A two-foot copperhead snake made its appearance on the sidewalk on Pine Street in the front of the Annex Hotel about 10:30 o’clock yesterday morning.Where the snake came from no one knows but the short time it was there it put up a stiff fight and furnished a lot of excitement.

When the snake was first seen it was crawling along the sidewalk toward several women who were waiting for a trolley car. When the women saw the snake they decided not to wait for the car and ran across the street screaming
About this time the reptile decided also to cross the street. It slid down over the curbing and into the gutter where a man tried to step on it. The snake drew back against the curbing and struck at his would-be killer. The man made a hasty retreat and the snake started across the street.

In going from the street the snake had to make its way across street car tracks. A Vallamont street car was standing at this point, held up by the red signal lights. The conductor expressed a desire to start his car and kill the snake but the red lights were against him and the snake reached the other side of the street in safety.

On the sidewalk in front of Liggett’s Drug Store the snake seemed bewildered and went this way and that way at all times, having bits of room as nobody to care about crowding in too close. A small boy suggested they call a policeman and have the snake arrested for disorderly conduct unbecoming a gentleman. No police officer being in sight, the suggestion was vetoed.

A street car motorman who was probably reared on a farm and knew how to kill snakes, came upon the scene at this time. In his hand he held a long iron bar used to turn switches. One blow with the bar and the reptile was dispatched.

The dead snake was placed in the sewer man hole and traffic resumed its normal pace once more.

Complied by Lou Hunsinger Jr.