New-York tribune., 1909-09-25
The Process Which Makes His Highly
Valued Pelt an AdoTnment
aor femininity


mails" IN the dark Businesses of the north
land he and his little brothers and sisters are
born in some warm nest picked out by their
discriminating parents. The little fellows are
soft and round and playful 6 kittens during
their early days but the animal intuition that
warns wild things that the hand Of man ic
raised against them and that speed and cum
ming OF superlative quality are the only means
they have to combat the desire OF man soon
tells the frisking little kittens that their great
est danger lies in the efforts Of lnan 70 slay
them
At fun growth the king FOX IS charming
s1ght I5e is agile. swift, graceful and beau
tiful but, unfortunately for him. he is valuable.
II he falls into q trap IL means that the trapper
may receive enough gold for his thick glossy,
slver-shot pelt 10 buy provisions and ammu-
milton for a whole winter. Il may even provide
dozens of additional traps, in which some Of his
brothers and sisters are likely 10 meet their
fata
Beginning nith early fall is the season of the
rrappeF n the cold days Of the northern au-
tumn he reaps his harvest, and IN the more ac-
"essible regions ne strives % market il before
the opening OF the new year. He spreads ms
traps cunningly for he knows that anything
careless wiz reveal the presence of the trap
20 his aily prey. Periodically the owner Of the
traps makes the rounds % see what las been
.aught and when by rare good fortune he
fiu1s a silver fox fastened in IN" jaws of ID"
spring trap ne Is as elats1 as II he nad found
l8mp II gold The dainty little animal, u Of
superlatiye grade md quality one of those
dark shinlmering foxes with just enough IL the
silver hair in his pelt 20 class him with the
prime selected furs destined % deck some proud
!aaisr 4 fashion-the Indian trapper may be
paid IS much as $lV0 for the skin.
The indian taxes no chances, and with deft
fingers and keen knife he soon divests the ami
raal y his skin. Upon returning - his lodge
ie .arefuly s1rapes the inside II the hide % re
move particles II Eat and flesh that may adhere
- the skin, and then lie hangs the pelt inside
out, where il will dry. The trapper DOES little
else - the skin, FOR the days are cold ANA IA"
nights as keen ss a whipiash aud the interior
81 his lodge Is not The war'nest place in the
world when Dc is engaged in work away from il.
When the skin has been dried IL is stored away
against the day when the fur buyer of drst
instance happens along or his regular tour Of
trading. The trappcr dsp0scs Of his stock to
the trader fo- what seems a pittanee when ths
final figures of sale are considered, but. 81
things being taken into consideration. he does
pretty well II he has good luck
The next step ia the course - tha silver fox
from the possession " the animal to tho back
Of miadi is q bong sledge trip 10 one Df tle sta
tions q the H1dson's Bay Company. Or 10 one
belonging 10 sorne Independent concern Ike H.
Jaeckel & Sons No. - West ga street Acw
York
The prices paid 5or The skins by the agents 1t
these stations is considerably higher than that
paid by the trader 10 tho trapper. Part OF the
product is marketed IN this way, but a large
part u the skin crop Is shipped to a central
place like Seattle or some other Northwestern
city where the fur buyers ~ the big dealers
have representatives on the lookout for stock
Sometimes there are 4 dozen buyers present t.
bad for the skins. and then full prizes are real
tied and The daring fur traders reap harvest
az gold when business IS lively, the buyers
viii BID On round lots 3nd thus occasionally
skins Of the highest grade viii De- secured for
tbs manu- facturers ana DEALERS - p'''s far be
low their value IN the market.
Th. finest skins require the least treatment
and the gtuffs destined for cheap garments arc
given more elaborate preparation for their use.
A silver fox skin is not even dyed or trimmed
or pluekoc. As s5on the manufactures gets
the pelt he mas IL dressed and cured, and for a
year il Is not likely - be pacad ia the market.
Recently at tie establishment Of u. Jaeckel
A. Sons two Delts were sold 10 millionaire rs
q GIT % bis wife. They had been IN cold stor-
age for more tLan tHo years, bat they were
magnificent Examples " silver tDx skins and
they brought $1,000 for the pair ~ they lad
not Just suited the expensive taste of this fur
cohnolseur. Il is possible that they might nave
remained in The cold storage ss.lt ~ the COM
paBy for year two longer
TO show why such vast sums nuft be re
r1ysd from the sales u selected skins, eVch as
tie palr u SILVER fox pelts noted 1t can be said
that the stock oT 81. JaecEel g. Sons Inventories
s,,.,re shan 81 a,sD9DD and much Of it cannot De