The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1894-07-06
TO RAISE FOXES.
Novel Enterprise of Four Nevada
Capitalists,
The Skins Worth From 500 to
$500 Each.

Three adventurous men Of Nevada
who arrived here yesterday are bound
for Alaska to engage in a novel enter
prise. They will raise black foxes and
other fur-bearing animals, and at the
same time keep an eye out for oppor-
tunities to locate good mineral claims.
While engaging in the business of
raising foxes they will also trap and
capture as many other wild animals,
including the marten, the mink and
the bear, as possible.
They will begin by trapping what
black foxes are necessary to start the
ranch. The skins of the black or sill
yer gray fox are worth from 500 to
$500 each. The consequence is that
all the foxes hitherto taken, except for
geological gardens, have been killed
and their pelts marketed. Therefore
the only way to start and get enough
to stock the ranch is to trap what may
be required.
The Nevadians in this enterprise are
practical miners and hunters and can
turn q hand to almost anything.
Moreover, they are reported to have a
capital of $50, 900, which they will use
in making the fox ranch a success.
They brought a lot of guns, knives,
ammunition, traps and camp equipage
from Nevada with them, but con-
cluded they wanted more. A lot of
steel traps and other tools were there
fore bought and packed for shipment
on the steamer Umatilla. They eX-
pect to be gone two years and think
that in that time they can make a
large fortune.
The men are all experienced Ne
vadN hunters. They have killed bears,
gray timber wolves, mountain lions
and all other kinds of game that infest
the mountains of the West regions.
On the northern steppes they expect
to don the rude clothing of the na-
tiyes.
For months past they have been
making special study of the profits
of the fur business. They have also
been reading the latest works and con-
sulting with naturalists as to the habits
of the silver-gray fox. They are con-
WINGED from all they have learned that
the foxes will thrive and increase rap
idly in captivity if properly handled.
owe are going to make a regular
business of raising the black or silver
gray foxes" said Mr.. Yerger. 81
don't know just what place We shall
hit upon for our ranch. We may get
an island in one of the rivers, or near
the coast. You know there are thou
sands of these islands and they are of
all sizes. Whatever we do we shall
first go to Juneau. We shall have to
fence the ranch in to hold the foxes,
and we shall have to keep a sharp eye
out to see that they do not burrow anc
work their way outside of our coral
As to the feed necessary for the AMI.
mails, we shall see that they have the
same that they have been accustomed
to. The fish, little chipmonls, birds
and other fox provender will be easily
furnished. When we reach Juneau
we will incorporate as n company.
The name is to be The Nevada Min.
ing, Fur Hunting and Improvement
Company If We get enough mar
tens, minks and other fur bearing AMI
mails also, we may pay some attention
to them. However, there is vastl
more money in fox skins than in tn
Others"
The Alaska fox ranch projectors ar
going to be very careful not to let tn
red foxes get mixed with their gra
ones. On the AIeutian islands the re
foxes, winch are more or less migrating
have mixed with the gray foxes, an
the result is that the fur has great
deteriorated in quality and value. -
San Francisco Examiner.
A..