Ranger Bill, warrior of the woodland.
Ranger Bill, warrior of the woodland, struggling against extreme odds, traveling dangerous
trails, fighting the many enemies of nature.
This is the job of the guardian of the forest, Ranger Bill.
Pouring rain, freezing cold, blistering heat, snow, floods, bears, rattlesnakes, mountain
lions.
Yes, all this in exchange for the satisfaction and pride of a job well done.
A fellow once asked me if being a ranger didn't get rather monotonous.
I said, sure it does.
About one hour a week.
That might be for one hour on Sunday afternoon right after church.
This is a crazy business too.
Every time that phone rings, the chills run up and down my spine.
Uh oh, there they go.
The chills, I mean.
Well, let's find out what's on the other end of the wire.
Ranger headquarters, Bill Jefferson speaking.
Do you have storm windows and awnings on your home, Mr. Jefferson?
Yes, thank you.
I do.
That fellow just never knows what's coming over that talking machine.
I like the call I received during today's adventure.
Say, I almost forgot to tell you about it.
And it's a real spine-chiller too.
The deadly laundry basket.
Yoo hoo, Polly.
Good morning, Madge.
My, isn't this a beautiful day?
Oh, it's a lovely day.
Too nice to do laundry, but George will have to go to work in his denim shirt if I don't
wash.
Honestly, Madge, where do all the soil clothes come from?
I've asked myself the same thing.
I certainly am thankful for automatic washers and dryers.
Yes, indeed.
Why, I remember my mother using the old-fashioned washing machine and then hanging the clothes
by hand.
And in nasty weather, she had to hang the clothes in the basement.
And then it took days for them to dry.
Oh, I know.
It must have been terrible.
Where are you going in the garage?
Jeff carried the laundry basket full of clothes out here last night before he went bowling.
Now I'll have to sort it and get to work.
Oh, is that a hint for me to go?
Yes, for both of us if we want to make that PTA tea this afternoon.
Oh, good grief.
I forgot about the tea.
Well, I'd better get up a full head of steam.
Bye till later.
Bye, dear.
Oh, let me see.
Jeff's socks, Peter's shirts.
Oh my, where did that grease spot come from?
Oh, well.
Rattlesnake!
Oh, no.
Holly, what is it?
Rattlesnake in the basket.
Bit me.
Oh, good help.
Get out of the garage and stay still.
Oh!
Oh, no!
Hurry, Jim!
Frank, get the first aid kit on a double.
Got it.
Let's get to work.
Molly, this'll hurt and it'll save your life.
Go ahead.
We've got the paying marks, Frank.
Right.
Hold still, ma'am.
Here's the suction cup.
Mitch, Fred, let's pick her up.
Put her in the squad car.
Okay.
Lift.
Get going.
I'll radio for a clear road to the hospital.
Poor girl.
What a terrible thing to happen.
Take it easy, Madge.
She'll be at the hospital in five minutes.
Can they save her?
I don't know.
She has a good chance, believe me.
Now, I've got to empty that basket.
Oh!
Oh, how are you going to do that without getting hurt?
You watch.
Soon that rattler will be dead as a doornail.
Please be careful, Jim.
Don't worry.
I'll pull the basket out on the lawn with the hole.
How are you going to get that terrible thing out of the basket?
Easy.
Stand back now.
I'm going to shoot.
Is this far enough?
That's fine.
Now, I'll tip the basket over with the hole.
It isn't in there.
I'll get it out of the basket.
That's just what he wants us to think.
I'll push the clothes around a little with the hole.
Oh, it might bite.
He can't reach the length of the hole handle.
Oh, there it is.
That rattler won't bite anyone again.
Oh, thank the Lord.
I'll pick over the rest of the clothes to make sure there's only one in there.
I'm scared to touch my own laundry now.
I'll go home with you and make sure that all you have in your laundry basket is soiled clothes.
How's Polly?
Well, we don't know yet.
She's a very sick woman.
I was afraid of that.
It was too long before our first aid was administered.
I'll say.
Jim, we've got to do something about this.
Yeah, and how?
This is the fifth rattler bite case in two weeks.
And they all come from the homes along the edge of the woods.
What are you thinking about, Jim?
When I went to police school in Washington, I met a ranger by the name of Bill Jefferson.
Oh, a Texas ranger?
No, a forest ranger.
What was he doing at police school?
They have to know law enforcement and crime prevention too, Frank.
Ah, figures.
Oh, pardon me.
What were you going to say about him?
