Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1903-01-04


The Virginia fur season has fairly
opened. According to Joseph Walierstein.
large fur dealer. the demand this year
for skins of ali kinds Is very good. and
the prices paid for them high. For two
consecutive seasons there has been this
increased demand. and there Is every
prospect that it win continue throughout
the present year.
Only last Friday Mr.. Wallsrstein
shipped from this market about 1oGQ0 rah-
bit skins. collected from various points TN
this State and the Carolfnas. to Northern
manufacturers, where they will be made
into derhies. So long as this hat is pop
uiar the fur of rabbits will be In greaf
demand As many as one-haif mtltofa
rabbit skins have been shipped from this
market in one season. Farmers, 1t IL
said should remember this, because
skinned rabbits bring better prices on the
markets, and the skins can be sold for
from 10 to IS cents a pound
Skins Shipped Abroad.
Not all OF the Virginia skins are sold
In this country to be manufactured. About
one-half of them. 1t is said. go to the old
country-to the two great mlrkets-Lon5-
don and Leipsic-where semi-annual sales
occur, and buyers and manufacturers at
tend from all over the globe 1t b not
uncommon for the Hudson Bay Company
to send from one to three million skins
yearly to these great markets. and amonE
these furs are some very VALUABLE such
as the silver fox, sable, and marten. some
of which sell for $500 and $3.50 a skin.
Virginia, however. Is known as Aha
muskrat state. as 1t supplies the country
with more muskrat skins than any other
State In the Union. 1t is said. The Chick
ahominy and Pamunky Indians. together
with some whites. make trapping of these
animals q business. and single trappers
have been known to ship here as many
as 5000 to 1000 skins during one season.
Trapping. however, is somewhat dyins
out because nearly all men can now get
steady work, and they find this more lns
crative. Trappers in the Peninsula REM
marshes that are worthless for anything
else than hunting, and there set out their
traps: they attend them In small boats
and some make fair living this way.
While they catch muskrats largely for the
skins of the hind-quarter. 1t is said. these
animals are very fire eating, and In some
sections are considered q great deiicacy-
The muskrat is very clean animal. ard
washes all its food before eating it
Underwater Holds the Palm.
Tidewater Virginia produces more skins
than any other section 1t Is there they
catch muskrats. skunks. beaver. raccoons.
opossum, minks, otter. and many other
animals. Other sections produce the gray
fox and few red foxes. Bear and WILD
cats are found In the mountains.
According to dealers, the panther skins
have stopped coming to the markets
there Is an occasional cat-a-mount. th1
skins of which are found three feet long
Fifteen years ago there were a great
many bear. but they. too. are disappear
ing. The clearing of the forests and Gloss
hunting have killed them out.
West Virginia furs. it Is said, go to the
Ohio markets instead of coming here. be
cause of the higher freight and express
rates.
Mr. Wallerstein said yesterday thn
since the opening of the fur sea son. about
December LIST, he had handled In the
neighborhood of $500 skins. exclusive of
| rabbit skins. These skins, no doubt. will
be used for ladies'. furs and trimmings:
some will be dyed and made over to I'M
tate much costlier skins. The muskrat
for instance. will be an imitation OF thl
seal skin. IS