Snake Prank
Jun 6, 2021 13:12:40 #
Three Cs
Loc: Allen Texas
RJS's tale of the snake hoax reminded me of the one in Callahan and Shackelford Counties in Texas. It took place in the forties Rattlesnakes are cold blooded and will seek warmth during the early days of spring after leaving den and in the fall as the night cools. Pavement provide a excellent source of heat. It was a past time for some men and boys to spend nights in the early spring and fall hunting snakes at night on the roads. On the road between Baird, Callahan county and Albany, Shackelford county Texas is where this event took place. Trailway and Greyhound bus drivers and passengers would report seeing a snake as large in diameter as a car rim (15 or 16 inches in diameter). Since the persons reporting seeing the snake were consider trustworthy, people accepted that there was a large snake present. Sighting happened from three to five times a year and always at night. This continued for four or five years. Search parties would always go the the area where the snake was seen but could never find the snake. There were faint signs that a snake could have been in the area.
It came a large rain between Baird in 1949 or 1950 and flooded the highway where a waterway crossed the road. The highway department sent out a crew to work on the flooded area. They called the Sheriff department and reported they had found the cause of the flood. There was a larges snake blocking the culvert under road. They pulled the snake from the culvert and discovered it was not a snake after all. Some one had taken some spring rod and rolled it into coils like a spring and covered it with, burlap and painted some design on it. It was never discovered who was behind the prank but several were suspected as being involved.
I have always wondered how many years the prank could have lasted if it were not for the large rain.
It came a large rain between Baird in 1949 or 1950 and flooded the highway where a waterway crossed the road. The highway department sent out a crew to work on the flooded area. They called the Sheriff department and reported they had found the cause of the flood. There was a larges snake blocking the culvert under road. They pulled the snake from the culvert and discovered it was not a snake after all. Some one had taken some spring rod and rolled it into coils like a spring and covered it with, burlap and painted some design on it. It was never discovered who was behind the prank but several were suspected as being involved.
I have always wondered how many years the prank could have lasted if it were not for the large rain.
Jun 6, 2021 15:34:23 #
Yes, And I believe these stories have a way of spreading, or propagating similiar stories in other communities. Like the fake snake there prompted one in Saint Jo, or vice vesa. Just Sayin...RJS
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