The evening tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 189?-190?, 1897-04-19
NO MORE TRAPPERS.
"A HISTORICAL CHARACTER THAT is
FAST PASSING AWAY.

Tur Bearing Animals Are becoming Scarce.
4 and Profits Are smali-How Some of the
! wnd Creatures Are Captured and What
} Their Pelts Bring.
Among the characters that an advano-
Ing civilization and senseless denuda-
hion Of forest land arc creating throughout
the length and breadth of great continent,
none is more conspicuous than are those
pertaining to the fauna of this country.
Erhs solitudes of the great primeval forests,
that formerly abounded In wild game,
beautiful birds and fowls of tho air and
valuable fur bearing animals, are now
snearly as deserted ns the great western
plains, where the buffalo long since left
nothing hut traces of his existence behind.
Wrappers find it more difficult TO obtain
bshefr furs each season, and along with the
bportsmen they retreat farther into the
cold regions north OF MS, penetrating into
khe wilds OF British America, whore life in
winter is scarcely endurable.
J The fur trapper has had his day In the
United States, and as product of past
conditions he is disappearing as surely as
tho game which he has hunted. In the
great northern belt of states bordering up
ON the Canadian line he Is found in dwin-
tfling numbers, vainly striving TO make
living In his procarious calling and be-
lmoaning the times when ii was an easy
matter to find enough animals in his traps
each day to keep him supplied with money.
lit Is now the work of "a week TO gather the
skins that formerly came to his traps in a
day.
The popularity Of frirs has not declined.
In fact, they arc moro in demand than
ever, and fashion DEGREES that they shall
'be worn every winter on garments for men
and for women. Most Of them command
higher price than ever in the history of
civilization, but the trapper does not profit
so much by his change rs might be sup
posed. The fur bearing animals are disap
pearing faster than the puices for the furs
advance. Other unsettled regions of the
.glof,e are being explored to help supply the
markets of the world with skins, and sci
ence is doing everything in its power TO
utilize the common skins OF the domesti-
Gated animals. The fur of the cat dog
sheep lamb and other animals of our barn
yard and household has already become
valuable commercially, ard through the
dyers art and the curriers' skill the wear
ers of cheap furs are totally deceived
It Is not an easy matter TO ascertain the
relative value of the important furs. But
those taken from the forests and woods of
this country are much higher than in
former days. The silver fox, that abound
I'D SO plenttfully In our northern woods, is
now n comparatively rare animal, and from
800 to 600 is paid for first class speci-
mems. Tho darker the fur OF the silver
fox the more valuable IL Is, and conse-
qucntly the farther north the trappers go
the better luck they have. Those over the
Canadian border trap more and better sill
yer foxes than can be found anywhere in
the United States, although northern
Maine ard the Michigan peninsula have
yielded some excellent silver foxes
Bearskins generally come next to the
furs Of the silver foxes, and they run all
the way from $40 tn SIS apiece for the raw
FUR Dealers grade the skins according to
their idea OF the value, and the trapper is
not always suro that he will receive the
highest quotations even nfter he has ship
ped his booty TO market. The cross fox
fur comes third on the list and is general
1y worth from $l5 10 eco, according to
size, general beauty and richness of color.
The fur of the otter is nearly as valuable
and good specimen will command slS
either at the country store or In the city
1nc IetsNfF IL llDb WOTtn ulOTe
than $lJ, the woiverenc $40, the lynx and
black raccoon s6 and the common wolf
an-&marten e.. These are the principal
fur bearing animals caught by the trappers
in this country. Bat n long list of cheaper
ones ere brought To market, such rs the
mink, skunk, badger wildcat, red and
gray fox, muskrat and rabbit. The prices
pnid for these vary from q few cents apiece
40 several dollars The rabbit skins are SO
cheap that the trappers would not take the
trouble To express them TO the cities il il
were not for the Fact that they can be
packed in with the others at no extra cost.
The skins Of the deer, moose. elk and
antelope must not bo confoundcd with
those OF the strictly fur bearing animals.
The former are sold as skins and hides and
not as furs, bringing so much pound.
Deer hides. usually bring from 90 TO 36
cents per pound. As most state laws for
bid trappers killing these animals except
during a very short season, there Is not SO
much profit in hunting them as the prices
offered would seem TO warrant
The trapper Is essentially what his name
implies, and not hunter or sportsman.
The shotgun Is not his implement, for this
tears and Injuries the skins and furs. The
trap and skinning knife are his chief arti.
clos OF trade. Tho traps are usually divid-
ed into three eclasees--snarcs, deadfalis and
steel traps The steel traps vary In size,
Nrom the small ones set to capture the lit
cle muskrat to the large double spring
arrangements known rs grizzly bear
traps" These latter are mammoth affairs,
weighing 40 pounds, and with rows of
sharp teeth spread l6 inches apart. When
the jaws Of such a trip close upon any
creature, they are pretty sure TO break the
leg and hold the captive prisoner until re-
eieyed by edme outside person. The grizzly
bears have been known To tear the heavy
Hraps from their moorings and drag them
"a mile or more through the forests But
they have never been known to pull the
leg away from the relentless teeth.
Tho deadfalls are made both for largo
and small animals. In the small horse
sboc Enclosure tempting bait Is fastened
Pm delicate trigger, which, when
bligbtly moved, let's down upon the ami
pual's beck number Of heavy logs. These
fall squttrely upon the hack or shoulders of