E-mail from Cheryl

Facts from the past gleaned from the Moses Lake Herald, Columbia Basin Herald and The Neppel Record by Cheryl (Driggs) Elkins:

From the Moses Lake Herald on Aug. 29, 1941:

Local Moses Lake News

Dennis Note: We all know there are snakes in the Columbia Basin. We have at least one deadly one, the rattlesnake, and a bunch of non-deadly ones, such as the bull snake. My experience has shown the bull snake is most aggressive. I’ve had them stand up, much as a cobra does, and hiss at me. Kids: For a bit of fun, get your hands on a rubber snake and throw it in your mom’s sleeping bag (but don’t tell her I put you up to this trick).

A few years ago, perhaps 15 or more, the county coroner was asked if anyone has ever died from a rattlesnake bite in Grant County. She said there is no documentation of such a death.

A week later a resident of Wilson Creek called and said before such records were kept, his younger brother did die of a rattlesnake bite in the early 1900s. Remember to have fun, but be careful out there. Now, read on.

-Grandma Bault, who resides a short distance from town with her son and family, experienced a rather unusual occurrence a few days ago. As she retired to bed she put her hand on a large bull snake making itself at home in her bed. In trying to get out of bed in a hurry, she fell and wrenched her back so badly that Dr. Coberly was called.

-Clark Mattson, son of Mr. and Mrs. Fred Mattson, and a Moses Lake resident until he went to Yakima to get his commercial flying license, flew over in his plane on Sunday to be here for Moses Lake’s Third Annual Water Carnival and Regatta.

-Hazel Mae Dicken is home from W.S.C. where she is secretary to the Dean of Animal Husbandry. Miss Dicken graduated from W.S.C. this summer.

-Kenneth Sparks is home on an extended furlough from Camp Lewis. Dennis Sparks, stationed on Eagle 57, Lake Washington, is sailing with his commanding officer to Alaska on an inspection tour.