The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1914-06-28
|OOES BUSINESS IN
| LIVE YOUNG FOXES
Local Man Sells Animals to Clubs
and IndlviduaIs In Eastern and
the Southern
States.
USED IN FOX HUNTING
One New York Millionaire Places Or
der for Five Hundred-Hunt
With Autos In
Texas.
USED IN FOX HUNTING

/ One Of the most unique lines of
business that was ever conducted in
| Keokuk is that which c. B. Pinkerton
a young business man Of this city. has
been making side line during the
last couple Of months. This business
is that of buying and selling live
foxes, which are shipped here from
many western and southern states
and sent out from here to hunting
clubs and individuals in eastern and
southern states.
| Pinkerton took up this business
some time during the latter part or
April. Since that time he has han
1 dled over 200 of the animals, and
/ finds that the business Is increasing
in size constantly. There is a great
demand for foxes. especially young
ones, in the east and south. Fox
hunts, one of the most popular forms
of sport among rich people in certain
sections Of the country, are becoming
less frequent on account OF the fact
that the fox is becoming almost ex-
tinct in the eastern states.
In order that fox hunting may be
kept up It is necessary to import the
animals from western states. The
demand for them Is enormous and
Pinkerton has no trouble in dispos-
| ing Of all he can obtain One man,
H. j. Nichols, of Garden City, Long
Island, New York, has placed an or
der with Pinkerton for five hundred
foxes to be shipped as soon as they
AZ:
millionaire. owns five thousand acre
farm on Long Island and has fenced
in the whole estate with wire fence
that the animals cannot get through.
He expects to have one of the best
places in the country for fox hunting.
Pinkerton says the greater number
OF the animals are sold in New York.
However, he also sells many to
wealthy ranchers in Texas where fox
hunting by automobiles is becoming
a popular sport. Others are sold to
clubs and individuals in South Caro-
lima, Alabama, Mississippi and vii-
gfnia where there is a great demand
for them among wealthy pleasure
seekers. fs8
The animals are purchased in near
~ ali of the central western states
west of the Mississippi. Iowa, Kansas
and Nebraska supply most of them.
Although there are many hunters in
these states who sell their whole "out-
put" to Pinkerton. he also buys many
Of them from farmers who happen to
run on to den occasionally. Pinker-
e. hut the IN I'D
vertisements in the newspapers in
various sections of the country.
The animals are purchased for
amounts ranging from 81 to $3.50, ac-
cording to their age and condition. Al |
though foxes of all ages are pur-
chased, the younger ones, those Of
from three weeks to three or four
are most desired and bring
better prices. No foxes are pur-
chased if crippled or in bad health.
The animals are shipped in crates
with screen wire on one or two sides
81 the crate. They seem to stand
travel easily, but are always very
wild when they reach here. They
are fed raw meat, generally hamburg
or. After reaching here they are
Kept for several days in order to let
hem rest up for a while before con-
.inuing their journey to their new
1omes. The young foxes are very
pretty little creatures and look as
,hough they would make charming
,ets, but in reality they are very wild
md 1t is very seldom that anyone
succeeds in tanning them. So far as
8 known, Mr.. Pinkerton is the only
nan in the country who is doing q
business in foxes.