The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-08-11
FORTUNES IN GOOSE FARMS.
The Scheme Looks Well on Paper, But
Even Geese May Drown.

Even Geese May Drown.
From the Helena (Afon.) Independent.
What will the men who run chicken
ranches in Montana think OF new scheme
to make money out of the feathered Uribs
when they read this! The figures show
that the hen industry is "not in tn One
thousand geese, according to the law OF
progeny In the goose family, will rear six
goslings year. At the end Of the first
year the goose farmer will find himself the
lucky owner of Z 900 geese; the second year
the number will be increased to $1,000 in
the same ratio. At the end of the
third year he will have 252 =
900 geese; at the end of the fourth
year his flock will have increased to 1,5l2,-
| 900; at the end Of the fifth year the lucky
man will be the owner in fee simple OF
9,072, 900; on New Years day Of the sixth
! year there will be 81, 49,, 900 geese strutting
boldly around the premises And at the
| close of the decade he will find himself in
| possession Of q sufficient number of geese
| to save Rome over and over again. Then,
| geese can be picked twice year A pound
of down" sells for 81, and pound Of
coarse feathers at 65 cents. Each goose is
| warranted to yield a half pound of each au-
nually. netting thereby to its owner In
round figures the sum Of 81. 1t would take
| but short time to reach the wealth Of
Croesus with prosperous goose ranch at
ones back.
Goose farming is now the popular fad in
Washington. Men are awakening from
| their SAUNDERS to realize that herding geese
may be more profitable than selling liquor
to Indians in some back county, stalking
out mining claims, or raising No. l wheat.
The only wonder Is that men have been 80
long discovering the untold wealth Of
down" and goslings. This, the latest Of
Washington's industries, bids fair to eclipse
all efforts heretofore tried of amassing a
fortune in few years from quarter sec
tion Of land.
Among the first to take advantage OF the
new discovery was honest Ebenezer Parker
Of that section. Ebenezer had listened to
the arguments Of lawyers and the decisions
OF courts all spring, for he has been a
| worthy Jurymau in the superior court
panel, but at last he has left the jury box
and has betaken himself to tine green fields
OF Northern Oregon to equip and maintain
goose ranch. preparatory to establishing
another ON his Washington ranch. Accord
ing to the story Of the expert whose mellow
talk caught Farmer Parker, there's barrels
OF money in keeping a goose ranch. Be-
fore man makes the venture, how
ever, capital OF $1,000 is neces-
sary: This being secured, the In
tending goose farmer goes to Kansas
or some other state where goslings are plen-
tiful and makes his purchase OF say, 1000
geese For these he pays $400 To save the
transportation Of this number OF fowls
to Washington, his next move would be to
harness maker to have the geese shod.
The shoeing of geeses is accomplished by
placing miniature coverings OF thin leather
over the web feet of the fowl; then the
geese are prepared to stand the journey on
foot. The shoeing OF l 900 geese will cost
| 500, according to the expert. This would
be an outlay of $500 in all. Once on the
ranch the feeding Of this small army would
be but bagatelle, for geese are vor0cious
and live on green herbs Of evsry descrip-
| ton.
Barney Quinn, court bailif, has demon
strated the theories to be facts by practic al
experience, and had it not been for circum-
stances over which he had no control, Mr..
| Quinn would to-day be owner of myriads
OF these feathered treasures. but, as 1t
was, they met with an accident and died
| which Barney relates as follows:
Several years ago | ventured into the
goose-raising business in Colorado. pur-
chased 900 geese In Kansas, had them
shod, and drove them all the way to north
ern Colorado. l was happy with my lot
until the cold weather set in, and one by
one my 9ooselets faded. / had lost about
fifty OF them when friend suggested that
! | blanket them. This l did. Each goose
cased 1t Unjust as you see poodle dogs now
adays. I'll never forget what beautiful
sight it was to gaze from my cabin window
moonlight nights aud look upon my sea OF
gooselets with their little red coverings 1t
was grand sight, sir, but the cold weather
was too much for them, and l lest nearly
| 300 Then l made up my mind to go to
New Mexico with my flock, where it was
warmer. had their shoes put on aud of
started. Through the entire length of the
state OF Colorado trudged. my feathered
tribe and l. It was q tedious journey. but
the sight Of my herd nerved me and ]
dreamed OF golden success when l reached
New Mexico. Then | came TO the Rio
Grande river. In plunged my flock of
geese into the stream 70 make for the CD.
posits bank, but, alasl before l realized il
they we're all drowned with the exception
Of five, which / saved; ! had forgotten to
take OF their shoes. and they couldn't
swim"
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