The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1913-10-09
ST. LOUIS THE
FUR CENTER OF
THE WORLD
important Decision BY Secretary Red
field. Worlds Fur Center
Now Moves To
America

| the government catch of seal skins,
foxes and other Alaska furs, from
London to st. Louis.
This is the first time in the his
tory that the American seal catch has
been marketed through American
channels, and the action of Secretary
William C. Redfield is regarded by
the commercial organizations and
bureaus of commerce with great ia
vor; particularly as being significant
of the activity of the Wilson admin
istration in paying close attention to
all manufacturing and trade inter
ests.
The United States thus will dispose
of several thousand raw seal. skins
constituting the 1913 catch. And un-
der the protecting laws favoring the
increase of seals, the sale will in.
crease many fold In the coming few
years.
The next step will be the removal
from London to St. Louis Of seal skin
tanners and dyers, establishing In
America great new manufacturing
industry.
Thus will trade of great proper
tons be fostered. But more than this
it will mean the elimination of tho
present heavy duty now paid on dress
ed and dyed skins prepared in Eur
ope; while the skins will be dressed
and dyed in America just as we'll, If
not better, according to the statement
of the best European dyers them.
selves.
The economy thus effected by this
home industry and by the absence of
the former heavy duty will eventually
mean a saving Of several hundred dol
largs a garment to milady in the pur.
chase of the aristocrat of all furs.
The government furs. by the deci-
sion Of Secretary of Commerce Red
field, will be sold at public auction
by Funston Bros. & Co., of St. Louis
who are eminently qualified for the
responsibility.
The first sale Is scheduled for some
time in December at which time the
representatives of the great furriers
of America and Europe will assemble
at the Funston Fur Exchange where
this wonderful collection of seal SKINS
will be sod to the highest aiGdac
Phillip b. Fouke and A. Nj. Ahern
OF Funsten's will conduct the sale for
the st. Louis firm.
Some Seal History
The history of the seal Is one Of
the most absorbing and romantic OF
all TIE great American industries
While the U. S. government has prJ-
duced wonderfully interesting books
on the subject, and which can be mad
free OF charge, the whole country will
be interested in few facts bearing
on the seal history of North Ameri.
ca, especially in the light of the re-
cent action Of the Department of Com.
merce, which stamps st. Louis Ms the
fur center of the world.
The price paid to Russia for the
whole of Alaska was $1,000 900 The
revenue from the seal islands alone
rough, barren, forbidding spots that
comprise but an infnitesimal area of
the Alaska map, has been $4,000, 900
more than twice the sum paid for
the entire territory.
This area comprises the Pribilof
Islands discovered in 1856 by the Rus
sian navigator whose name the ISL
ands bear. 1t Is the seat of the most
important fur seal colony in the
world. Next in importance is the
commander herd owned by Russia,
while the Kuril herd owned by Japan
comes third, During the first year
Of Uncle Sans possession the catch
was about two hundred to 3O0,OOO
seals, but the herd has diminished so
considerably that as a result laws
have been conserved and future catch,
es increased.
The Greatest EVIL
This great diminution of the herds
has been the result of pelagic sealing
the killing of seals in the open sea
Whole fleets would sometimes lay of
the seal islands while their crews
killed the female seals which swan
out to sea seeking food.
At sea the sexes cannot be dis
tingulshed, and the females FREEDOM
mating the pelagic catch Is made VI
largely of this class, the precentag,
; being from IS to 95 per cent OF fe
! males. The death OF a female sea
was not the only evil. She was on
seeking food for her pup which sh
had left on shore So that her deaf
meant also the death of the youn