The evening times., 1901-10-12
FUR OF THE UPPER YUKON.
Dawson the Central Market for n
Vast Industry

vast Industry
The State Department has received a
report from J. G. McCook. the United
States Consul al Dawson City. bearing
an the fur industry Of the upper Yukon
AIr MeCDob says.
Dawson is the central market for a
vast extent Of flr-beariug country.
stretching from the Mackenzie Basin 20
the coast range and from the Porcupine
10 the H0otaiiuqua- In this area perhaps
l'3' men are engaged in hunting and
trapping. exclusive Of the Indians
ana from Dawson fully 5000 peltries are
annually exported To the great fur mar
Eets Of london and New York The in
austTy yields revenue every year OF
nearly $4,000.
The season is now at hand when the
hunters and trappers are moving their
outfits 20 the various rivers and streams
where they viii winter. and men are Ieav-
ing town almost daily for their long So
Jouru amid the great " white silence" In
most cases the work Of reaching their
destination is Of an intensely arduous na-
ture, as they must pole their canoes 10
the headwatcrs Of the swiftest streams.
make bong port1ges. and penetrate path
less woods But no hsrdships daunt these
Yukon trappers. and they well deserve
the success they so frequently achieve
In the local fur market. London quota
tons govern These are fixed twice "a
year-March and August-byy a board Of
principal dealers in that city, and prices
ore Eauged according TO that scale in all
parts Of the world except Russia. The
present rates, compared with last years
prices show an increase on bear, beaver.
otter and mink, and a decrease on silver
grey fox, marten, wolf, and wolverine.
On most other peltries. quotations are the
same. wide difference is often noted
between the maximum and the minimum
figures, this is due to variations in the
shade and quality Of the fur, and to the
time Of the year in which the animal was
caught For instance. pelIs Of bears
caught In the spring. just after the hiber-
more than those secured in the fall be-
cause their fur is soft and thick instead
Of harsh and thin. In all pelts. winter
FUR commands often three times as much
IS summer fur in price. and in most cases
dark-coIored fur is worth much more
than the lighter varieties
Local dealers say the pelts in this
vicinity are Of better quality and obtain
higher prices than those taken along the
Lower Yukon and on the Alaskan coast.
Their hair is softer and more glossy in
In varieties. marten are the most nu-
merous and black fox the scdrCest. The
latter Is the most valuable Of all, a good
pClt readily bringing 800 and muskrat
is the least costly, being worth only Z
cents.
The favorite rivers among the trappers
are the Pelly, White, Stewart, and Por-
cupine. while game hunters prefer the
klOUClke and Forty Mile. because Of
their accessibility 10 q ready market The
Big ana Little Salmon. HootaliuQua.
Chandel8r. and Sel~yn Rivers are also
frequented by many trapDers. while a
goOdly band is scattered along the Yu-
kon itself The Peel and other streams
flowing into the Mackenzie Basin are also
considered choice trapping grounds
The annual production Of different va
rizties Of pelts. their market value and
special facts distinguishing their distri-
button are given as follows:
'Be2r-Black, silver tip. brown gr Zziy.
and cinnamon; found all over the country
from March 20 November; number ship
ped. 5000 price. SO 10 IS. u takes an
exceptionally fine skin 20 bring more
than the maximum figure quoted
Beaverton all streams. but chiefly nu-
ers' number shipped, 800 price, SEQ 70
"Mink-On all streams: number shipped.
l.509. price, $50 &C s.
AIarten-On all streams number ship
ped 29,.I" TO aa,HU3- price. $3.50 to sf2
'DLJeT-On Pelly and along the Yukon.
most Of the peltS coming from b=foyv
Dawson; number shipped, 200; price. 81
'.Foxes-Red. number shipped. 2.O19;
price. Si25 10 S250. Cross: number shin
ped, sos price, - to 80 81 yer grew
number shipped, > TO 40. pr ce, Sl61 to
s9 -. Black; number shipped 20 Z; price.
I-yuN-Mostly from along the Dalton
tr2ai number shipped. ZOO. price. 81 10
'.WoIves-BIacz and grey. mainly near
the mountains; number shipped. 1000.
price. 81 to 3 90