing clubs and
attacking the reptiles. Some got away.
but. they killed FIVE dozen and eight.
II any one has any ambition to pose
as a snake catcher or killer. he is as
sured that there are still some left in
that neighborhood.
Tarkill and Cogley Run districts,
which are not far apart, have for time
out Of mind been noted for the large
number of rattlesnakes that infest
them. More than fifty years ago one
John McCool, whose home was or
East Sandy creek. that district, made
considerable revenue in killing these
snakes and trying out their oil. which
he sold for fancy prices to his neigh
bors as a panacea for sprains and
aches. His methods were simple. but
decidedly effective He was a ia
nous hand with q rife and would
station himself near the den at thu
mouth of Cogley Run and shoot thu
heads on tho reptiles as they ap
peared from beneath the rocks. Oh
one occasion in the earlier days o
the settlement of that section of tn
The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1908-10-17
NOT roREwARNED or nANaGR.
Veteran Engineer on the subject -
PremonItions.

Old Sandy McNaughton. who has
been driving an engine on . road run
ming out Of Chicago for 80 years. says
he has had scores of premonitions,
some of which have proved true,
though none Of them ever got MS
name or his picture on the first page
Of a newspaper as q man who nad
been warned by some unseen agency
of danger and BY, needing the Fremont
ton saved 100 lives.
Sure, have premonitions, and
some of them prove true" declared
Sandy. For instance, in my young
days used to have premonition reg
ularly that three days before pay day
l would be broke and would borrow
FIVE dollars of Larry Brannigan. ana II
always proved true, except when
Larry didn't have five. but as far as
ever being warned before OF an acct
dent that would occur that never has
been one of my long suits.
Yves, used to have premonitions
about as regularly as ] would have in
digestion. Whenever would eat any
thing that didn't agree with me \
would have a queer feeling that
warned me that something was going
to happen. My fireman called 1t plain
case of being on my feed, the doctor
called it some long names / couldn't
pronounce, and called It q bargain TOR
two dollars, and the boss called It
cowardice
II remember one rainy. blowy and
cold night. All the day before had
been feeling sort Of queer and when
we started it seemed to me that dan
ger was just waiting at certain
bridge on the line. Just before reach
ing this bridge there was a sharp
curve 30 that one could not see the
bridge until right on top of 1t, and the
surroundings were such that II there
|, had been wreck there the loss OF life
, would have been terrible.
As we drew nearer and nearer to
the bridge that night the feeling Of
impending disaster kept growing
, stronger; 1t seemed e II could hear
| voice warning me as plainly a. 4
3 some one were In the cab talking Il
' me. So strong did this feeling grow
q that just before we reached the bridg'
b gave in and slammed on the air.
Il I'VE came to = stop more suddenly
8 than carefully; the passengers tum
= bling out of their berths and landinl
in heaps on the floor.
Q "Bin Carter. who was brakeman o.
Il the train, had been riding on the BAG
q platform, and when the brake slamme
4 on he gave an exhibition Of grand an
l. lofty tumbling. When he came up I
the engine with the rest Of the Gre
7 and an excited bunch Of passenger
" to see what was the matter he va
" not in the best state Of mind or q
A. pearance.
n We'll, had put on the brakes viii
n still out Of sight Of the bridge, but y
re slid q ways 80 that we stopped rigl
a. ON the edge of 1t. A few feet farth'
ID and we would have been hurled I'M
es the chasm. that ID, providing u
ID bridge wasn't there, but It was ther
w. standing as strong and pretty
Of ever, and what Bill said wasn't nice
Al hear"
The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1908-10-17
rraek.waIker's Marrow Escape.

