Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1910-03-08
'MUSKRA1SARE RARE
Increased Demand for Fur Of 1t
tie Animal Causes Slaughter.
Good Skins Havs Advanced In ehore
Time from 10 TO rs Gents Esch
Dainty Dish Seldom Temple
oourmets Now. =

Detroit, Mich.-Muskrats are scarce
down the river these days and the
heretofore welcome legend, 'Murkrat
supper here tonight" is now seldom
seen. In years gone by the salt
marshes of Ecorse have yielded many
thousands Of the amphibian, while the
number -speared and caught in traps
now is numbered by the dozen only.
This state Of affairs prevails all over
Michigan and 1t 10 prophesied that
next year the furriers will send the
price Of near seal" coats many per
cent. higher.
Various reasons are given BY differ.
emit people for. the scarcity Of rats.
The local dwellers will tell you that
the high water this year IL to blame
and that the muskrats are being
drowned by hundreds because they
cannot reach the surface Of the water
for air. Others say that the burning
over of the marshes is another prime
cause. The fur men say. however.
that the wonderful rise In price OF
muskrat skin causes . greater slaugh..
ter than ever before. sss
1--WE have considerable difhculty,
getting the carcasses:. said William
Anspach. Of the River Rouge club,
house, the other day. "Just q few
years ago 1t was easy to secure bar
rel Of muskrat carcasses around here:
where the trappers formerly captured
hundreds each winter they are salts
lied with score now. Last winter
the retail price Of the scarcasses was
but 10 cents, or two for quarter
when the muskrats were large. Nov
you cannot get one for less than 20
cents and from that MP. We used to
get large numbers from Monroe. but
that source Of supply also IL cut Of
now" w.
"Muskrat skins are coming In slow.
ly,' said q. G. Blake. dealer In raw
furs. THE supply Il running low. in
my. opinion, because there is q great
demand for the skins. Michigan musk
rats are greatly IN demand and bring
splendid prices Good skins now fetch
rs cents each, while but few years
ago 10 cents was considered good
price. Muskrat skins are converted
into the near seal,. coats and are used
for asgreat many other purposes Tho
government uses large number in
the making Of caps for the soldiers.
1T IL a mistake to suppose that the
marshes are yielding fewer animals
now because Of the approach Of the
dwellings Of men or the running Of
railroad tracks through the marshes.
| The animals are scarce because they
are more closely hunted for their
| SKINS"
It was not many years ago that
muskrat was daily dish among the
French residents down the river. No
one can cook carcass like an old
French matron. The muskrat 10 one
Of the cleanest animals known. Not
only IL 1t careful Of what II eats, but
before eating root or anything else
the little animal patiently scrubs It
free from dirt. Not until every par
ticle is removed will 1t eat It.
The name has had more influence In
keeping people from eating the flesh
than anything else. It Is considered
great fun to initiate . novice In eat
ing muskrat. He ID told that It ID
I squirrel or any one Of a,dosen other
animals to induce him TO Eat It. In 80
cases in 100 the novice II converted
at once after the 6rst mouthful and
forever afterwafd never tires Of sing.
ing the praises Of the meat.