Mayor’s Court--The poker playing fraternity had a sitting recently and a passel of them were in to see the mayor about it yesterday. No partially was shown; they all looked alike and $10 fine and $5.90 costs seemed to about meet the requirements in each case. A crowd of gypsies decorated with the usual amount of dirt and possessed of the usual number of crowbait horses passed through town yesterday. The governor belt on the engine at the electric light plant broke one night last week. and before Mr. Canfield could reach the throttle and shut down. the engine had picked up speed enough to burn out 17 lights on the commercial circuit. J.O. Langdon. the restaurant man has been laid up a day or two this week on account of a bilious attack. but it is now able to be up again. Governor Jones has appointed and commissioned E.V. Sheeks of Corning. R.A. Hawthorne of Palatka and Damus Loda of Knobel to serve as the Board of Equalization for the Western District from August 1. 1899 to June 31. 1901. The ceremonies attendant on laying the cornerstone took place Tuesday afternoon on the foundation of the new courthouse being erected in Corning. The stone was filled with various papers and lists of members of several lodges and sealed. The most prominent participants in the ceremonies were Court House contractor. and Chas, V. Beloate as noble grand with other officers and members of the Oddfellows. It is a smooth block and has the names of E.J. Royall, county Judge: H.H. Williams. J.G. Rinker and C.R. Beloate. Courthouse commissioners and Chas. L. Thompson. architect. on the sides. What was probably the father of all rattlesnakes was killed in the woods near I.H. Day and Sons’ sawmill six miles West of Corning by Bill Williams last Wednesday morning. Williams is a teamster in the employ of Day and Sons and in driving through the woods he ran his wagon over that he supposed to be a log, but scarcely had the wheels struck it when the terrible danger signal of the rattlesnake was sounded and the creature, with a jerk that almost overturned the heavy wagon, coiled itself with head erect and instantly straightened itself again in the deadly strike, discharging at least half a pint of venom. But owing to the fact that snakes are blind during the dog days and hence the aim was bad, the only damage done was to break about six feet off the rear end of the reach or coupling pole where it extended past the hind axle. Though badly frightened, Williams seized his axe from the rack on the wagon and dispatched the monster before it could coil and strike again. He was unable to load it on the wagon, on account of its great size, so he fastened a log chain around its neck and dragged it to the mill. Dragging it over the rough ground, however, wore it out so badly as to leave only a strip of skin, but it showed the snake to have been at least 27 feet long. It was about three feet in diameter and had 131 rattles and a button.
