The Washington herald., 1913-10-19

II number Of live frogs. Carl A. Opel
OF Ftida, Mimi. has worked half his
way through college and still has
enough money in the bank TO pay his
expenses for the remaining two years His
start and success In this business was most
wonderfully accomplished
Two years ago a commission merchant
dealing in frogs went TO Fulda Mimi. to In
terest the people there IN catching frogs In
the marshes. lakes. streams, and meadows
which are so plentiful about that little vii
lage. Opel was among those who were in
duced TO catch and sell frogs to him. He
had thought many times Of going into COM
petition with the merchant. but never at
tempted to carry out his plans until one day
he caught him trying to cheat him out Of a
large number OF frogs he had captured. This
angered Opel and he determined to drive
the dishonest merchant out of the local mar
ket. The frog catchers pledged their sup
port and Opel started in business for him
self with the small capital OF $50.
He rented small shack not far from the
railway station, convenient for shipping pur-
poses. This he fitted up as best he could.
Frogs commenced coming in and soon he had
all the boys in the little village working for
him. But difficulty confronted him. Where
was he to dispose Of his product? He couldn't
very well sell to the man whom he was try
ing to drive out OF business. He finally got
in touch with another commission merchant
in Chicago. who offered to pay 15 cents a
dozen for live frogs This offer seemed good
and Opel decided to deal with him.
r =
Invents Way to Ship Them.
But still another difficulty had to be solved.
way Of safely shipping his live product had
to be devised. Opel set to thinking and
soon came across a unique plan. He bought
all the large dry goods boxes he could get
hold OF at the village stores and made them
into crates. Shelves six inches apart were
nailed into the boxes and these were filled
with frogs.
All sides Of the crates were closed but one,
which was covered with wire to admit plenty
Of air during shipment. Little loss In ship
ment was incurred when live frogs were
packed in this way. The frogs came in 20
fast that night shifts were employed to care
for an6 crate them for shipment.
Although work was carried on night and
day, the supply Of frogs increased at stu
pendous rate. Two weeks after he had start
ed there were 1000 dozen live frogs on hand
shack became SO filed with frogs that par
titions had to be built TO keep them from
crowdsng in the center OF the room, which
caused the death of hundreds by sufrocation.
He built pens against the walls and parti-
tions into which were put from 300 to 400
dozen frogs. Each pen was about eight feet
square. In the center of each was placed
a pan Of water into which a wooden float
was put 20 prevent the frogs from becoming
crowded. The little prisoners were fed corn
meal, which was thrown upon the floor Of the
pens or on their backs They were greedy
and had to be fedi constantly. Work in
creased daily for several weeks, bringing IN
good profits for both Opel and his many
assistants.
In the midst of all this the bottom fell out
of the frog market A desperate fear seized
the young dealer. Was he to lose all he had
earned? He wired to Chicago for quotations
on dressed frogs legs. The answer seemed
to offer a wider margin OF profit and he set
to lay new plans. Next day he set his as
to work dressing the legs Of his
frogs. The boys worked in threes. The first
killed the frogs by hitting their heads against
a block. then cut of their hind legs at the hip
joints. The second boy pulled OF the skin
and the third washed the legs carefully and
threw them into a tub of ice water, where
they became firm and white Three gangs
Of boys working eight hours to the shift were
employed and shipping continued even more
rapidly than before.