Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-11-12


From the Lewiston tMe.) Journal. Oct. Is.
The value of the fur business done In the
state OF Maine ann ually exceeds S100, ECO. The
largest individual deal er is q man in Brewer,
who handles S35, 600 worth per year. ThenumDef
OF fur-buyers in the state is not large. Their
chief sources Of supply are in the regions at the
head-waters ofthe Androscoggfn, kennebec and
PenObscOt rivers, and the streams entering into
them. Sportsmen and occasional hunters fur
nish a few peits, but the bulk Of the furs is fur
nished by the professional trappers. There are
many hundreds of men in Maine who earn their
living and support their families by hunting,
trapping, and fishing. and who do nothing else,
except, perhaps, actas guide for pleasure-seek-
ers IN the summer months, for the whole year.
They are just about starting now, and will re-
main till thelatter part of November. Every year
the fur catch decreases, and the bounds of the
trapping lines are gradually becoming more
limited. While game Of most kinds is retreating
further into the forest and becoming scarce it is
said that the number of moose and deer, which
are protected by law. is increasing. In num-
bers the muskrat exceeds any other kind of
game trapped for it's fur in Maine and handled
in Lewiston. They are caught in common rat
traps, and so of these small traps are sometimes
set by one trapper. Immense quantities of them
are caught. Eight or ten thousand of them are
shipped from Lewiston annually. Most of them
are exported to Germany and Italy. where the
skins are dyed and furnish a popular fur for
Innings and ladies' apparel. They are among
the cheapest of furs A very large quantity of
skunk fur is also shipped from this city. 1t is
used for trimmings in this country and is often
passed off for Alaska sable. The larger part of
the skunk catch probably goes to France and
Germany. The otter is one of the most vau-
able and rare fur-hearing animals trapped i'm
Maine. Not more than 900 offers are annually
caught in the whole state. The skins make a
beautiful and warm fur which is highly valued
by the Russians, Greeks and Chinese The fur is
dark, glossy brown, and two kinds. one being
soft, short and thick. and the other longer and
coarser and nterniXed with the former The
value of a dressed skin runs from $40 to S1S.
Many OF the otter skins caught in this state are
sent almost around the world in the course of
trade, before reaching the place where they are
finally worn. They are sometimes sent from
Lewiston to New YORK. thence to London. to
Leipsic, Moscow, Mini NOvrogod. and finally to
destination in China. where they will warm
some high and mighty Mandarin. A large
number of ''fishers" are trapped in Maine, and
good many sables annually find their
way to this market The value of our
sable or beech marten is much less than
that OF the Russian sable. which is the most
costly of all furS. 1t is a small animal, about
three times as large as the common weasel.
Only about 25.C00 are annually taken. These
small skins sell at $25 to $500 each. The chief
demand is in Russia, where the use of the sable
is mOnOpolized by the royal family. The fur of
the fisher Can animal resembling the fox is rich
little used in this country, but goes chiefly to
Poland. Germany and Russia. The annual sales
Ofred fox furs in Lewiston are very large. Most
of them are exported. The Russians use the red
backs, and the Greeks use the bellies, which are
white. The fur of the bear of which many are
killed every year, is used both for robes and for
military purposes. Thousands of beavers are
killed on the streams flowing into our
rivers every year. Their fur was formerly used
largely in the manufacture of hats and was
the leading article in the fur trade; but its use
for this purpose has been greatly diminished by
the employment of silk and other less expensive
materials. 1t makes handsome trimming and
fine collars and gloves for gentlemen. The lynx
is an animal which frequently finds it's way into
the traps. The fur is soft; warm and light,
naturally graysh. with dark spots. but COM
monty dyed a beautiful black and used largely
for ladies' mourning attire. Minks are fire.
quently found not far from home and great
many come down from the Dead river The
mink was formerly favorte fur in this cOun-
try for mufs. collars. &c., and commanded
high price. but is going out of fashion. Rabbit
and c0ney skins are used extensively by hatters
and for trimmings. The coon skin is by no
means vulgar fur, and is not patronized solely
by woodmen. Nearly all the raccoon furs are
sent to Russia. where they are worn as coat
Innings by the Russian mobiles.