Martin Banes il q track-walker on
the New Orleans & Northeastern rail-
road. and he recently had an exciting
race with a special train which he 10
not likely to forget. Martin has track
tricycle., and his employment Is to
Guard the long trestle over Lake Point
chartrain. and to follow all trains. 80
as to extinguish whatever Goals may
have dropped from the engine in It's
transit across the trestfe.
One evening about six o'clock ne
started out. and when about two
miles out ON the trestle he heard the
ominous rumbling of wheels. No train
was scheduled for that hour, and
hence no danger was apprehended.
But train was certainly coming. and
It suddenly flashed upon his mind that
| It was special.
A desperate contest then followed
between muscle and steam. The peril
OF the track-walker urged him to
superhuman efforts in plying the tri
cycle 20 as to reach point Of safety
The race was q very short one, how
ever. The engine gained and present
" there was . bump and the track
walker found himself clinging to the
Icow-catcher. Fortunately the engineer
had noticed the obstacle In the gloon
and had slackened speed. so the track
walker escaped with some sever'
brvlses, although the tricycle. wa
4 ec.nrfafalv vrecked
II was . terrible scare. however, ant
nov the track-walker never ventures
| cut. even in daylight, without . Ian
tern.-St. Louis Republic.
The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1908-10-17
SAILORS MAD WITH HUNGER.
shIpwrecked Crew Nearly Starved
When Sighted BY ship.

Lyttelton. N. Z.-The British war
ship Pegasus has arrived here with
Capt. Noel and 81 members of the
crew of the French bark Felix Faure,
which was wrecked In the antipodes.
The men had been on the island seven
weeks, following the wrecking Of the
boat on q reef.
The crew of % had to scramble
into a boat to save their lives, and
erected landing with no clothes save
those they had on.
Happily for the shipwrecked marin
ers the New Zealand government keep
a quantity of provisions on the island
to be used in case Of emergency, and
the castaways were able to live on
them. The supply, however, was be
coming exhausted as week succeeded
week, and no prospect Of rescue seemed
likely. and the rations had to be re
duced to such an extent that the mer
became ravenous for food, and gave
up all hope of rescue.
Out of the wreckage washed ashore
nails were obtained. and these wer'
made into fish hooks to catch hsh.
On several occasions messages writ
ten in pencil were fastened to thu
neck of an albatross, recounting TIL
loss of their ship and their sad plight
In the hope that the birds might b
captured, ard thus secure assistance
| for the castaways.
| One Of these messages was bein
written, in which the men said al
hope was abandoned. when tn
Pegasus was sighted, and that vesse
X OF the crew, who were almoa
! with hunger.
The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1908-10-17
BRIDGE EVERY MILE
srRErcH CT RAILROAD TRACK
THAT IS UNIQUE.
Chicago, Milwaukee { ST. Paul Ha'''
road Has New Record Tor Num-
bsr Of Bridges in . Single
Territory.

One Of the most remarkable
stretches Of railroad track In the
world will be encountered by the pas
sensers who, within a few months
viii be able to take passage for east
ern cities over the new Chicago, MIL
yankee & st. Paul, when he passes
along the Musselshell river, separat-
ing Fergus and Yellowstone counties.
The stretch referred to is lis miles IN
length and in travelling over this sec
ton the passenger will go from FER
gus into Yellowstone county So times
and return into Fergus county 81 times
during the ride. He Will tnus
have crossed the county line separat
| ing the two counties III times wnen
II is considered that the line which
separates the two political divisions
10 nothing more nor less than tne
| Musselshell river, the feat will become
even more remarkable. For eacn
crossing of the line there Is bridge
hence III bridges have been con-
| structed in a distance of 1l5 miles,
This is an average of more than one
bridge to every mile, and III separate
opportunities for the respondent pas
senger desiring to commit suicide py
drowning.
This fact was included in the report
of the new road filed with the sta'e
board of equalization. and shows the
amount of track it had on March !
4 which will be subject to taxation I'M.
year. The report indicates the pom.
where the road enters the state, anc
follows the course of its line through
Fergus county. THE line enters the
state and passes easterly through
Custer county to the county line De
tween Yellowstone and Fergus coun
; lties." says the report. Continuing II
generally easterly direction
crosses the Musselshell river, which u
the dividing line between the count!
!. of Fergus, ON the north side, ana TN
county of Yellowstone, on the soutl
side of the river, III times. passin
7 thereby into Fergus county 81 time
and from Fergus county into feiio~
stone county IS times"
The report shows further that tn
road has a total of 174.6S miles q
. roadway in the state, with 1870 mile
). Of siding. This length of rail Is q
: yided between four counties as 10
: lows: Custer. roadway 1920. sid
! track TAT: Meagher. roadway, 2S.O
!. sidetrack 1.28; Yellowstone, roadwa
= s0.41, sidetrack $40; Fergus, roadws
~ an .iAetrack a.O6. Coming up Sixteel
The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1908-10-17
RAILROAD sToRv FRoM avsslA.