Oh, yeah.
He's got quite a reputation out west.
He's really being on the ball.
How do you know?
Say, you sure are a nosy cop, aren't you?
I should be.
You taught me.
OK, OK.
I stopped to see him several years ago when we took our vacation out west.
Yeah, yeah, I remember that.
At that time, Bill and his firefighters had just put out one of the worst fires in history.
There was a lot of talk about Bill's ability.
I'm going to call him.
And don't ask how I know his phone number.
I'll pinch you for abusing an officer.
Yes, sir.
Oh, by the way, hadn't I better report to the chief?
No, you don't have to.
Why not?
Because you and I, buddy, have been assigned to stamp out this rattlesnake problem.
This isn't going to be easy.
I know.
But our orders are to get rid of the pesky snakes right down to the last rattle.
And maybe Bill Jefferson can give us the answer as to how to do it.
Ranger headquarters, Bill Jefferson speaking.
I have a call for you, sir, from West Grove, Illinois.
Hmm.
West Grove?
Now, I'll take it, operator.
Your party's ready, Sergeant Donato.
Thank you.
Hello, Bill?
Yes, this is Bill Jefferson.
This is Jim Donato, Bill, West Grove Police.
Jim Donato?
Oh, sure, now I know you are.
Long time no see or hear, Jim.
Likewise.
How are you anyhow, Bill?
Fine.
How about you?
Same.
Except I've got a big headache right now.
A real problem.
Too bad.
Sounds serious.
It is.
Not large, but serious.
The problem's only two feet long at the most.
A snake?
Yeah.
Not one, but dozens.
Maybe hundreds.
They're biting and harassing the folks here that own homes along the edge of the woods.
Sounds like rattlesnakes, the copperheads.
Well, they shake their tails.
At least they're supposed to before they bite.
You sound rather bitter, Jim.
Yeah.
One struck kind of close to home this morning.
Neighbor lady was bitten.
We still don't know if she's going to live or not.
Sorry to hear that.
How about flying up on the next plane and see what you can do, Bill?
We'll pay the freight.
Sure, I'll be glad to.
How do I get to West Grove?
Oh, never mind that.
You wire me plane time and I'll be at Midway to meet you.
All right.
See you sometime tomorrow.
Thanks, Bill.
Thanks a lot.
Don't mention it, Jim.
Goodbye.
Say, Bill.
Yeah?
You are a good snake man, aren't you?
You'll have to ask the snakes about that.
Are you comfortable, Mr. Jefferson?
Yes, I was very comfortable, thank you.
That's fine.
If you need anything, please ask me.
All right?
Right.
Fine with me.
What's ailing you, Henry?
Bugs in your safety belt?
No.
Boy, is she making eyes at you.
It's the uniform.
Oh, sure.
Of course, the handsome cut of your face and the way those muscles bulge under your shirt had nothing to do with it.
Oh, cut it out, will you?
You jealous?
Yes.
As a matter of fact, I am.
She hasn't asked me ten dozen times if I'm comfortable.
Say, how'd you find out her name?
It's sewn on her uniform blouse, knucklehead.
Yeah, because that's right.
Hey, maybe you could faint or something so she could really go for you.
Is that so?
How would you like to make the rest of the trip to Chicago sitting on the wing of this plane?
No, thanks.
I'm quite comfortable right here.
Say, Bill, what about this snake business?
What about it?
Do you think it's really as serious as it sounds?
Yes, I think so, Henry.
Sounds to me like a plague of small rattlers has struck the area.
The snakes are called swamp rattlers, about two feet long.
Two feet or ten feet.
Doesn't make much difference if they bite you with a full load of venom.
Well, this is West Grove, fellas.
Very nice suburban community, Jim.
Yeah.
I suppose you fellas are used to seeing mountains as a background, huh?
Yeah.
This is a very nice town.
Calling squad three.
Squad three by.
Where are you?
Just entering town.
Child been bitten by a rattler at the West Elementary School.
Proceed at once.
We'll send ambulance.
Acknowledge.
We're on our way.
Ten-four.
The child must be over there, Jim, close to the shrubbery.
Right.
I've got the first aid kit.
Go.
All right.
Yo, teachers, get the children back.
Henry, get the snake.
Right.
Ready, Bill.
Yeah.
I'll hold the child still.
You give the treatment.
Brave youngster.
Not a whimper.
Yes, I miss my guests.
This child is paralyzed by fear.
Hardly breathing.
Finished.
Okay.
I'll carry him.
