The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1901-03-08
CURIOUS NEW YORK TRADE.
wild Animal Broker Who Imports a
Variety of Animals


New York's queerest occupation is per-
haps that of the wild animal brokers.
A great many men support themselves
by such work. 1t requires little capital
and experience and brings immediate re-
turns. These brokers make it their bust
ness to meet all incoming steamers which
hail from the countries which export
wild animals of any kind. There Is
scarcely one of these ships but carries
something of a menagerie. The special
shipments of animals are of course con-
signed directly to the big dealers The
animal brokers deal with the sailors.
A surprising variety of animals are
usually found in the sailors quarters.
The seamen have learned that they may
turn an honest dollar by buying or trad
ing them from the natives in foreign
parts. They bring monkeys, parrots and
rare birds, sometimes lion or tiger cubs,
curious tropical snakes and other easily
handled stock. In large crew the stock
Is often considerable. The wild animal
broker comes to an understanding with
the sailors and buys their stock.
There are of course tricks in all trades.
The broker must know the exact market
value Of each animal and be able to judge
its condition. The animal broker then
finds a market for his stock among the
wild animal stores and wholesale dealers
of the city. There is q certain we'll known
department store which buys large pro-
portion of it's stock in this way. Some
times the broker can greatly increase the
value of his stock by keeping it for a
time and carefully feeding and groom
ing it.
Another market Is found among private
customers. The brokers often have a list
of customers to whom they regularly
show their wares. 1t is possible to build
up a regular business in this way. The
broker comes to have a regular under
standing with the crews of many vessels
and in turn to supply a regular set Of
customers.
The profits Of the wild animal trade en-
able several of the largest dealers to keep
agents in the principal wild animal mar
kets of the world to secure them stock.
One firm has several times equipped ex-
petitions to search the jungles of India
and capture elephants, lions and tigers.
The profit on handling single fine speci-
men frequently runs into the hundreds of
dollars.
Once collected, shipments are made
once a year, and reliable keeper is sent
with the consignment all the way to New
York. The animals are then stored in the
New York stores or, if they be too large
for this, they are shipped to the farms
kept by the larger dealers in the vicinity
| of New York. The circuses, museums and
geological gardens, which form their most
important customers, usually make their
purchases in the early spring. The pres
| ent season promises to be very busy and
| prosperous one.-New York World.
The General and the Water Wheel.
One day the Confederate army was
| hurried off upon a forced march to inter-
| cept Grant. AT the close of the day the
| soldiers were without rations, and Colo
mel Russell seized -four mill which was
run by little stream emptying into the
Tennessee river. The mill ground away
| for an hour or two. and then the water
In the creek was exhausted. At this
| juncture General Wheeler arrived upon
the scene.
whats the toruble?" said Wheeler.
mo water" said Colonel Russell.
General Wheeler danced around in his
nervous fashion. Colonel" he said,
"why don't you establish a line of men
with buckets, as they do at a fire, and
| have them pass water up from the
stream below and throw it upon the
| wheelF"
Colonel Russell did not laugh. He drew
himself up, saluted his superior in mill
tary fashion and sneezed. If a phono-
graph had caught the sneeze there would
have been evidence that the colonel
swore.-W ashington Post.