The tedium Of railroad travelling ID
Russia was relieved the other day TN
an unexpected manner. In compart-
ment of the train going from Kursk
to Kief sat beautiful young lady
next to Z chatty priest, with whom she
held an animated conversation. OPP
posite sat student who envied the
priest the causerie which he was en-
joying.
As the evening came on the girl fell
asleep, and the priest nodded his head
in slumber. That was an opportunity
which NO self-respecting practical
Joker could afford to let slip. Bending
forward, the student kissed the sleep
ing damsel and sprang back into his
seat.
The salute awakened the girl, who.
thinking that 1t was her neighbor. the
priest. who had dared to kiss her.
jumped up and gave him . sounding
| box ON the ears. The student re-
| joiced greatly. There was . commo-
ton, the policeman accompanying the
| train was summoned. and he At once
drew up Z protocol" against the
| wronged priest, while the student Of
fered to appear - . witness In the
law court at Kief.
But at the last moment : ycuns
Jewess who had been sitting In darh
corner unobserved BY anybody steppee
forward, exonerated the poor pries'
from the terrible accusation, and thez
The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1908-10-17

In order to encourage thrift among
It's employees the Northwestern Rail-
way Company Of England some years
ago established . savings bank at
which deposits as low as sixpence are
received. four per cent. interest being
paid on accounts up 70 f200 and ~
per cent. on sums in sxcess Of that
emouut
The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1908-10-17

might hit me. This being the case, !
think 1t advisable to stay In the dis
ltance. Ia you mean to try your pistol,
take some object-a tree or barn
door-about my dimensions. II you
hit that, send me word. and VIII &C
knowledge that II had been In the
same place you might also have hit
me-"
The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1908-10-17

rest. Then back we'd swim bravely
again. When that terrible act was 1t
last over we'd go downstairs. remove
the dust and splinters that We had
contracted from our long swim. pack
the ship in trunk, fold up the ocean
and 60 back to the boardin' houss
for supper"
The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1908-10-17

country, when burning charcoal for
the smelling furnaces was an in
dustry, the snakes were so many that
the woodsmen and charcoal burners
took day on and INDUCED in snake
hunt. There were more than one
hundred men engaged and they
blasted rocks and killed snakes the
day through.
The number Of victims was nevei
counted, but they were so many
that most OF the men became sick
from the nausea caused by the odor
given on by the poison ducts and
the mangled bodies which were
thrown into . pile as they were
slaughtered. There were hundreds
of the reptiles killed. but enough were
left alive to keep up the race and
their descendants are still cause o.
wholesome fear and considerable
alarm to those who pick berries in thai
section.
no most people the term 'snak'
dem means some sort Of cs.vern II
which the snakes congregate In grea
colonies. But the term as used In thu
oil country snake belt means ledg'
of rocks covering acres of ground
The snakes come from these retreat
To sun themselves on top Of the rock
or. to lie in neighboring paths or road
ways or to hunt food In underbrusl
ana berry thickets. The larger tn
rocks abe more snakes they geneI
ally harbor. Although many a.
tempts have been made by entir
neiehborhoods to wipe out sue
d,ns by blasting the rocks and d.
stroying their habitations the e
forts have never been brilliantly SUI
cessful. The Wolf den on the estat
of the late E. e. Clapp In Presider
and Pinegrove townships and tn
rocky section of the country alon
Porkey and Cogley Runs. have bee
infested with snakes 80 long back .
the memory Of the Oldest inhabitaz
runs ana all sections have been a
lacked by organised posses of snail
hunters gathered from their neighbo
hoods. but time and attacks have r
suited In very little decrease In II
number OF the dangerous denizens.
The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1908-10-17
Girl swalIows ) Live Dee.