Uh-oh.
That snake's out of business.
Two of them.
Great Scott.
He must have run into a nest of rattlesnakes.
Yeah.
There he is, boys.
Take good care of him.
We've done the preliminary work.
I better get that boy some help.
Squad three to motorcycles five and six.
Cycle five, six is with me.
Heat ambulance going to general hospital at Green and Elm.
Snake bite case.
First aid delayed.
Critical.
Ten-four.
Well, we did what we could do.
Sure hope the little guy makes it.
Yeah, so do I, Jim.
Now, how's the neighbor lady you mentioned when you called?
Okay now, Bill.
She just made it.
Oh, good.
Glad to hear it.
Bill?
Hmm?
Told me to get that snake.
I did all right, but then all his relatives showed up.
Boy.
And the woods is crawling with them.
That's what I thought, Henry.
Jim, can you get every man, woman and child in this area here at the school this evening?
School teachers too.
Sure.
Especially if it's about the snakes.
It is.
Ladies and gentlemen.
Boys and girls.
I've asked you here this evening to listen and learn from a man who knows all the answers
as far as the outdoors is concerned.
And he knows an awful lot about snakes.
Where he comes from, they have to deal with the savage and deadly diamondback rattlesnake
and sundry other snakes.
I'd like to present my personal friend, Chief Ranger Bill Jefferson.
Good evening, folks.
The purpose of this meeting is twofold, first to teach you how to identify a rattlesnake
or any poisonous snake, and how to give first aid for snake bite to yourself or anyone else.
Secondly, I hope to overcome your fear of snakes by helping you to understand them and
their habits and their fears.
Now, I have in this box a real and very much alive rattlesnake.
There isn't any need for anyone to get excited or panic.
I won't let it loose.
But I do want to show it to you.
Its coloring, markings, and its size.
This is very important since you must be able to recognize this poisonous snake instantly.
I have in my hand a snake pole with which I will hold the snake on this table under
the light.
As an extra safety precaution, the reptile is now under sedation.
I'll remove it from the box, place it on the table, and hold it there with this pole in
loop.
Those of you who wish may file past and spend all the time you like looking at it so you'll
know it the next time you see it.
If you'll file in back of these chairs, you'll be at more than a safe distance from the snake.
Are you ready, pal?
Sure.
Okay, open the box.
Okay.
Stand back now.
Right.
There we go.
Out of the box and onto the table.
Now you may file up and see this troublemaker that's been giving you near heart failure
and some of you near death.
Look at that thing, Jim.
Look at that baby.
It's fantastic.
You're telling me.
You know, Bill says that fear is worse than the bite itself.
Yeah, I can understand that all right.
Look, it's like everyone's going to come up here and take a look at it.
Oh, that's good.
It's for their own good.
Yeah, I'll say it is.
After all, we have a lot of good snakes in this part of the country.
There's no use getting all bothered and killing them off.
Man, Bill sure got control of his audience.
Yeah, just like he's got control of that killer on the table.
Now take the box and put it in the trunk of the car, will you, pal?
Sure, I'd be glad to.
Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for your fine cooperation.
The Lord put many good snakes on earth.
The non-poisonous snakes eat mice and rats and other pesky rodents, and they do a good
service to man.
In fact, several non-poisonous snakes, such as the king snake, are bitter enemies with
the rattlesnake, and the two cannot and will not inhabit the same area.
If the king snake moves in, the rattler packs his bags and leaves town.
And why don't we get a thousand king snakes and bring them in here?
The idea is fine, but the king snake wouldn't like it here, sir.
I knew it sounded too easy.
Now I want to teach you a first aid technique on how to tell the difference between the
poisonous and non-poisonous snakes.
There's one final word I want to give you before we quit.
Boys and girls, you remember this especially.
When you see a snake, leave it alone unless you positively know what kind of snake it is.
Repeat that over and over to yourself so you won't forget it.
Well, you've been a wonderful audience.
Thank you and good night.
You did a wonderful job, Bill.
This night's work will save a lot of pain and anguish, maybe some lives.
I shouldn't have any more delayed first aid.
We'll hope we don't have any more bites.
I hope so too, Jim.
I told them where to expect the snakes to hide and how to safely flush them out into
the open to kill them.
But what if it doesn't help?
Then we'll have to hold a snake hunt.
Isn't that dangerous, Bill?
I mean, shouldn't experienced men do the job?
When you've got dozens and dozens of rattlesnakes corral, anything can happen, Jim.
