Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1922-04-29
FIRST IN FURS
BY Frederic J. Haskin

New York, April 2s.--The beaver (
on tho shield OF tho City u New York,
which at timer has appeared trife |
meaningless. has lately become az
lappropriate as II was in the old days
when tho shrcwd traders OF Nieuw
Amsterdam placed 1t there. For New
York now claims 10 be the center OF
the worlds fur industry.
Before the war. Ieipsic enjoyed this
prestige. the German city holding viz
tually monopoly on tho dyeing and
dressing Of all expensive skins But
this year. with some OF Europes'
clevarest furriers transferred to New
York shops and certain secret pro-
cesses evidently transferred with them.
American furs are rivaling and even
surpassing tho fine peltries exhibited
In the Leipsic market
Yet this lead Ia not likely TO be main
tained without q struggle. Tho repu-
tation OF tho German furriers. whose
skill has been famous for centuries.
presents formidable obstacle. Stin
competition is expected not only in the
manufacture and sale OF the finished
skins, but In the control OF the raw
fur market.
Ever since the war, tho American
fur trade has unquestionably held
tho advantage in procuring raw furs,
but tho recent re-entry OF Russia into
the worlds fur business has caused
, a good deal OF uneasiness In New York
fur circles. The first blow fell last
fall when the Soviet Government ship
ped nine carloads OF furs TO Leipsic to
be sold at auction. to pay for German
locomotives and farm equipment. II
fell with all the greater emphasis
b because most Of tho furs were the
conflscated property OF private firms
and individuals. including several
: Americans. Some OF them had come
from the palaces OF former Russian
mobiles. while others had been removed
from the packs OF small fur traders
and the large commercial warehouses.
Among them were about four million
\ dollars worth OF skins belonging 10 a
'. single American firm. They had been
8 gathered in with fine impartiality by
j the Soviet government In it's process
! Of nationalizing all resources.
n Il suppose they demanded even the
= fur capes and neckpieces from the
y women In the streets" remarked q
8 New York fur man recently, in ex-
D planning how his firm had failed to get
n it's furs out of Russia. But, I'll say
$ this for them-they'rs always very
Q polite. They sent all OF us invitations
% to como over to Leipsic and bid or
the goods. even IL they did happen e
: be our own. Perhaps they thought
}. we might cherish a sentimental at
a tachment for some OF the furs, anc
J. they weren't going TO be so mean A
'e to stand in the way Of our buyin,
them back. II we wanted TO.
q Selling s50,O0o,o0o Of Furs.
g The sale last fall was the frs-
f. Since then. there have been severa
Gradually, the Bolsheviki are gettin
le rid of about $50. 900. 900 worth OF fur,
90 These represent old stock which ha
D. been held sinoe the revolution an
IN do not include new skins brought +
ee by the Russian, trappors- We've &c
q, just as good a chance to buy the ne,
is furs as the Germans. Our fur scout
rs are over there now-in Kamchatk
IN and Siberia and down at the cross
is. roads and village fairs Of Mongoiis
st Manchuria, and Persia, Thes
s. Leipsc boys won't have any cinci
ne believe me, even II they are SO friendl
as with the Bolsheviki. Besides, we hay
in the great fur resources of Canada an
d. Alaska TO draw from on the cont
nent here at home
- do -
II with enthusiasm, IS about as excitir
ed sport as II was in the old days whe
IS the Hudson's Bay Company was bu.
forcing its way through the America
wilderness. The only difference is tn:
now the compapy's scouts are chanl
Ing across the Bering Sea and inva,
ing the wilderness OF another cont
nent. There's just as much risk al
- thrill as there ever was-piracy ON Il
high seas. poaching in the seal rool
cries, Indians robbing caches ar
;" traders starving, trappers freezing
death on lost trail, and others grow
ing moderately rich overnight fro
the pelt OF some wonderful silver fox
Trapper Gets $4,000.
Last summer, the fur dealer relate
friend OF his; a young tenderfoot
is or 10. went to the Tanana vail.
In Alaska. to try TO find a gold min
He had studied geology in high scho,
and he believed he knew how TO hui
one. But he was unsuccessful. Fina
ly he gave up the attempt and outfit
to spend the winter in the wilderness
He Just wanted to see the country
he told his disapprovinS friends, wi
tried their best to argue him out
the Idea. That was In the fall, al
they did not see him again uni
February. But when he appeared
caused the sensation of the year |
bringing 20 pelts of silver black fox
with him. He made $4,000 on tn
one trapping expedition.
YES" mused the fur dealer sadl
'if I were only young man, yc
wouldn't find me here in New Yor