Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1906-10-16
TRAPPING AS AN INDUSTRY.

OF course everybody knows that Ions
years ago during the first hundred OF
so years of the history Of this coun-
try, large numbers Of people supported
themselves by hunting and trapping;
but how many people are aware thai
anybody would devote serious attention
to such a business now?
People living about the towns and
even many who live in the country are
under the impression that all the Yalr
liable fur-bearing animals have long
since disappeared, and the man who
would seriously undertake to lay traps
with the idea Of converting his catch
into cash would be as foolish as the
man who would rig up a hook and line
to fish in a rain barrel.
That Is about the idea The Enquirer
had until a few days ago, the reporter
accidentally picked up reliable infor-
nation to the contrary. His attention
was directed to the matter as the re-
suit Of an inquiry at the store of the
Yorkville Hardware company for a
small steel trap, suitable for designs
against a particularly sly and elusive
old rat that refused to go into a wire
cage, or eat piece Of poisoned bread.
Have you got such thing as a steel
trap in this establishment" the re-
porter asked half-doubtingly OF Mr.,
George w. Brown, the manager.
steel trap" echoed Mr.. Brown, In
a manner which seemed to indicate
that he was just a little sensitive at
the reporters lack Of assurance
'Why certainly. What you want them
for, minks, muskrats or otters?"
1t was the reporters time to feel that
he was being kidded, and he replied:
81 mean 1t. I'm being annoyed by an
old rat and want to see II can catch
him in steel trap. I wish you would
order a small trap for me next time you
get a lot of hardware"
"Order the mischief" said Mr.. Brown.
didn't I tell you we have traps, look
up there. Do you know a steel trap
when you see one?"
Following with his eye the direction
indicated by Mr.. Browns finger the
reporter was astonished to see a con-
siderable section Of the wall literally
loaded with steel traps-there were
hundreds Of them.
my, man, what do you mean? ex-
claimed the reporter. You surely don't
expect to sell all those things here.
We've got no bears, or beavers, or OF
ters or anything else in this county In
sufficient quantity to ever call for so
many traps as that. Surely you have
not bought them."
Seeing that he had the reporter
guessing, Mr.. Brown smiled patroniz-
ingly and proceeded to explain:
NO. we have no bears that l have
heard of, but we have otter, mink and
muskrat, and not only will we sell all
these traps before the close Of this
winter: but we will probably have to
order more. We sold more than a
gross of traps last year and ran out
before the SedSOI was oNCi. 7"
third of those you see on the wall up
there-and there are twenty-six dozen
of them-are already engaged, and am
afraid right now that l am not only
not going to have enough but that 1t
will be very difficult to get any more"
MY" the reporter exclaimed, land
vbo buys them?"
why last season l sold one man as
high as four dozen and he told me that
he caught sixty-four minks and sold
the skins at from $3.50 to $3.50 each,
netting during the season between
$3.50 and 5000.
There are more minks than any
thing else," continued Mr. Brown, but
there are also plenty of muskrats and
more otter than you would have any
idea of. Muskrat skins are worth from
80 cents to 81 each, and otter skins are
worth from $S to SIS. according to size
and condition.