The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-01-06

Henry h. Whaiey. in u I1lA bckOre
the Commercial Club Gives Some
Facts and Figures That Sur
prise His Hearers--rbis city
Eears the Relation to FUrs That
minneapolis Does to Flour.
An interesting talk on the fur in
dustry in ST Paul was delivered by
Henry E WhaIey before the CONNER
ciaI club Yesterday afternoon. The
rooms of the club were well filed with
business men when F. NJ. Wheeler in
troduced MIR. Whaley.
Mr.. Whaley threw out a number of
valuable suggestions regarding the fur
business Of this city, and the many
ways it might be developed so as u
give St Paul an International reputa-
ton as a center of the fur trade. He
pointed out to his hearers the advah-
tages which would accrue to the city
from an exhibit of fur in some CEN
trail place. and believed such an ex-
position would attract many visitors
TO the city as il would be not oniy
unique. but very handsome show
Mr.. Whaiey said:
Mr.. WHALEY'S TALK.
7 have lived for nearly thirty years in st.
Paul and for about twenty years have been
connected with the fur business. In one
Particular iine-men's fur coats-St. Paul
leads the world. Away back in the SOS, st.
Paul became the Northwestern headquarters
of the old American Fur company. TO II
We OF s.. Paul and OF Minnesota are indebted
for the presence among us of such men as
Dr. Borup. Gen. Sibley Mai. Forbes, n W.
Kitts0n. john $ Prince, and many Others
whose names we love 10 nonor. In the year
1854 Mr.. Joseph Ullmann started among
Others in the fur business he mas
continued ever since. and from that begin
ming has built his business up until today
his is the greatest fur collecting and dis
tributi.g firm in existenc
The st. Paul house IS the parent WITH
stures and agencies in Winnipeg, Edmonton,
Victoria. New York, Paris, London, Leipsis;
Mini NovgorOd and Moscow, in Russia; the
principal Chinese, Japanese and Australian
points and very many others. Iney 90
business OF many millions of dollars which
ought TO be accredited to ST. Paul. Inls is
not included however. in the figures l Snail
give you OF St Paul business.
Up 10 1870 there was little manufacturing
of furs done in St. Paul, except such as was
made To order for personal use by the retail
furriers Of whom the Albrecht brothers,
Ernest and Kari. are still energetic repi esel-
tutives. They commenced in the sos.
In 1870 Mr.. Richards Gordon, founder of
the house of Gorron & Furgusoa, commenced
the manufacture Of mems buffalo coats for
the trade and Henry Hazenwnkle l believe,
first took them on the road. Albrecht,
LAnpher & Co.. Lanpker. Finch q Skin
ner soon followed. and in 1887 the firm of
McI<ibbin & Co. entered the field. Many
Other firms have come ard gone. There are
others now engaged III making fur coats,
but the above named three are beyond doubt
TIE largest manufacturers in this or any
other country.
St Paul now manufactures about $1,000
fur coats for men yearly; over 5000 monthly.
Is0e weekly PIT daily; and better than 4
each working hour from one end of the year
20 the other.
In the production of all these coats there
are consumed yearly as high 10000 rae
coon skirs. (which is one-half of all the
world produces): 225.G60 dog skins brought
from China: 300G0 small curly calf skins
Australian bear from Australia; besides
many thousands OF the skins of Astrakan
goat wolf. m2rmot, kangaroo, mink, otter,
beaver, marten, skunk, seal. wildcat, etc.
END OF THE BUFFALO.
About the ye&r 1888 the American buffalo
was practically exteiminated. Their pelts
are now very rare. The ST. Paul fur coats
are scl6 everywhere. from Maine to Oregon,
and from ST. Louis to the KIondike. Now
while ST. Pauls position is SO strong on
mems FUR coats she is little less strong on
the finer lines for ladies wear. Her reputa-
ton is such that her goods command a
premium in all the markets because of their
merits and superiority, acknowledged by all
good merchants who are able to sell an
honest dollar for one hundred cents.
IL addition to her advantages of locality
enabling her procure the finest native
skins at first hands, and to have first choice,
her experience has given her very great ad-
vantage even with imported SKINS. she
yearly imports from the Macedonian coun-
tues ef Southeastern Europe and Western
Asia about 000 Astrakhan and Persian
laU5skirs. She makes as fine ard as stylish
s. alskin garment can be made, and prob
ably makes more of them than any other
city in this country except New York. There
is &c reason why she should not soon
coed even New York The fur business
Of ST Paul including the handling, assort-
ing and preserving of the skins, the dress
ing, dyeing, manufacturing. and sale CT the
same, will reach fully 2,500OGO annually
The great -four industry of cur sister city
apOlis-emplCyes about 1880 people.
The fur business of st. Paul employees more
than Gne-tEird that number.
st. Paul bears the name relating to furs
that Minneapolis does to -four. Chicago to
por. New Orleans TO sugar, OF Atlanta TO cot
ton, and the sooner the world knows it the
better.
1 once visited the little town of Hammer
fest in Northern Norway, the most norther-
ly town on the globe. As we steamed up the
harbor an Engl4shman rather boastfuliy Of
fered to bet a cigar that a large vessel dis
charging her cargo near by carried British
colors. He was right She sailed under the
British flag, but wave of pride and pleas
ure came over me- when, as we dropped
anchor Alongside, 1 saw that her entire cargo
was American. 1t was -four, with the abel
Minneapolis, Mimi" on every sack. Each
nf those bags of -four went no doubt into
q scandinavian nome. and l WOuidn [ wonder
if that is why our big sister up the river ia
reputed today to have larger Scandinavian
population than Christiana has. Similar sacks
of -four and also the blue barre-s OF the
Standard Oil company to be met with i'll
all parts Of the earth, silently doing the most
effective missionary work in the homes and
towns. Why not send some nice fur pieces
or garments with the name of st. Paul on
the label, not only to these towns and homes
but on to the back Of the individuals? All
that is to be doue is to see that they are
SO labeled. The furs steadily finding their
way there now.
In my estimation it would be a great card
and would pay the fur dealers and manu-
facturers TO unite. establish and maintain
some sort of permanent fur fair or exposI-
ton of the business that would be one of
the unique features of the city remaining
open TO the public the year round or at
least from May to November, thereby at
tracing the attention of all our visitors and
emphasizing the advantage that nature and
location have given US.
The following lectures will be deIiv-
cred before the Commercial club this
naontF:
Co. W. N. Liggett 1.-The College and School
OF Agriculture of the University of Mime
W B, Dean, Desirable Legislation JAM
E. A. Parad.s. THE Midway District"
]. H. Roach. Our Infant Industries" Jan.