The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-12-02
WEALTH In AQUATIC FURs.
Boston Globe.

Boston Globe.
The principal fur producers among the
aquatic animals, says Charles H. Steven
son in the United States fish commission re-
port for 1902. are the fur seal, mink musk
rat. beaver, otter. sea otter and nutria.
For aO years previous to 1900 beaver was by
far the most important item In the fur
trade as regards the total value of the
product, but the scarcity of that animal
and the adoption of substitutes have great
ly deprecated its prominence. During the
last thirty years fur seal skins have out
ranked all the others in commercial i'm
portance. But since 1890 the product of fur
seal has greatly decreased, especially in this
country, and just now the yield of mink in
the United States is more valuable.
Mink is said to be the most durable
irregular. Far less valuable individually
than the fur seal or mink, but well up in
the aggregate, is the muskrat, of which
about 100000 are slaughtered annually. The
area of the skins yielded annually by the
muskrat in this country is greater than that
of all other aquatic furs combined, and
more than six times as great that of
the fur SEAL
The prominence of the United States in
the product of aquatic furs is especially
| duced in 1900 being 81 100. whereas the
| total of all other countries was $3.50, 6l0
The country yielded so per cent. of the
| muskrats, 20 per cent of the mink Sc
| per cent of the sea otter, IS per cent. of
| the otter, 30 per cent. of the fur SEAL and II
per cent. of the beaver produced through
| The Importance of Canada as a pro-
| Queer of aquatic furs is very much less
| than that of the United States. Owing
| to the cession of Alaska to this country
| and the increasing scarcity of furs the
| Siberian coast, the Importance of Russia
in this particular is greatly reduced.
Previous to 1860 the fur trade was CEN
tered in Leipsic, Amsterdam, Paris and
| Vienna, the markets of Leipsc being the
| most important. Comparatively few choice
| furs were handled in London or In any
4 rkpf
| But shortly after the inauguration of it's
business in 1910 the Hudsons Bay Com
| pany began disposing of its receipts of
peltries at public auction in London. With
| in few years the continental markets re-
| linquished the bulk of their trade to the
| new insular rival and from that time to
| the present London has been pre-eminent
as the greatest fur center of the world.
| The series of sales occurring at stated in
/ tervals at the various warehouses in that
| city dispose of the great bulk of the world s
| product of fancy furs.
| The American merchant. for instance
| goes to London to buy the pelts that were
| obtained and shipped even from the vicn-
/ ity of his own home. The reason for this
| is not difficult to discover. The principal
| quarters in that city, the fur trade is bet
| ter understood there at present than in
| any other large commercial center, and the
| Importance of its being centralized makes
| il comparatively easy to hold when once
| secured also the business ranks well
among the London bankers, and they ad-
|
| the consignoT can negotiate his bill OF
| ladig on the receipt of his bales Of peltries.
Although none compares in extent with
| that of London, there are several other
markets which assist in the general work
| of distribution. Most celebrated among
these are the fairs at Leipsic. which have
| existed over so years. The Easter fair is
the most important. This commences a
| week after Easter and lasts about two or
| three weeks. Large quantities of American
| peltries, especially muskrat and mink are
. of al In
| much smaller quantities at two other fairs
held in Leipsic one at Michaelmas and the
other at New Years.
| New York is the greatest fur center In
| this country, not only for accommodating
| the raw goods but for dressing. dyeing and
| manufacturing. In addition IL leads the
| world a consumer of furs, the sales &c
individuals there exceeding that of any
| other city in the world. There are ninety
| three fur houses in that city. The principal
| Undressing establishments In this country
are located i'm New York. Smaller estab-
lishments exist in Chicago, st. Paul, New
ark and Philadelphia.