The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1901-12-08
HOUSTON'S SUPPLY OF TURKEYS.

Did you ever think Of the turkey as a
commercial factor in this clty?" said n
prominent produce dealer yesterday. Well
Il you haven't" continued the merchant 10
The Post representative, at is worthy the
note of any man TO Inquire into the part
this giant of the fowl race plays when
viewed from the standpoint Of dollars aud
cents, aud / dare say that yourself and
others would ana some surprising agure-
An investigation by The Post man proved
that the merchant was correct and except
when the big gobber Is laid out IN hts
tempting form, with dressing aud Gran
berries, on great occasions IKE Thanks
giving or Christmas, II is doubtful il the
average person has thought OF the import
ance Of this big bird. The value Of tue
turk on this side may not he equal 10 that
OF his uamesgke across the waters WhCh
the ransom for MISS stone Is paid, but it
is very considerable nevertheless and the
turkey crop marketed In Houston VIII sur.
hce Ia show that the earning capacity ol
this commodity IL deserving OF the uitth
ton OF any farmer or truck grower ot ne
surrounding country The season If active
shipping OF turkeys begins about OCiuher
10 or IS and from that time until me emu
OF the year the star Of the turkey Is very
much In the asccnGanCy as iaf as values
are concerned. In that period o. seventy.
rve or eighty days The shipments 10 inc
sixty coops per day, while on the apfoa2u
of holidays this number Is frequently
doubled and trebled. Each coop CONTAINS
twelve turkeys and they bring on m aver
age Of SIS 40 for hens and 500 for goOnlera
While the hitter are much IN me majority
we may strike a safe average by an esh-
mate OF $500 per coop, which wouiu rep
resent an investment Of $3.50 per Day py
the dealers during the nctive 6enson
fair estimate OF that period would cover
eighty days and In that time the ConslEn-
ments OF turkeys 10 Houston have brought
4 very great demand must exist to obtain
these results, but a glance at the trace VIII
show that 1t IS quite equal TO the ocSs-
sion. This demand is not only created py
the ordinary uses of the fowl from lndi-
vidual consumers, but In addition there are
a large number Of corporations ana pIlyate
business houses that every year make u
a rule 20 remember each OF their employees
by the presentation OF Christmas turkey.
The Wells-bargo Express company nave Oh
served this custom and many other So id
Germs OF numerous employees have alded
materially. In bringing about me DE ny
ures set forth above. When the supplies
OF the market have run short there nave
frequently been circumstances raihet
amusing to obtain the last Of the stock on
hand. and productive Of very fancy sums
| TO the turkey owner on the eve OF inc
week In which the birth Of the Savior 10
| crieb-ated Last year one merchant who
| handles large quantities annually uad TO
naming In his house on the Gay bslors
| Christmas two coops which ne consioerse
a residue from his stock In trace that ne
would he compelled to appropriate TO Ms
| own uee, fully convinced that In view OF
| tho sales he had witnessed there could not
| be place for these outside the domain OF
| his own premises. As he was locking INC
| door 10 depart for his home for the day OF
| peace and good Will messenger APP
| preached him and stated that MS poss ",
| qulred two more dozen to complete ms
| gifts. The merchant did not realize that
| he had a corner on tho turkey marker; PM