Yeah, I'll say it could.
Like disarming a dud bomb.
Oh, it's so nice to have you home, Polly.
It's wonderful being home, Madge, I think.
What do you...
Madge, look over there!
Polly, what is it?
They're in the bushes.
Oh, oh, I see.
That's only a piece of garden hose.
Are you sure?
Yes.
Here, I'll pick it up and show you if you like.
No, please, please, don't go near the bushes.
Polly, please, get a hold of yourself.
I'm sorry, Madge, but I'm just a bundle of nerves.
I was afraid of this.
Let me stay with you until Jeff comes home.
Well certainly.
We're going to have to move.
That's all there is to it.
Well, everything seems to have quieted down this week.
No snake bite cases.
That's right.
Of which I'm very thankful.
I agree, Henry.
Things seem calm and serene.
Uh-oh.
Here comes Frank with hot news.
I'll say it's hot.
Here, read this paper, Jim, and see for yourself.
You're joking?
Where's the hot news?
This is the want ads section.
Go on, read them.
Hey, if you think I'm going to read all these ads, you're not.
Here, look at this column over here, under homes for sale.
Great day in the morning.
Every house along the edge of the woods is for sale.
Honestly?
Yes, honestly.
Every home except Jim's.
They won't sell them.
That's the point.
They won't because who'd buy them?
But you know what they are going to do?
Sue the builder?
No, they gave that up.
But they're going to abandon them.
They'll lose them.
That amounts to considerable money and hard work.
Why are you guys looking at Bill like that?
Maybe that big fat meeting the other night made them too snake conscious.
No, Frank.
No, they're just getting to the saturation point.
The nerves are giving out now.
The tension's been on too long and I can't blame them.
But what can we do to keep them from throwing away their homes?
Say something, will you, Bill?
Did you fellas ever see an electric screen door in action?
Electric screen door?
Yes, I have.
By George Bill, you know it might work.
Let's go out and talk to your neighbors, Jim.
It looks like such a puny fence to keep snakes out.
In what way, Polly?
It's so low.
I've never seen a rattler jump a fence yet.
I guess I sounded pretty foolish.
No, not at all.
Polly, you laughed.
You haven't done that in days.
You're right, Madge.
I guess I'm getting used to living dangerously.
Oh, come on now.
It's not that bad.
And it won't be as bad if you follow the simple rules I set up.
Keep your garage floors clean of all boxes, bags, baskets, and everything you can behind
which a snake could be concealed.
Put wire mesh around your evergreens, shrubbery, or crimly bottom high and thin.
Keep garage doors closed and all other doors should have strong closing devices on them.
Incidentally, snakes don't like power mowers.
Keep your lawns cut short.
In other words, don't give them any place to hide.
That's right.
Well, what about the children going to and from school?
If they stay on the walks, they'll be all right.
Perfectly safe.
But are we going to have to live this way for the rest of our lives?
No, you won't, Madge.
I'll train the men out a whole snake hunt safely and you'll soon be rid of them.
They'll go back into the swamp and stay there.
Henry and I and Jim and Frank will make a snake hunt in the morning and see how many
we find.
Who, me?
Sure.
You'll soon be the best snake man this side of the Mississippi, Frank.
Oh, hello, Polly.
How many did you get so far?
Not a one.
Aw, come on, Bill.
You can't hand me that line.
Hold up the sacks, fellas.
Here's mine, man.
Here's mine.
And this one doesn't rattle.
Why, I just can't believe it.
What happened?
I think all the vibration from building the fence drove them away.
They don't like that.
Boy, I'm so relieved and I'm happy, too.
You know, I didn't really want to move and now we don't have to.
Just one request, Polly.
Yes?
Please keep your laundry basket off the garage floor.
I understand Polly has the garage floor so clear of objects that even a cricket has it
hard to find places to hide.
The fear of snakes is far worse than the snake really is.
If you understand them and know their habits, you can act promptly when they get pesty and
dangerous.
And there are good snakes, too.
And remember, never go near a snake you can't positively identify as being harmless.
Well, see you next week for more Adventure with Ranger Bill.
Ranger Bill features Myron Kennedy in the title role with Roger Compton as Henry and
Ed Roney as Grey Wolf.
Written by Charles Urquhart and John Rowan, Ranger Bill is produced and directed by Jim
Grant and Charles Christensen with sound effects including reproductions from the Cook Laboratories
of Stamford, Connecticut by John McComb.
And music for this transcribed series by Dick Anthony.
Thanks for watching.