The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-01-19
POPULAR VISITING ELK IS WELCOMED George N. Henry of Ohio, is
 in Birmingham. NOW FAMOUS IN ELKD0M MT. Henry Has Hobby of Collecting Elks' Teeth and Has 176 Teeth
 on Ills String-Are of
 High Value.
NOW FAMOUS IN ELKDOM

George N. Henry of Steubenville, o. who is probably the most enthuiastic Elk in the United States, is in Birmingham and is being shown many attentions by local members of that benevolent order. He Is a prominent merchant of Stenben- vile but gives a great deal of his time to the affairs of the Elks. He has not missed but two national meetings of the order since 1892.
 On account of his unique ideas and in- teresting peculiarities Mir. Henry is known by every prominent Elk in America. At every national gathering of the antlered tribe he puts in an appearance with some little novelty toy or picture that takes lodge in Baltimore he carried with him something like 4OOO of what are known as "chirpers" and soon had every other Elk in that city "chirping. This little device makes noise something like telegraph instrument, though the sound is much louder and more piercing. He also appeared with lot of little canteens with humorous inscription on one side
 MT Henry's visiting cards are complete puzzlers to his new acquaintances, but when the rebus is explained 1t reads something like this: "Elks card, George N Henry, Lodge No. 231. Run in by In- dians." The words are represented by pie lures and are quito difficult to decipher.
 Elks' Teeth.
 While talking to some prominent Elks yesterday MT. Henry exhibited what is probably the finest collection of Elks' teeth in America He has them on a strong piece of cord the teeth being held by small hole bored in the thin side. On this string there are 176 teeth with a probable value of $25O0 Some of these teeth are over a hundred years old and are tinted with five or six different shades, ranging from cream color to a dark green.
 Elk's teeth are becoming very scarce them bring fancy prices It is said a well colored tooth of the proper size for mounting is worth in the neighborhood of $50.
 There are 24O, GOO members of the Elks order In the country and more than eighty per cent of these members have an elk's tooth as an ornament and as a symbol of the order. From this 1t can readily be seen why the demand is greater than the supply.
 MT. Henry spent several years in get ting up his collection and whenever he hears of new tooth for sale he buys it immediately He has travelled extens- sively in the west and secured the great CT part of the collection In that section of the country. He says that all the elhs' teeth obtained now are taken from Indian graves.
 Indian Custom. In Montana and other western states it was custom among the Inudians to ornament the dead with elks' teeth and then strew then on the blanekt in which the body was buried. The more distin- gushed the Indian the more numerous the teeth. Mony of these teeth after lying in the burial places for scores of years have absorbed certain amount of the vegetable coloring from the blanket and other clothing around the dead bodies of Indians and are very valuable. The more highly colored, provided the shape and size Is satisfactory, the more demand for the tooth.
 The teeth taken from the ellSs now In existence are not so much sought as the ones taken from the graves. The polish and coloring is not nearly so attractive. In the far west among the Indians of modern times s1 is the standard price for an ellxs' tooth of any size, color or shape. The Indians always sold teeth for this price until the last few years when the | demand became so great. Dealers are now grabbing them up at every oppor- tunity and after being mounted by jew elers they frequently bring prices equal | to precious gems
 l MT Henry will be the guest of Frank N. Edwards at dinner this evening. He will probably be in Birmingham two or | three days.