The times., 1901-05-19
BULLFRoes FOR THE MARKET.
Chicago Has Become n Great Dis
tributing Centre.
From the chicago Reeord-Herald.l

kETOiH tHe thlcdSo kttOfu-Hefdiu-l
It will be news to great many Chicago
| people TO discover that Chicago is one of
| the most important frog-catching and
frog-shlpplng centres of America. East
and West to California and the far North,
to Europe, even, the American nightin-
gales are being constantly sent away
from Chicago. To Chicago, on the other
hand, for further distribution come frogs
from Minnesota, Indiana, Wisconsin, as
well as other and nearer localities, in
great numbers. And most of this traffic
in the full-throated singers of the swampS
and small waters is carried on by a single
man.
Six years ago this man, B. F. BcCurdy.
was ia politics." in politics" he had
been most OF his life. During a period Of
temporary idleness. however. he went OFF
frog catching one day in the hope of Sc
curing some frogs legs for supper. His
quest was so successful and his big bag
filled up so rapidly ana with such little
trouble that he went frog catching fire.
quently thereafter. BY and by it occurred
to him that here lay good and un
crowded field of business. ready, close to
his hand. Nowadays Mr. McCurdy is
known all over America for his success in
catching and securing fine frog specimens
in great number; in almost every State
in the Union his men are catching frogs
and shipping them to Chicago. \ number
Of men are constantly employed in and
around Chicago for the same purpose, and
and in the big Woodlawn basement.
where the frogs are kept while waiting
for their fate, are many thousands of
frogs. usually. And rarely do they re-
main in the basement more than a day or
two at the uttermost. Down in this base
meut force of boys is kept continually
busy packing, boxing, killing and string
ing the imprisoned deniZens of swamps
and lowlands.
mans most important and eager Gus
toners. Thousands and thousands of
dozens OF frogs are shipped to Harvard
every year. The University of Chicago
t.sf--sy Tor doc l1r
medical college, scientific school or lab
oratory in Chicago and the vicinity. Es-
pecially fine frog specimens are sent to
Europe every once in a while. From all
over the country come frequent orders
for the frogs which find temporary home
In the big tanks down in the McCurdy
basement. All OF these scientific frogs
are boxed and shipped while alive and in
prime condition. The frogs intended for
eating are Killed. skinned, strung on
white cord in punches of two dozen,
and carefully packed in baskets. Two OF
the young boys employed IN this labor for
the last two years can manage this part
of the work with marvellous skill and pre-
cision. The frogs sent to the college lab
oratories and to scientiuc men are placed
in a particular kind of frog box or bas-
ket and are handled with extreme care.
For frogs both dead and living, for scien-
tific research and experiment. and for the
delectation of epicures, a good and ready
market may be found at all times. More,
in fact, could usually be disposed of than
can be turned in by the entire force of
energetic and skillful frog catchers. All
the year round these men and boys work
steadily at their chosen trade or vocation.
The method of securing the frogs IS
simple. The swamp, river, or pool OF
water selected, the expert frog catcher
stirs up the grass gently, If engaged in
land catching, until he discovers where
the frogs are most thick and plentiful.
Then, discarding the stick for natures
implements, he catches the jumping crea
lures in his hand and throws them alive
and unin iured into his great bag. Sue
cess comes by streaks TO the followers
of the frog catcher's business. Sometimes
lOC or 200 dozen of frogs will be caught in
a single day, sometimes very few indeed,
teen to seventeen dozen is considered a
fair days catch" at this season of the
year
When the frogs are being taken from
the water the process is yet more simple.
The frog-catcher, bending far and low
over the stream or pool. makes careful
note OF where the frogs have collected
Then clad in long rubber boots or trous-
crs. very much Ike the enthusiastic fish
erman, he makes for that spot, thrusts
his hands into the water suddenly and
draws them out again full of frogs. In
winter the frogs are drawn up from be-
meath the ice with a rake Of special man
ufacture The "Grossman boys' are al
most the only frOg-catcherS in Chicago
VINO are competent to do this kind of |
work And the "GrOSsman boys have
known all about frOg-Catch ching-by right |
of early training and heredity-ever since
they can remember.