Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1905-03-24
WORLDS SUPPLY OF FuRs.
Where Skins Come From and What
They Are Worth.


l.e 4.
Where Skins Come From and What
They Are Worth.
Very few people, except those con-
nected with the fur trade or who have
had their attention directed to It. have
any notion Of the enormous destIuc-
ton Of animai life which takes place
each year among fur-bearing animals
or OF the very extraordinary way in
which the supply of these animals ap-
pears to keep up.
There are only few species which
seem to be verging toward extinction;
such are the sea otter, the beaver ever
large tracts Of country, certain sorts
of fur seals and West African mon
key. Northern Asia ard northern North
America still produce vast quantities
Of fur. and will long continue to do 50,
says Forest and Stream.
Perhaps the most valuable fur In
the world Ii that Of the sea otter.
formerly abundant on the shores Of
the Pacific Ocean in northern Asia and
North America, but now In great
danger of determination, unless It
shall soon be efficiently protected. Be-
tween 1772 and 1774 about 10000 skins
Of the sea otter were taken In the
Aleutlan Islands, and the fur was SO
eagerly sought after that at the end Of
the eighteenth century 10000 skins
were taken each year. The results Of
such destruction could not be Doubt
full. The number killed soon fell to
$4,000 each year. and In 1857, when
Alaska was sold to the United States,
It was TOO. In 1901 il was lo6. while
In 1908 Messrs. Lampson & Co. OF Lotl-
ION sold 4s3 skins. but they had none
in January. 1904, and none In October.
II is not unusual for sea otter skin
to sell for $500, while remarkably good
skins may bring two, three or five
times that price.
The only skin which approaches the
sea otter in value Is that Of the black
or silver fox. II Is said that good
skins Of the black fox have been scid
In st. Petersburg from $500 to $4,000.
A pair of silver skins In London sold
for $2,400, while single skin is said
to have brought $1,000.
The arctic foxes, known az white
fox and blue fox, are In great demand.
In 1908 Lampson & Co., sold more than
10000 white skins and nearly 500
blue ones. Both these skins seem 10
be increasing In value. It IL not long
ago since the price OF white fox skins
ranged from 81 to 81. They are now
said to be worth from SIC to 325, while
the price of the blue fox skins runs
from $50 to SIS.
Almost $4,000 wolverine skins were
sold in London last year, at prices
ranging from - to 50 for good skins.
OF Russian sable nearly $4,000 were
sold, or three times rs many az vsRe
sold in all London in 1891. These eI-
pensive furs run from $3.50 TO s7J In
price, but occasionally skins are found
which bring from $3.50 to $3.50 each.
The Siberian sable. which IL rnueh
more abundant, more than 10000
skins having been sold last year, IN an
inexpensive fur. worth only about 30
cents apiece.
Mink and marten are cheap furs and
bring low prices, but the best pine
marten bring from $3.50 to $3.50.
otter skins again ere costly, as are
beaver, the supply Of which, AZ has
been said, seems to I've failing.
Passing over multitude Of small
er and less well known skins. II is to
be noted that In the March sale OF
1908 no less than 40S musk OK sidns
were sold, as against practically none
at previous sales. These arc valuable
for robes, but the surprising increase
in the number leads one to imagine
that there Is great danger Of the ak
termination of this ancient species.
The Alaska seal catch this year was
small, only $4,000 skins, against $4,000
last year. The skins taken at the
Commander Islands appear to have
been lost by the laundering Of the ship
that was bringing them. There are
multitude of other peits used for DIFF
ferent purposes, but hardly known 70
most readers, of which we need not
speak further than to say that last
year nearly 100000 skunk skins were
sold at prices ranging from rs cents
| to $1.75.