Sequachee Valley news. (Sequachee [Sequatchie], Tenn.) 1896-1952, 1917-08-30
TALE
OF TREE
RATTLESNAKES

A. F. Harlow, Of North Chsttanoo-
ga, and Ben ". Beck. Fred A. Noll
and c. Il. Caldwell, of Chattanooga,
recently wele in the Suck Creek
gorge and left hastily. inspired by the
sight Of three rattlesnakes engaged in
the pleasant pastime Of swallowing
each other. Their curiosity 10 said to
be high as to what became of the
snakes, or rather of the snake, as it is
now combined into one. 1t passed
thru this place at 1;15 Sunday after
noon and at present is doing duty az
road roller on the Nashville-Cbatta
nooga Highway over Cumberland
Mountain. where work is greatly need
ed. The three reptiles swallowed 30
hard on one another that they practi-
cally amalgamated and the swallow
ing process was 30 strenuous that 1t
dilated their size. owing to the great
development of the swallowing mus
cles. This had also the effect OF bard
sning their skins, and hence the sur
face Of the monster snake is ideal for
road rolling. No power 10 necessary
to move the monster snake roller, for
the heads Of the three snakes still re-
main and when they start to swallow
ing, Of course, the snake roller moves
along.
One Of the Dixie Highway promo
tors. who was supposed to put $1,000
in the building of the highway in re-
turn for being known as patriarch OF
the road, is said to have discovered
the strange roller shortly after the
Chattanooga gentlemen fled the scene,
and recognizing at once the advantage
of the apparatus. dispatched it for
use on the only point where autos can
cross Cumberland Mountain. and where
work is greatly needed. He said it
was worth considerably more than bis
promised donation Of 81 200,
Because of the rattles of the snakes
now being on the interior, they can
not be used very we'll for giving sig
nails. However, by rattling all three
sets of rattles at one time, fairly
loud enough noise can be made to in
duce what labor is working nearby
to leave off work at qui tting time. In
fact, most of the labor in forty miles
around quits aud flies to other climes
when the monster snake road roller
chimes it's rattles. 1t was thought at
first that 1t was German armored
contrivance of some kind, but after
the experience Of the Chattanooga
gentlemen above mentioned was learn
ed, and which is regarded as strictly
reliable and truthful, people decided
otherwise and returned to their habi'
tations and fields
The work of the roller is splendid.
Automatic in its action, it smoothes
out the road with great rapidity.
Where blasting is necessary, all that
is needed is to poke the head of one
of the snakes so as to make 1t strike
the stone with its monster forked
tongue and immediately the rock is
riven Where it is necessary to re-
move a large tree the snake roller
runs around it rapidly, the tree be-
comes dizzy, and rolls over, and then
the snake road roller rolls it out OF
the way. It is remarkably easy
process of road construction, and be-
fore long there vii be splendid
highway across the mountain, thing
greatly to be desired.
1t is beautiful sight to see the
great snake road roller working. E.
normous in its proportions it towels
over the tops of the giant oaks that
line the side of the famous HIggiu-
bothan Turnpike across the mountain.
a road famous in history, which the
buffalo in their pilgrimages west first
took, and afterwards was followed by
the Indian brave with his following
of sauaws on drags drawn by ponies.
Then after the Mexican war the stage
careered along it. bearing the victor
ious soldiers from the scenes of blood
she'd. Now 1t is moro peaceful in
with the monster snake
roller smoothing its surface for civil
ization and ever and anon sending a
vibrant challenge from its three rattle
W istle.