Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1905-08-22
TO RAISE
ALLIGATORS

To the man looking out for a good
investment, there are fewer better
chances today than that offered by an
alligator farm. Alligators are beeom-
ing scarce, and there are only two
such farms in America-one in Flor.
ida, and the other at Hot Springs,
Arkansas. It costs but little to keep
an alligator, as he lives without eat
ing in winter; and then, again, there
is no end of the side profits to be de-
rived from such a farm.
Mr.. II. I. Campbell, who has been
interested in the American alligator
farm in Florida, but who is at present
centering his activities upon the one
located at Hot Springs, Ark, finds
that profits are TO be made in dispos
ing Of raw skins to tanneries, tapnned
ones to manufacturers and TO visit
ors for wall ornaments, that many
live alligators may be disposed of to
dealers for window advertisements,
and that baby alligators sell to al.
most everybody for pets. In addition
to these ways of making money he
has opened up an ehibit, showing meth
ods of capturing alligators at which
he charges an admission fee of %
cents, and he often makes $50 day
from these fees alone, besides its ad-
vertising value.
Costs Little 10 Run a Farm.
The grounds for such a farm need
not necessarily be extensive. as few
small pens, extending for about 600
feet along a stream Of water will ac.
commodate an astonishingly large
number. In winter they may be
housed, but then they require no ex.
tensive buildings, as they remain dor
mant. Heating apparatus and incu.
bators for Matching the eggs are not
necessarily expensive, and the re-
turns are large. The cost Of The food,
consisting largely Of frogs and fish,
is merely nominal. Mr.. Campbell, who
in the last two years, since he started
his farm, has invested $4,000 in the
place, mostly in alligators themselves
purchasing them in all parts Of the
world-fnds that he can feed his
saurian guests on 90 OF 81 week.
The productive capacity Of an ALI.
gator is enormous, and baby alligators
only three feet long sell readily at 81
apiece. II the alligator grows to be
seven feet long and is nice horn
back, his hide will sell at the tannery
FOR $3.50 or 81. If he happens to die
when he is a wee bit Of thing, his
hide, IL he is only a poor scrub Of an
animal, win sell for 10 cents at least.
The alligator breeder has for his
only competitors the alligator hunters,
mostly in Louisiana and Florida, and
here they are decreasing in numbers
rapidly on account Of the scarcity Of
the reptile, caused by past years of
, unrestrained slaughter. In addition to
this the man who breeds alligators
stands the best chance. Of disposing Of
the skins on the market, as he will
, undoubtedly breed for this purpose
only those producing the best quality
Of hide demanded.
Alligator Leather In Demand.
Alligator skins have been used for
fancy leather for a hundred years.
but were never more in demand than
today. They enter into the manufac-
ture Of shoes, trunks, small valises,
satehels, portemonnaies, cigar cases,
book eases, and innumerable other ar.
tieles. There are now establishments
for tanning alligator skins in New
York, New Jersey, louisiana, Mississ
-ippi, and Massachusetts, and there
is also demand for raw skins in for.
eign markets. Skins are daily rising
in price, owing to the fact that but
few breeding alligators are now to be
found in the south. In 1897 the best
skins sold for 81, showing an increase
in price Of so cents a hide in the last
eight years.
If your alligator isn't worth enough
20 market today he certainly will be
in the future, and may accommodate
himself TO the rise in market price by