The Washington herald., 1909-02-14
Animals Thrive on Fish and
Multiply Rapidly.
PROMISE OF RICH RETURNS
Company Starts Unique Experiment
in Raising Rare Canine for It's Fur.
Pack Supposed to Number Many
Hundred-Owners VIII Have the
First Killing Next Spring.

sons make e great deal Of money n ways
that seem strange until all the facts are
understood Among the most interesting
ventures OF this kind is q blue fox farm
on an Alaskan island that bids fair to
make its owner both rich and famous.
IN the fau OF 1904 Harry Pryde, who
was living az Juneau. Alaska. heard that
q man living on an island near Juneau
had secured 2 few blue foxes and had
raised a small number Of the animals.
knowing the scarcity OF their fur, he be-
heved that he saw an opening Tor a prof
table venture and determined TO raise
blue foxes on a large scale for the fur
market
Pryde at once made an investigation
and selected Hound Island as a suitable
site for such an enterprise He then
leased the island from the United States
governemnt for ninety-nine years. This
island stands short distance from Ad-
miralty Island. on which Sitka. capital Of
Alaska, is situated and FIVE miles from
the town OF Kake. on kupreanof Island.
which is the nearest port II contains
about so acres AZ high tide and approx
mdIelT 80 acres az low IGe-
Loses Boat and Supplies.
Pryde then secured launch and an
outfit Of fishing tackle TO supply food for
the foxes on his proposed ranch. but
when he was ready to begin work he
lost his boat and all of his supplies in a
storm All Of his money and available
resources were gone, and TO secure more
money 10. start his project he wrote 10
his brother-in-law. ". w Jones, at
Westhope. y Oak He made the propO-
sitiOn 20 Jones that If the latter would
supply the money TO outfit the fox farm
he would conduct II and give Jones half
OF the profits
L happened that Jones also had no
available money. but he took the matter
up with John F. Morrison and J. 7 Ne
vile. two business men Of Westhope.
The proposal was dicussed By Morrison
and Neville with their friends and
company was finally formed BY MOrri-
son, Neville, a n Bowman John Trim
kle. Bert Reeves, and August Soucie. al
OF Westhope, 10 finance the fox ranch
Before embarking in the venture. how
ever. these men made up a purse and
sent Reeves TO Alaska 10 investigate IL
As a result Of this investigation the
WesthOpe Fox Company was formed, with
a capital stock Of S6.00o The men above
named contributed this amount and took
a One-hslf interest in the venture Pryde
furnishing his ninety-nine-year lease Of
Hound Island and agreeing 10 support
himself and run the fox ranch for the
other half interest.
Starts with New Capital
The company bought good launch.
loo worth OF fishing tackle. and COM
plete supplies for the ranch. and was
then confronted by its greatest difficulty
securing foxes 20 stock the island II
was out Of the question % Try 10 capture
wild foxes. both because OF their wild
ness and scarcity. Pryde tried 70 secure
some from the man he had heard Of with
the small fox farm on an island near
juneau, but the latter refused 10 sell. un-
III by accident Pryde had a chance 10
befriend him when he became embroiled
in a saloon row in Juneau He then
parted With twenty pairs OF blue foxes.
selling almost all he had.
II was in the fall Of 1s55 that Hound
Island was stocked with twenty pairs Of
blue foxes. The next spring there were
10 young foxes On the island. and they
have been increasing very rapidly ever
since Il Is now estimated that there are
from LOO 10 !. 400 foxes.
PTyde and his family lived alone on the
island for two years after the fox farm
was established. and since that tine an
other man and his family have resided
with them, assisting IN feeding and car
ing for the animals.
Foxes Feed on Fish.
Thus far little difficulty has been ex-
perienced in raising the foxes. The ami
mails remain wild. however. and will stay
IN the heavy woods except at night, when
they come out on the beach 10 feed. A
great many FISH wash up on the beach
and Pryde Increases the supply with reg
ular fishing trips. strewing the food along
the beach when nature fails 70 furnish
the regular supply
During the breeding. season the females
burr0w into the ground and will not
come out Of their deus until the young
animals are able 10 care for themselves.
The males carry food 10 their mates and
young and during this period Il is par
tcularly important that plenty Of food
be supplied. for the female viii starve
herself and her young rather than ven
ture forth
Only a very few OF the blue foxes have
been tanned at all. Last spring some of
the foxes burrOwed their dens close 10
the house where PTyde and his family
live. and by throwing food 10 the mothers
and their young Pryde's children made a
few Of the animals comparatively tame.
But with this exception the people on the /
Island have not been able TO approach
the foxes at all
VIII XIII Next Spring.
The first killing since the fox farm was
established viii take place in the coming
spring The directors OF the company
held a meeting al Westhope on Deem /
Der % last and decided TO XIII of all but
$50 pairs OF the foxes. and appointed Au-
gust Soucie 10 90 ncrth to superintend /
the killing Souci is now in Albany. Oreg-. /
visiting John F Morrison. one Of the first |
promoters OF the company. who has re-
moved from Westhope and is now in the 1
grain commission business He will start /
fo= Alaska this month.
When the company was first formed Il /
was Planned to kin none OF the foxes for 1
at least four years. but there are now
about as many animals as can be fed con-
renieutly and it was decided advisable I
to XII OF the majority rather than leave /
them TO reproduce for one more year and 1
perhaps face the danger Of some disease 1
getting IN the band end exeerminating I
them
VIII Catch Them in Pens.
In preparation for this killing Pryde /
has built some large traps OF. pens along
the beach and by scattering fish in them /
is training the foxes to go to them for /
food. When the time arrives for the kill /
ing the gates OF these pens viii be closed +
when the foxes are there feeding at night /
and all Of the foxes whose hides are