Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1877-02-22
be rare in Europe. I had the advices

be rare in Europe. I had the advices
early from some friends in Leipsic. l
didn't want much to 20 IN, though I
studied the market we'll on both sides,
and found that the supply would be
short. Strange to say. for five years
before there had been no money made
in furs, and big stock had accumulat-
| ed in New York. I was hesitating
what to do, when an order came from
| q strong house in London for big line
of furs and among the furs some 5000
land offers. Now, offers were dull.
If had. however, gone around and
bought them up in small lots in Phil.
adelphia or Boston, I should have
raised the price in an instant. Talk
about your telegraph.stuff! Fifty
years ago, a man never bought any
thing in large way that all the people
didn't speculate whom he bought the
goods for,or where they were going to.
People were sharp. I should like to
have seen any of your new.fashi0ned
brokers doing my business for me !!
Now, knew that Astor Lad big lot
of these very otter How did know
that! Why had ticketed off every
skin the old man had bought for the
last three years IN New York. had
found that out without your telegraph.
1t was on one Autumn day when went
into Vesey street to see Mr.. Aston. I
did not know him save by sight. For
a young man wa, quite bold. because
I had the privilege to draw on the
Rothschilds Tor the amount of my
purchase, and Rothschilds bills were
scarce and much in demand IN those
days. 1t would never have done for
me to let the old man or anybody else,
know that was buying for the Con.
tinent. I had just been paid, too,
quite unexpectedly, a round sum Of
money, which had made up my mind
now would put into furs. The Astor
store, in Vesey street, wasn't half
as fine place as would he occupied
to-day by any one of your twopenny
brokers. Astor was there, busy ex.
aiming bale of beavers. A porter
was asserting them, and the old man
would every now and then stOop and
pick up i particularly fine skin and
smooth it over with his hand. It was
early in the morning-not much more
than Q o'clock. Heads OF houses don't
do that kind of thing nowadays, but in
old times the principals used to ex'
anime goods for themselves. l must
have stood between the light and Mr..
Astor, for he turned on me, saying,
We'll, my young man, what is it I can
do for you!' He had Il very slight
German accent, and he would Occas.
ionally mix O's and p's and DIS.
1T is only a few beavers want, Mr..
Astor,'I said.
Only beavers you want, and pray
who are you!' he asked.
told him the name Of my house. To
my surprise Mr.. Astor said: oh, I
know you; thought you would come
round to trade sometimes. You are a
beginner. l knew your fadder-hon-
est man. You larnt your business in
London with -, agOOd house, and
mostly turned out smart young men.
Well, my boy, here is beavers. Make
your choice. How many do you want!
Price, SIS a pound and not a cent less.
This pack runs even right through. l
made a selection of beaver pelts,
though 1 did not really want them.
Aston helped me to examine the skin,
and I bought at about the market rate,
some 300 pounds.
THAT is all you want--nothing else?
Mr.. Astvr asked.
Nothing else.' said in an indiffer-
ent way, but l added' 4 might take
just few offers it I could buy them
right knew Astor was loaded with
them.
oh, offers! Well, has lot, a big
lot, but amt willing to divide them.
There may be rs many as 1000. Too
big for you to handle, my boy
'They are very dull of sale, and I
would be most afraid to take anything
like such a big lot, You wouldn't di,
vide the lot into two, would you. Mr..
Astor?'
in two, what, halve them! That's
fair lot anyhow
Yes, it is a big lot, seeing how slow
they are Of SALE
SLOW! Suppose if they were slow,
and You didn't know what to do with
them, would you buy them! See here
if you Want half the lot you will have
te pay more for them. My price is for
the whole of them three dollars skin
if you will divide them it will be a
quarter of dollar more Now young
man l am busy. It's too big a line for
you. The clerk will make out your
bill, Il think would like to look ut
the run of the skins, said.
We'll, then, all right; my porter will
sort them, and call here tomorrow,
and you can see how they turn out,
said Mr.. Aston. Now to have delayed
the purchase a day or more, would
never have answered. A London pack.
ct might come in that afternoon, and
next morning the news of a rise in the
fur market might have prevented my
buying the furs at my figures.
Il cannot conveniently wait over to.
day. must be be off to Philadelphia
by mon tomorrow. If you will give
ne couple of men I will examine
these furs myself
why, my boy, it will be night be.
fore we are through, and the sun goes
down early now. All right, though I
will give you two men. The skins are
up stairs, and you can work on them
you say to o'clock !? I will be here, and
you will say yes or no.
At work l went, and, getting
through the examination as fast as
could-by 6 o'clock-had only half as.
sorted the otter skins.
At six o'clock, punctually, Mr.. Astor
came up stairs.
4 am not half through said. MIR.
Ast0r. now. from what have seen,
should make the run of the skins pref.
ty much as follows: Twenty-Five per
cent. prime skins, 40 per cent seconds,
20 per cent. thirds, and the remainder
damaged.
NO said Mr.. Astor there are
some bales you haven't looked through