Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-10-06
r 1c Thirst and Fur Traders
ny Frederic .. IIaallIn

f9Y ffF1fft'
Montreal, r. O., Canada, Oct. Co. 1
This city ie rapidly acqi&ing popu-
larifv with visitors from the States
Moro Americans than usual are here |
and they are coming from greater
distances. Their appreciation of Mon
trea is not go much due 10 its being
o. picturesque old metropolis and the
NTH city Of North America. of which
fact Montreal is not little proud u
IL chiefly prohibition which II send
ing the extra visitors and which -
bringing Montreal into fame az the sec
ond most cheerful place In The western
hemisphere Havana, ~ course. being
the fret.
Last year. Montreal was even more
cheerful than ~ now ~. Then liquor
was not restricted tn beer and wines.
and Montreal entertained one conven-
ton after another. until II threatened
10 become the convention center ~
the continent. But even now. with
the Province Of Quebec limited as 20
variety Of drinks. il is as an oasis IN
q desert. Ontario next door, being
quite dry.
II is said that Montreal viii take
advantage Of it's popularity 70 revive
I It's sports. neglected since the war.
when IS 900 Of its young men de-
parted 10 the front, and that II viii
| try to become a winter resort. Ths
Montrealers insist that their section
of the country IS not a land ~ chatter
ing teeth in winter, but an ideal, hrnc
ing climate. Five or 10 below zero
they claim. marks the depth of the
average cold winter day, and from
this level the thermometer rises som,
10 or rs degrees in the middle Of th'
day II Is dry cold with little hu
midity to make the chill penetrating
Montreal Is not the only Canadiaf
city that would like % make wintel
sports The fashion and itself tn
I.ucerne % America. But with it
special attractions for Americans
Montreal is the most favorably stu
ated lust now. II any Canadian cit.
can do &C. Montreal should be able z
start a fad OF skiing. ice yachtine
and sieighlug among the first fami
] lies Of the United states.
, Montreal. however, is not depen
dent on either liquor or the air castl
! of winter sport trade for its pros
! perity It Is. among various othe
things. a center OF the fur trade. an
a stronghold Of the convent schoS
business. where the best French ac
!, cents come from.
The fur houses are down near tn
Z wharves. Tall warehouses make car
, yons OF the narrow, dingy streets
!. big building here and there display
q few furs as a perfunctory sign, b'
mostly there are only the names
the companies for advertising. IT
buyers know their territory.
Z The Fur Section.
. TO find the furs you have 20 go NJ
d stairs In one If these big wholesa
% houses where the buyers for the r
4 tail trade do business 4 long room
lined on one side with deep racks
r expensive furs, protected. and divide
: into cupboards, by red veiv
curtains.
on the other side the length
- the room is divided into alcoves wi
I, partitions reaching nearly TO the ce
= ing. Each aicove has It's gray wick
chair and table where a buyer can
e unobserved by the others and note q
~ STYLES ne wishes to purchases y
tween the buyers and the racks
dark furs. the models parade. twiriii
- and slouchfng 10 show off the sii
" richness Of the costly mink. sable Al
- seal.
% Furs from all over Canada 20
&c into Montreal and from here
De scattered abroad. Some pieces. co
ne panatively few in the bulk OF the ira
are carried to the United States
- feminine visitors TO Canada. The r
I OF exchange is an attraction,
II then too there are said to be allur
/ bargains in furs here, especially DO
4 in the wholesale district.
Hi The products Of the convent schc
/ are as interesting to a stranger
II furs. Outside OF school hours III
bands Of convent school children
/ be seen walking sedately along
streets. sometimes with a black
brown robed sister in charge. The =
II wear black uniform with high n
and long sleeves. and generally
H some sort of stiff white collar
cuffs The unusual feature Of the
HI tune is that it apparently imposes
restriction on the sort Of hat that =
be worn, and the combinatieS o
n row of somber black dresses top
II by bObbing hats wreathed y
daisies, forget-me-nots. or gay stre'
ers of pink and blue ribbon, is ST
ing.
There are a great many of the {
vents. Montreal is a city Of inst
Il tions. There are innumerable q
I gray stone piIes-hospitals, MOI
Il teries, asylums, schOols-nearly
. H under the direction Of some chur'
III organization, and nearly all Frenc
!. II When you consider that four-y
Of Montreal is French, this is not !
prising. The surprising fact is
so much good English is spoken.
of the people seem to use
i, /. tongues. The public schools Il
: Il both. and the government issues al
7 + lproclamations and street signs