The Parker post., 1914-04-11
SABLE NOW SCARCE
PetropavIovsk, Siberia, Is the
Center of Industry.
Russian Government Has Forbidden
Killing OF More Animals Until 1916
Women Can Save Money by
Purchasing in U. s.

Henry G. Hibbard Of Seattle, whose
firm operates trading steamer to the
coast OF Siberia and buys furs there
and in Alaska, says that sables have
been difficult to get this season owing
to the fact that the Russian govern
ment has forbidden the killing of more
animals until 1916
Our boat goes from Seattle to Una
laska and thence TO PetropavlOvsk,
and then up the coast to Anidir, around
to kolushin bay and thence back to
Nome, said Mr.. Hibbard "She takes
$l00, 900 worth of merchandise, and
between $3.50 and $40 900 in Russian
money for the purposes of trading and
bartering for furs, whalebOne and
ivory. This year she made specially
Of sables, and if the boat had been
more literally supplied with money we
could have got great deal more, in
spite of the scarcity of the supply.
"PetropavlOvSk is the center Of the
sable industry in Siberia traders and
hunters bringing their skins there to
sell or exchange. The London market
is usually great deal better for un-
dressed skins than any in this country,
and Leipzig is good also. The selling
markets that are the best are Paris,
Vienna and ST Petersburg Yet II
women knew it who buy their furs
over there they might be able to do a
great deal better in this country.
Il know of a New York woman who
purchased a sable coat in Paris that
cost her $4,000, and presumably she
had to pay 35 per cent duty to get it
into this country. Her sister, who lives
in Seattle, wanted to get similar coat
and she asked me what | thought 1t
would cost I told her | could save
her at least so per cent. She gave me
the order and there was made up for
her III this country a coat that cost
little under $1,000 and which was far
better garment than the one her sister
had paid $4,000 for in Paris.
OF course, Americans are big buy
ers Of furs. But the fur game is funny.
We have brought furs from Seattle to
New York and offered them to all the
big dealers, who have absolutely re-
fused to buy. Then we would ship
them to the London sales, and in many
cases American buyers would purchase
our furs and bring them back here.
though if they bought them dressed
they had to pay duty on them.
"Silver foxes are rather scarce this
year, especially choice skins. l sold
two skins the other day for $1,000
apiece which the retail customer will
probably pay $4,000 apiece for when
they are made up.
After our boat gets back from
Nome she makes trip to Herschel
island, at the mouth of the Mackenzie
river On her last trip she took big
cargo for the Stefansson party. She
is the only craft that makes a regular
annual trip up there, her main pur-
pose being whaling. This time she Is
carrying a moving picture camera with
900 feet of film and Is looking fo1
bowhead whale. which is of consider
able value because Of the whalebone 1t
Yields. AS against the 500 value Of
the sperm whale, the bowhead is worth
$8,00O though it's value has dwindled
tremendously because women nova
days wear so little Whalebone in their
corsets. Formerly a boWhead was
worth $4,000. Last year in four
months We caught II, a phenomenal
number.
THE ice up there is closing in al
ready. We had news while back that
all the boats were frozen in and would
not get back this winter, but | think
ours will return She carries a crew
of 45 men and was built for bucking
ice.
Business conditions in Seattle are
excellent Every thing is going ahead
fine. The big gold strike at Shushana,
Alaska, has drawn lots of people
through Seattle of late.
"By the way, owing to the govern
ment restrictions against the killing of
polar bears, those skins are getting
scarcer. We had $50 come in not long
ago. which I imagine is about half the
worlds supply of the skins this year.
They have to come from the Siberian
side.
"Sealskins are showing marked
decline They are going out of style
and muskrat Is taking their place. |
could get real sealskin a lot easier
tbon D,uclzrat