Washington. Pa.-Miss Rosa Zah-
niser IL in q serious condition as the
result Of having swallowed a live bee
While eating breakfast. Miss Zahniser
n fond OF honey, and after she had
taken q mouthful Of the delicacy she
screamed. A physician who was called
brought forth the bee. still alive Miss
Zahniser's throat was stung several
times.
The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1908-10-17

Good beet root yields an average Of
2 Per cent suea,'
Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1908-04-10
VITAL STATISTICS

Following are the vital statistics re-
cord for Kingsbury county for the
month Of March as compiled by the
| Clerk of Courts:
DEATHS
Gullick Larson, Erwin, Feb. 9th,
age SO years.
John Hughes, De Smet, Feb. 18th,
age 55 years.
Baby SPAN, Troquois, March End,
age 8 months.
Lucella g. Tugaw, De Smet, March
End, age 4 years, 8 months.
Colin Grant Paterson, De Smet,
March 9th, age 40 years.
Nellie Meaghan, Arlington, Feb.
Dist, age 4 years, 10 months.
Eliza Moeller Whitewood, Feb. 20,
age 81 years.
Frank O'Brien, Whitewood, Nov
10Th, age "A years, 10 months, 2S days.
Arthur LAWYER, Lake Preston, Dec.
3rd, age 4 days.
Donald l.. Knight, Iroquois, March
10, age 3 days.
Anna Florence Thorson, Esmond,
March 18th, age 3 months, % days.
Hannah Williams Arlington, March
10Th. age S2 years, 7 months.
Anton Oquist, Badger, March 10Th,
age 6S years.
Josephine B. Paulson, Arlington,
March 20, age 8 years, 10 years.
MARRIAGES
Lester Munger to Mamie Buckland
Erwin, March End.
Perry l.. Wing to Mae LaBay, Ar
lington, March 18th.
Christen Petersen to Agnes Mad
sen, De Smet, March, 18th.
Henry Schrader to Minnie Shaw,
Arlington, March rs.
BIRTHS
T~hirty-fve births are reported.
Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1908-04-10
SOUTH DAKOTA ADVANCEMENT.

The Chicago q North Western Ry.,
is making on the first and third Tues
days of each month, low excursion
rates to South Dakota for homeseekers
and in many other ways working tc
attract emigration to this community
and needs the active assistance of all
who are interested.
A letter from you would appeal
strongly to the prospective settler.
Write us a letter telling of the crops,
the climate, water, schools, the cost
of getting a start, etc.
If you will give US the anne and
addresses of your friends in the east
we will write them, sending a copy of
the South Dakota Homeseeker', IL
Illustrated books, maps and other liter
allure on South Dakota, including
testimonials from scores of men who
have settled in this state and made
homes for themselves; or we will visit
them to talk over the subject ofSoutb
Dakota and its advantages.
A. G. Johnson, General Agent,
Winoua, Mimi.
Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1908-04-10
EPIGRAMS.

From SUNDAY Sermon bvRev. II. Preston
Nature may be unjust to us; men
may be unjust; we may be unjust 10
ourselves; but will be just: and His
Justice is shown in admitting the right
of every human creature to a new
chance as long as he is capable of aus
ing it.
There is something more than
amiability in Christ. He did not dis
pense pardon wholesale, after the fash
ion of the weak person who feels no
resentment of wrong. He gave a
chance to those capable of a chance.
In the sin of some men there is an
element ofirresolution that make their
cases hopeless. "a man who is equal
Iy at the call of his worse and best
instincts, stands amid changing events
without foundation Or ~resourse."
If a sick man is getting well his re-
covery will be fastened if he forget
that he has been sick. Nothing is so
morally facilitating as the habit OF
calling before the imagination the
lurid phantoms of old sins,
The forgiven mar is put back by
the act of forgiveness into the place
he occupied before he sinned. For
giveness, if it mean anything at all
must be final and complete.
The artist forgets his early failures
and the saint his first stumbling steps
for the same reason, that no progress
is possible to a mind clogged by the
weight of past mistakes. Paul for
gets the things that are behind il
order that he may press toward the
mark of his high calling in Christ
Jesus.
Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1908-04-10
NO. 8.

