The independent. [volume] (Elizabeth City, N.C.) 1908-1936, 1925-12-25
WHERE MILADY
GETS HER COAT.
Elizabeth City Ships Many
Cconskins to Wrap the Coun-
try's WSmen In

Young people ot the nOrtn, IS
putting more money IN the
! hands Of trarpcvS in the
swamps of Northeastern North
: Carolina. and much oi this fur
along with the skins OF other
animals. is being handled thru
/ Elizabeth City.
/ Many trapperS in thu sUampS aud
marshes Of Currituck. Camden.
Dare. Tyrrcll and rcrquimans. aud
i'm the edge uC the great Dismal
Swamp In lasQuotank and Gates
j Counties, are making good money
/ this SEASON. Most of them are
! amateurs and small brys after
Christmas money, but many profes-
iunals arc busy ut this work, and
many of them make $1,000 OF moro
from November /. To March l. But
il Is hard work 10 trap auimals IN
the SwampS. for "n" must rise long
b. :ore daylight. and brave tho briarS
and mirr Of the SNampS 10 take his
animals from the traps. suffering
!cold, exposure aud terrible fatigue.
". II. Glover. who handles much
of the fur that is brought to Eliz-
abe,h City recalls few years ago
that he used to buy musk-rat skins
by the boatload. one boatload, Of
T,s,p skins brought from Dare Coun-
", brought eight and half cents
apiece. Today. these lowlr animals
of the marshes. are sought more
widely for the fur on their backs.
and their skins bring 81 or more
for the fur Is in great demand for
wumen'S coats. When manufactured
it is known as Hudson seal. and
the finished coats cost 500. To call
it mus'rat would destroy its demand.
There is n lot OF hazard TO the
fur business. Mr.. Clover says. For
Que thing, the fur of our mild south
Crn climate is not - good as the rlr
nf the north. Then there is a risk
caused 10y changing styles. Two
years ago, mink skins were in great
demand. ard worth rs much rs SIG.
while coonSkinS were valued at only
about $3. CoonskinS today are up
10 ST. for the best grades while
mink skins are down tU 50.
The most valuable a6ilnal caush;
in this section is the otter. His fnr
is worth from $50 TO $50. Minks are
valued ~ Sj~to so, coons from S3 to
81. MuS'ratS 81 10 Sl.2o. O'possum
Z. cents 10 $l.25. the gray fox ut
S22.Ju. aud wild cats only O cents
10 81
May womrn will hc surprised tp
know that the popular ronry tur
is made from The skin Cf Australian
harcS or white rabbits. and extra
processes make il Scalinc and
French seal. the ordinary rabbitskin
coat being worth from S3I 10 $50,
while the French seal coat of longer
fur. is worth 500.
The piniu American posSum goes
hv his regular name. aud makes q
fur coat valued at S2gi. but the
squirrel cost is higher, aud brings
from 500 ~ $500 several Of these
coats are lcing worn by Elizabeth
CITY women. The squirrel is Rus,
sian variety. however. .
The popular Mandrl fur. With
which many coatS are Eiinmc1, Is
from the back Of sheep grown in
Asia Minor. The fur from Persian
lambs, is very popular and cxpen.
size. because Ot its kinky qualities
while certain pony skin fur is also
expensive and popular.
The fur cont is expensive, says
N. Leigh Sheep Of the Woman's
Wear Store. because only 4 small
strip from the lack of each mus'rat
for instance. is used. and II takes
many furS To make Il coat. More.
over. the processes OF tanning hltleS
iand dyHinS furS is expensive. And
lStylrS change. The least valuable
fur may become the most expensive.
hcca,IN,, Il particular fur may be- all
the fad. For instance oposSum and
mrI>'r rat furS long considered poor
for warmth, and wear, are now Ialu-
able, because modern dyeing AMI
merchandising methods have made
them popular. Women wear furS
more for adornmcnt rather than
warmth.
And 80 man continues To trap the
unfortunate animal who 1areS not
come ont in the day light, but must
. remain hidden from the eyes OF
, man. Coming forth cautiously ut
night. 10 hunt bis food. Il cruel trap
catches his slender foot unawares.
, cruchcS it painfully till the trappcr' :
footsteps comes crunching thru the
early morning hours to take the
suffering animal. and Il blow on the
head ends his misery. The happiest
dancing squirrel, cracking his acornS
Medicine has no place i'll fitting