Lower coast gazette., 1914-10-10
Disturbance in the Fur TRADE.

Disturbance in tine Fur TRADE.
IT is estimated that tEe present war in lEn-
rope has so disturbed the market for American
furs that have usually been sent to Europe that
the losses from that cause alone will reach ten
millions of dollars, falling upon the producers
of American furs. 1t is stated that most of the
fur manufacturers are located in France and
Germany.
The estimate is made that there were sp.
proximateIy q million fur bearing animals
caught in North America last year whose peits
had a cash value Of about 80 miillos.s Ct dollars
averag;ng Sc cents each. The greater part of
these skins were left on the dealers hands CIV
iag to q large surplus from the previols year.
Most Of the FIR bearing animals are said to
be trapped by farmers boys, many Of whom
have derived Q neat little income as we'll as some
sport in pitting their wits against the cunning
Of the wild animals which roam the thinly set
tied places on the American continent ard while
they viii still have an opportunity OF enjoying
the spor. OF catching frer Coon, Brer Skunk,
Bier Possu.n, &C., they will have to content
themselves with hwer prices tor his pelt after
ti.ey have caught him, according to MIR. Abra-
haI, OF St. Louis, the head Of the great fur ex-
porting house Of I. Abraham Fur CO. OF st.
Lslis.
OF these various %sl.!Is, varying in value from
20 cents to two dollars each it is estimated that
america furnishes annually Is million r,uskrat
skins. 23.4 million opossu,n skins, ZOO, 900 rae
coon skins, 1.l5c,o eco skunk skis and $685. 0o
ciyit cat skins, There are various other skins
Of varying value, sone very high in price, COM
prising the fox, wolf, otter, beaver, fisher, wild
cat, lynx, ~lynxcats, ~ringtaiis, bears white Weaz.
les, ~rsastins, wolverines end mountain !icns, es-
titNated at a million and & halt skins, valued at
4 10 millions CT dollars.
Among Ill these ous parish is interested
,nore in the muskrat family and we think we
excel in the production OF this miserable beast
that does such harm to cur lcyees. beth front
and rear. Very few people nave had any idea
CT the expense Of the ordinary rat family TO the
people # TIC United States. byt it is supposed
to go far Up into the tens Of millions Of dollars
annually. TIE total amount Of grain and OF
valuable articles destroyed by rats IN the United
States is almost beyond comprehension. Our
attention is turned to this now more particularly
by the rat campaign in New Orleans, the CHI
zens there now expanding something Ike 1nreo
millions Of dollars in rat PROBING their buildings
under the direction Of the general government.
in order to prevent the development Of the hu-
bonic plague, which is a disease Of rats, BIZ. G
disease tr~anslnissable also to humanity.
Some five or Sly years ago it was estimated
that the parish Of Plsquesnines realized some
SIS. 600 from its crop Of .n,skrat skins. Hnce
that particular year the business has not -four.
ished and we may perhaps say that we are fear
ful now that the depression Of furs because Of
the war in Europe may also lower the price Of
,nuskrat skins co that our hunters will hardly
find them worth capturing. Still they multiply
go rapidly that the crop is produced throughout
almost the entire year and it would be we'll for
hunters to take all of them that they can,
whether their prices be high or low. The dat:
that we have f-oE. St. Louis as given above, il
somewhat discouraging as 70 muskrats.