Be ii resolved by the city council of the
city of DE Smet, k~ingsbury unt
South Dakota;
That the sidewalks on the north side of
Second street In front OF and abutting up.
on lots numbered one Jl( and the east
half tE1a) of lot No. two (2), in block No;
five (5l, CurrolIs addition 10 the city OF
De Smet, according to the recorded plat
thereof. Is in a bad state of repairs and in
a diiapidated condition aud that the same
IL il necessary to construct "A cement
sidewalk on the north sid of Second
street i'm front of and abutting upon the
said parcel of land above described;.
Thai the owners and oil said
lots aud parcels of land adjoining said
sidewalks above specified be and the
same are hereby notified 70 construct, at
their own cost and expense, such cement
sidewalk in front OF and AUDITING upon
said lots on or before the LIST day of July,
1908;
Said sidewalks TO be of cement, built or
constructed Of cement, sand and gravel
and to be five 90 feet i'm width and to be
constructed in with the pro-
visions of Ordinance No. as and amend
ments thereto, and notice il hereby given
that said cement Sidewalks, II not con;
structed by the owners or occupants OF
said lots or parcels ofiand within the time
above specified, will be constructed by
the said city of De Smet and the cost there
of assessed upon the AUDITING lots or par
cells Of land in front of which said side
of the front feet so abutting,.
Done by the city council OF the. city OF
De Smet this 9th day April. A. d. 10OS.
Appr1ved this 9th day Of April. A. D.
THos. r GOODWIN.
! I. B DANLEY, City Auditor.
{SEAL1
Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1908-04-10


State of South Dakota, County of Kings
In Circuit Court, Ninth Judicial Circuit.
Jane Hardy, Plaintiff.
John r. Walters, V. ". Barnes, j. II.
Carroll, w. f. Risedorph, and E. J.
Imus, Defendants.
The state of south Dakota to the above
namad defendants:-
you and each of YOU are hereby sum
moned and required to answer the com
plant of the above named plaintiff, Jane
Hardy. which said complaint was filed in
the office of the clerk of this court. in the
court house in the city of De Smet, Kings
bury county, South Dakota, on the ;
day of February, 1908, and which prays
for a judgment quieting title to, and the
determination of all adverse claims
against, interest in and liens upon the
premises described in the complaint, to-
wit: Lots one. two, three and four. in
block one. in Barnes addition to the city
of De Smet, Kingsbury county, South Da'
kota. and to serve a copy of your answer
to the said complaint on the undersigned
at his ~officein the city of De Snnet, Kings
bury county. South Dakota, within thirty
DAYS after the completed service of this
upon you,e exclusive of the day
of service, and If you fail to answer the
said complaint within that time the plain,
tiff will apply to the court for the relief
demanded in the complaint. No persona
judgment is asked against any OF the
Dated at De Smet, South Dakota, this
18th day of February, 1905
GEO. w. LATIN,
Attorney for plaintiff, De Smet, ) ID.
Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1908-04-10
NOTICE TO CREDITORS.

Estate of Joseph w. Barton, deceased.
Notice Is hereby given by the under
sign ID administrator of the estate of j.
w. Barton, deceased, to the creditors of
and all persons having claims against the
said deceased, to exhibit them, with the
necessary vouchers. within six months
after the FIRST publication of this notice,
to Warren & Warren at their office in the
city of De Smet, Ki~ngsbury county, South
Dakota they being the attorneys for the
administrator herein.
Dated March gath, 1908.
ROLLO CLENDENNING,
Administrators
Warren & Warren, Atty's for Administra-
tor, De Smet, 5. Dakota
Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1908-04-10

ordinance fixing the com pensation to be
received by the city assessor.
Be it ordained by the city council OF the
city of De Smet:
SECTION l.
The city assessor shall receive as com
pensation for his services as such asses
sor the sum of three dollars $4,000 per
day while engaged in his duties as city
assessor, provided the compensation re-
ceived by city assessor shall not exceed
the sum of one hundred dollars (S100. 00)
per anntltn.
SECTION =.
This ordinance shall be in in full force
and effect upon it's passage and approval;
Passed by the city counci in the city of
De Smet this 9th day of April, A. ID. 1908.
BY the Mayor,
THOS. Z. GOODWIN,
Attest: Mayor.
f. b. DANLEY, City Auditor.
(SEAL)
Passed to first reading March 2nd, l90S.
Passed TO second reading, April 9Th,
@ O
Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1908-04-10
NOTICE TO CREDITORS.

Estate of Charles E. Miller, Deceased.
Notice is hereby given by the under.
signed administrator OF the estate or
Charles e. Miller, deceased, to the credi-
tors of and all persons having claims
against the said deceased to xhibi them,
with the necessary within four
months after the first publication of this
notice, TO Vim III. Warren, the duly APP
pointed q agent of the q
signed at his Office in the city ofDe Smet
in said county of Kingsbury, state of
south Dakota.
Dated March nth, 1908.
Il. +. HUFF,
Administrator
Warren 4 Warren, Atty's for Admins.
traitor. De Smet, South Dakota.