Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1867-09-19
A GAME MAN.
How a Fowl Fortune Was Made.

From the New York Gazette.l
One Of the places in this city where
the people, en- mssse, surge and tide
through, is Fulton market, and in the
midst of that lsbyrinthisn maze Of
stalls, stands and tables, the famous Mr..
A. Robbins keeps 8 chicken stall. 1t is
a very easy matter to find his place Of
business-direct your steps towards the
center Of the market, stumble over a
mass of unsavory pickle tubs, pass by q
sound as Of scraping tripe, mediate be-
tween long rows Of fresh slaughtered
sheep and calves, turn a UOrner by some
golden cheeses as large as the new moon,
smell the aroma Of the country and the
spring time in the rolls OF yellow butter
at your left hand, and, the moment any
game comes in sight, ask for Mr.. Rob-
bins, and, although he deals in robins,
yet out Of pity, or for some other reason,
be calls them pigeons.
Mr.. Robbins is a much younger looking
man than one expects to find, when he
has been told that ne has made a couple
million Of dollars selling chickens! He
is the famous chicken millionaire, and
though 30 very rich be attends 70 his own
business. He has been in the poultry
business thirty-fve years, thirty one Of
y haNC DNbA o@AN1AA Tx 4AAAN 4OO4
of Fulton market. His stall is MOI 8
large one, and yet be sells upon an aver
age 2000 chickens a day the year through,
which would equal 80, 1000 year. His
business amounts to several hundred
thousand dollars a year. There is very
cosy little office in u corner of his stall,
ornamented with full length portraits Of
some Of the wild game in which he
deals, which literally is not large enough
to swing cat in. On the marbls-tOpped
counters of Mr.. Robbins chicken ar
rsngement may be found ducks, geese,
turkeys, English snipe, wOOdcocks,
prairie hens, English pheassnts, black
grouse, wild pigeons, venisOn, roasting
pigs, sweet breads, etc. Everything
which has wings, that man is fond Of
eating, can here be found, with from
twelve to twenty men to wait on Gus
toners, and attend to the business. Be
sides supplying the public, he has orders
for hotels, ships, restaurants, etc, and is
in fact the largest chicken dealer ia the
United States.
All parts OF the country are laid under
contribution to supply his stalls with
game. Psrtridges come from Maine,
Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Long Is
land and the west; the best canvss-backs
come from Hsvre de Grace, S~audusky,
Ohio, and Mississippi; the msllard ducks
and wood dueks-the only ducks that
light on trees-are caught at the great
lakes, while the black ducks and broad
bills come from the sea shore. In winter
the canvas-bsck ducks are the fsvorite
game with the people; just now wood
cocks, chickens and cartridges are the
best and most popular.
Rrfduat il mt a1uvQva eapE r.. M riot b,
do the buying for the family. Many
American ladies attend to their own
household duties. Mrs. H. w. Beecher
can often be seen in Fulton market, with
her basket upon her arm, purchasing
chickens and wild game Of Mr.. Robbins f;
the face OF Mrs. G. s. Robbins, who took
so prominent a part in the soldiers hos
pital during h war, is another of those
familiar TO the deniZens ofFulUOu market.
Although Mr.. Robbins has aecumu.
lated such a vast fortune that we might
suppose he could afford to retire, yet he
prefers, and does, personally attend to
his own business. He has an elegant
brown stone residence on Remsen street.
in Brooklyn, which is valued at $3.50, 600,
and the furniture inside of it is said to
have cost a fabulous sum. Going up a
broad flight Of stone steps, you pass be-
meath al arched doorway into q vestibule
where some deliberately carved marble
vases, standing almost as high as your
head, attract attention. The halls
and drawing rooms of the house are
large and lofty, beautifully carved
overhead in panels, and frescoed.
Mr.. Robbins does not stop to take his
breakfast ST home, but leaves his house
for the market every morning between
the hours Of four and five O'Clock. Some
OF his men get there as early as two
O'Clock. He is an expert salesman, and
can pick Out a chicken " to a dot" let
you call for whatever size you will. In
personal appearance he is a medium
sized man, rather stoutly built, with a
full face and black hair, slightly spriu-
kled with silver. He has deep hazel ewes
and fears black chin whiskers. He
leaves the market at IL o'clock M, and
the rest Of the day enjoys life, riding out
with his family or a few friends. He
makes the most Of each day as 1t passes,
and leaves the morrow to care for itself.