The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-11-09

- ~snt 10 buy skunks enough to start
&~,r Nth and want the newspapers to
- n the matter said William r.
eSAee 4 bright, energetic-looking young
ss2srhuau. TO reporter at the Queen
f1ly hotel last evening.
q avn an island near the north end OF
-. Edward island between Wrangel
~ Ketchihan, in Alaska. and am going
ss'Ssvote II exclusively 10 the rearing OF
- animals, principally skunks and mar
when I say own the island. mean
49, / have staked out 100 acres for
sSSsefead. and as there are but 200 acres
nS'isn6 ia ALL my farm will just about
~tssr II. The island is well timbered.
ssrsvhat nat and my experience with
$500 ring animals in Alaska teaches me
4 = suiendfdly adapted for my purposes"
Although but % years OF age. Mr.. Forbes
NJ been ali over the world as sailor.
sG1 = the hunting OF wild animals. large
Sc small, has been his hobby. he has
Some an expert In the study OF their
faSats. He has spent several years in
IiSska and other countries. trapping and
tmting bears mink. otter. foxes. and
rffar fur-bearing animals. and has finally
H111ded to settle down to farming for
49," on q business basis. and on his own
a have only recently come down from
~ island home" continued Mr. Forbes.
"a 1 have been looking over the fur
vs rf rom ns t e b. m anS sk snRs
I'm 50 cents to 80 cents each, and with
IN facilities possess for raising them on
~ Island after. say. two years, Will
M colony Of the animals that VIII
inGiYe me handsome revenue.
a have already several martens on
N plsce Is q starter ard now want the
&1Nnks. want the largest variety to
tehad and am willing to pay good price
~ are very easily trained The waters
o25und my island TEEN with Ash Of every
hi66 and - both martens and skunks are
una on hsh can easily catch enough In
sinner to Keep the animals all winter.
4 own my own sioop. which is now at
~ north end OF Queen Charlotte sound.
Z will kavc here na-t W>i1ss1av by
Nomer and sail my sloop up to my ISL
~, stopping along the route to hunt and
q have noticed IN the last few years a
efGady shrinkage In the number Of fur
benring animals. and with the steady adj
vance OF civilization In Alaska. which
heeetofore has been given over TO wild
oGlnAls and Indians, furs win be much
seefcer within few years, harder to pro-
ctM and necessarily more expensive.
This hss sasgesssd 70 ny my mind nd. farm
Z q not prsubse to confine myself TO
on1n11o ana martens I have already 4
n1le "a female hear, now In tho care OF
ID InAIn& friend Of mine. which pro-
pQp 70 turn loose on my island. The
b1ofD are tame. so that they. as we'll as
~ other animals ! propose raising there.
Wm be tame enough to be fed In the yards
pfoDoee 10 build for them
- Had Intended starting to raise blue
foxes but from what know OF them tho
climate on my island Is too damp for
mem There are seven months OF the
@ost dsitghtfu weather II never gets
very cold, and there ir little snow In win
ler. The coolest ever knew It there was
Ne degrees below zero. and that only for
Day or two.
There II not another soul on the ISL
ana and am practically monarch Of ali
survey when AT home. The islanh IL
About threc-quarters Of q mile from the
nearest land and sufficiently secluded to
insure me from being disturbed There
~ several canneries and a sawmlli on
~ etnef shores not 50 very far from me,
04t nv mall from WranGei. 80 In
Ner shall not be lonely.
p4ked my homestead last August
H. t0ut = shack. which Ii now my home.
winter shall devote my time 10
p0 mr. \ Houd. suhstanfial house. with
vq 1eu94e and yards for my fur animals.
~ ny plans all matured and 1 know
XnAt 20 do aud how 10 do Ii. All I
~ = the proper breed OF skunks
Y ~ - no danger whatever IN hand
eAen- It's simply a matter OF know
now. and | natter myself know