Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1913-10-10
ST. LOUIS GETS
ALASKA SEAL Catch
IMPORTANT DECISION BY SECRETARY
REDFIELD-- WORLDS FUR CENTER NOW
MOVES TO AMERICA.

| Washington, d. C., Oct. l0.-The
| United States government, through
| Secretary of Commerce Redfeld has
! just made a decision that will make
st. Louis the fur center of the world.
That is, TO change the sale of all
| the government catch of seal skins,
! foxes and other Alaska f,lrs, from Lon
don to St. Louis.
This is the first time in history that
the American seal catch has been
marketed through American channels,
and the action of Secretary William c.
Redtield is regarded by the CONNER
ctal organizations and bureaus of COM
merce with great favor; particularly
as being significant of the activity of
the Wilson administration in paying
close attention to all manufacturing
and trade interests.
The United States thus will dispose
Of several thousand raw seal skins
constituting the 1918 catch. And under
the protecting laws favoring the in.
crease of seals, the sale will increase
many fold in the coming few years.
The next step will be the removal
from London to st. Louis of seal skin
tenners and dyers, establishing in
America "a great new manufacturing
industry.
Thus will trade Of great proper
tions be fostered. But more than this
it will mean the elimination of the
present heavy duty now paid on dress.
ed and dyed skins prepared in Europe;
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 themselves,
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
lars 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
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
al the Funsten Fur exchange where
this wonderful collection of seal skins
will be sold to the highest bidder.
Philip B. Fouke and A. M. Ahern, of
Funsten's, will conduct the sale for
the St Louis firm.
The history of the seal is one of the
most absorbing and romantic of all the
great American industries. While the
U. S.. government has produced won
derfully interesting books on the sub |
iect, and which can be had free ot !
charge, the whole country will be in !
terested in few facts bearing on the !
seal history of North America, espec
tally in the light of the recent action
of the department of commerce, which |
stamps st. Louis as the fur center of
world.
The price paid to Russia for the |
whole of Alaska was $7,00O,O0O. The
revenue from the seal islands alone
rough barren, forbidding spots that
but an infinitesimal 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 is
lands 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 100000 seals, but the herd
has diminished so considerably that as
a result laws have been enacted by
which the herds will be conserved and
future catches increased.
The Greatest Evil.
This great diminution of the herds
las been the result of pelagic sealing
the killing of seals in the open sea.
Whole fleets would sometimes lay off
he seal island, while their crews kill
ed the female seals which swan out
sea seeking food.
AT sea the sexes cannot be dis ,
and the females predomin- Z
lting the pelagic catch is made I'D 6
argely of this class. the percentage
)eing from 50 to 81 per cent of fe- +
males. The death of female seal was
lot the only evil. She was out seeking +
ood for her pup which she had left
m shore, so that her death meant also f
he death of the young one.
The United States, Russia and Jap
IN, and Great Britain have made .
,act which stipulates that no longer
(Ccrtirued on paoe -Four,