Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1868-12-12
THE CHICAGO GAME TRADE.
Where the Game is obtained
HOw EFGch Is Consumed
How ID Is Preserved.

A lenEG0y artIcIe IN chicago paper
gives some account Of the game trade in
that city. While it is not so extensive as
we might suppose, nevertheless num-
Der Of interesting facts are given. We
learn that there are in Chicago about q
dozen wholesale firms, by whom hunters
sre kept in regular employment to fur
nish them game Of every sort, from the
buffalo or the "baTn down to the squiF-
rel or the snipe, and by whom some hum
dreds of dealers all over the city are sup
piled. In addition to these there are
quite an army Of comm iesiOn merchants,
to whom game is consigned from the
country, and who also furnish supplies
both to wholesale and retail dealers, the
former resorting to them principally
when they have on an emergency to I'LL
10 orders from the + Ist. A large body
Of men are thus enabled to follow hunt
ing as an occupation in the Western
States, whittier the game is being gradu
ally driven by the steady advance of civ
iliZation. Many farmers, also, engage
in the lucrative sport, taking q circuit
within reach of their homes at night,
and often bsggiDg sufficient quantity of
birds to make their days shooting q
profitable occupation. The hunters cali
leg is Of course most remunerative In the
SNOW renders them more easy to be trap
ped. There is also at thisseason less risk
OF loss on game exported eastward than
in mild weather, when even with ex-
treme esre it is liable to spoil on the way.
The region from wAieh our game
dealers obtain the bulk of their supplies
comprehends the States of Illinois, Iowa,
Missouri, Wisconsin, Michigan and In
diana The two first named States
abound in prairie chickens, wild ducks
and quails, and those constitute, at this
time OF the year, the staple commodity
in our markets under the head of game,
exclusive of venis0n The shooting sea-
son begins = the middle of August, but
not much is done com mereialIy until the
cold weather sets in, when the birds are
more accessible and the wholesale
traders here can venture on shipping
large e0nsiRnmepts to the Eastern mar
kets. The abundance in which these |
birds are found, and the enormous quan= |
titits In which they are shOt and sent in
to supply the luxurious tables Of Chicago |
Ci, zans, may almost be inferred from |
the fict that two skillful and fortunate |
- baysu from Indiana, between the 9th |
of Ssptem Der and the 18Th OF NOvem Der, |
this year, pursuing their avocation along |
the line OF the Illinois Central Railroad, |
supplied LG one whOlesele firm in this |
city l472 quails, which tn6Y themselves |
had shot, Wisconsin and Michigan are |
the principal sources Of supply for veDi-
son Missouri sends us prairie chickens, |
qualls and wild turkeys; and Indiana
likewise furnishes ducks and quails IN
G 1neiderable abundance. Such luxuries
as bear and 0poBsum meat must be looked |
fJr farther West.
AMOUNT OF GAME SENT TO MARKET.
Tae probable supplies Of prairie chick
ens to the Chicago market since Il e
OF shooting will have
bean not less than from $4,000 to 30 600;
of quails, about an equal number; and
OF wild ducks between 1000 and 5000.
Large as these figures appear, they are
IA all likelihood under rather than over
the sctual quantity re ceived and disposed
Of 10 the Chicago market. For q period
of barely two months this is q tolerably /
extensive trade, and yet the general re-
port is that the supplies this season are
short of the demand for
home consumption alone, and few of our
wholesale merchants are doing anything
at present In the wy of expectation. As
compared with fefmer years, there is a
much greater scarcity of all kinds of
game In the market. After the cold
weather fairly sets IN, however, it is an-
ticipated that large quantities of game
will find their way to Chicago, and prob
ably the supply aud consumption this
year will not fall below, if they do not
iurpsss, those Of former years. When
the Pacific Railroad is opened, az i'm
mense further expansion OF the game
trade of Chicago may be looked for.
Already, parties ia Cheyenne are making
with some Of the Chicago
dealers for the consignment of regular
supplies from that locality.
PRESERVATION OF GAME.
Apart froLa the risk9 OF competition,
there has always been diR3cqlty In the
wsv OF extensive expectation to the
East, In the liability to lsss by q sudden
change of weather spelling the game on
tbe Wev. This difficulty Is now likely
10 be entirely removed by the general
Of new kind of refrlgera-
tor car on the principal railroad lines,
DateptsG By Mr.. G. F. Pike, of Provi.
1epce, q. [. AlreRdg LhsT2 Is ia opera
lion, at the establishE3ent Of Messrs.
Francis & Webber, corner of State and
Madison stgeets, one Of Mr. Pike's Ice
boXes, in which they are enabled to pre-
serve fruit and game for length OF time
even in the hottest weather. In the top
Of the box is fixed q range Of galvanized
iron receivers, from which tubes of the
same metal run down the entire
senth of the box. These receivers are
alfed with Ice AMI sslt, in the proportion
ef twenty pounds OF salt 20 one hundred
pounds 0t ice, and when fully charged
they are Gspa5le OF reducing the temper
Rtufe 10 frost as severe as any expert
enced here in the month of January In
last, 100 baskets OF peaches
we're aept in good condition for thirty
jays, with a temperature Of 80 degrees
md ia the hottest summer term 1t is
possible to keep poultry in frozen state
10 this refrigerator. Mg, Pike contem-
plates introducing cars constructed on
he same principle on the principal rail-
road lines, and by their means it will be
possible to export game sll the year
round to the Eastern States. He took
ear load OF peaches froRl Chicago to
Mass, last season, and aston-
ished the people there by bringing
Them into market in splendid condi-
Liop. The advantage OF Mr.. Pixies
patent over the old style Of re-
lfigerator Is obvious. The latter
consists merely Of zinc-lined boxes, into
which Jumps of ice are put, and they