FUR FARMING SECTION
PUBLISHED EVERY FRIDAY
This section is open fcr discussion of anything pertaining
to fur farming.
Information concerning stock, site, house and pen con
struction, equipment, cost, breeding, mating, feeding, cooking
recipes, sanitation, prevention of contagious diseases, disinfec
tion, trapping, killing, pelting, marketing, packing, shipping
and other notes are welcomed for publication,—with due credit
to the author.
This section is intended to be the common meeting ground
for fur farmers. Interchange of ideas, helpful information, con
structive suggestions anent these particulars should readily
solve vexatious problems of fur farming. Readers are urged to
take advantage of this section and help The Gateway foster fur
farming throughout Alaska.
BLUE-FOX FARMING IN ALASKA
(By Frank G. Ashbrook. Bureau of Biological Survey)
RANCH ORGANIZATION
The ranch site having been chos
en, consideration should be given
to the location of the dwelling
bouse, feed-storage, cook house,
.smokehouse, and and any other
structure. For convenience, the
dwelling should be as near as pos
sible to the harbor or landing place.
'In order to look after the foxes
properly on large islands it may be
necessary to construct one or more
additional dwellings or cabins.
The feed-storage shed also should
be built near the dock in order to
make the haul from the boat as
-short as possible. This structure
may be of roughly cut timbers, log
cabin style. For cleanliness and
■sanitation dressed lumber should be
\ised when practicable. It is not
■essential to construct vats in which
to brine-cure or salt-pack fish.
Ximited quantities of fish can be
-salted in barrels or tierces. A cut
ting table or chopping block is an
aid when dressing the fish as well
as when cutting them into suitable
.sizes to feed.
Most ranchers cook cereal with
the fish at certain seasons of the
year, and for this purpose build a
caldron or a specially designed
steam cooker either in the feed
bouse or just outside. The steam
cooker, although somewhat slower
than a direct-fire caldron, cooks
the food more thoroughly and
without burning or scorching it.
Steam-pressure cookers of various
sizes on the market hasten cooking
and simplify the process.
A smokehouse for smoking fish
or other feed for the foxes should
be erected in the vicinity of the
feed-storage house. As dressed fish
must be carried or otherwise con
veyed to the smokehouse, distance
is an item to be considered. The
in Awards for
RAPPERS/
Get your share this season of this
extra fur money which is offered
to trappers everywhere by the
THIRD NATIONAL
FUR SHOW
FREE!!
Johnny Muskrat’s now
book/*Tips to Trappers"
—the only book of its kind
—written for trapper?, by
trappers— with many
photos taken right on the
trap-line. Gives modem
methods of trapping,
handling and selling your
fUrs for most profit. Con
tains full details of our
UJAftl
$2,000.00
C5
Vk’
Free Fur
* Marketing Service
which, since 1925, has en -
abled many thousands of
trappers to obtain more
fur money. Learn now
how the World’s Largest
Store can help you—write
for Johnny Muskrat’s
new book today!
H. A. Barker. Notaaolai
Ala., whose Mink ill
waa indited to be the bei
luidled oaJt entered i
huidled pelt
laet year a show.
YOU CAN WIN
1st Award $2000.0
2nd Award. 500.0
3rd Award .250.0
4th Award .100.0
2IS Honorable
Montion OM ra oi
Awards of Sio 2150.0
iO2250.(1
Sears, Roebuck & Co.
Mall This
SKpBs Kenaas'Hity /
Coupon to *•***'•
(Write nearest point) /
SENT FREE
SEARS, ROEBUCK AND CO. / ^ r „
Please mail me without cost OoUOU
or obligation Johnny Muskrat's new'-- ?
book explaining your free fur marketing service
and the Third National Fur Show. 8
Postoffice.
Rural box
..Route.No.
as *ive both your Rome and Box Number
if on a Rural Route _
Street Address.
size of the house depends upon* the
quantity of feed required.
Foxes should not be killed and
pelted in the building where feed
is stored or prepared; if necessary,
a special shed should be built for
the purpose. Such use of the feed
house would not be sanitary and,
in addition, it would favor the!
chances of transmission of disease.!
Structures for temporary occu-1
pancy, such as are required for in- 1
jured, sick or newly purchased fox- (
es, may be comparatively small, j
The style and method of construc
tion will depend upon the location
and lay of the land. A temporary
pen used for the purpose may be
10 feet long, six feet wide, and six
feet high. A frame of two by four
material is entirely covered by No.
115-guage wire netting of one and
! a half inch mesh, with a small
{door in the front. As the pen rests
j directly on the ground, it is well
; to cover the floor wire with sand j
| or fine gravel and earth. This ma-1
j terial should be removed frequently j
| and clean dirt substituted to pre- !
vent contamination. A small nest'
box should be placed inside the j
pen. or outside and connected with
it by a chute.
BREEDING STOCK AND
EQUIPMENT
The number of foxes to be pur
chased to stock an island depends
very largely upon the financial
ability of the person engaging in
the industry and upon the size of
the island. Some island ranches
of 100 or more acres have been
started with only one or two pairs
of breeders; but this is impractical,
for the reason that much time is
involved in waiting for a sufficient
increase to permit the taking of
pelts or the selling of breeding
stock. A 50 to 100 acre island may
ordinarily be stocked with 10 to 20
pajrs oi| foxes. Good breeding
stock can usually be purchased for
$300 to $400 a pair.
A moderate-sized dwelling of
logs or frame construction for the
caretaker and his family can be
Advances will be made
fis usual when request
ed. Transferred by tel
egraph if desired.
Special sales held on
request of shippers.
Seattle Fur Exchange
S5 MARION STREET VIADUCT
SEATTLE, USA
I
built for $500 to $2,000, depending
largely on the cost of labor. Large
Islands sometimes require more
than one dwelling to provide proper
distribution of caretakers. A com
bined feed, storage,* and cook house
; frame construction, will cost $300
I to $500. Smokehouses cost $500 to >
I $700, depending upon the plan.
! Trap-feed houses, which should be
I erected at numerous points about i
| the island, cost $15 to $25 each, de
! pending upon the quality of lum
I ber used and the labor. Feed cook
ers can be constructed or pur
chased at a cost of $15 to $50. De
j tention pens are necessary to con
fine foxes during short periods for
i various purposes, and can be built
|for $25 to $50.
i A good, substantial boat is need
ed to procure fish for feed, to feed
the foxes, and to transport sup
plies to and from the mainland or
other points. The location of the
island, harbor facilities, and the
quantity of supplies to be trans- j
ported will help determine the -j
kind of boat to be purchased. A 1
motor boat used for short, light |
hauls can be purchased for $600
to $1,000. A boat used for travers- j
ing long distances will cost $2,000
to $4,000.
COMMUNITY CHURCH
10 a. m. Sunday School.
11 a. m. Morning Service. Theme: |
“Allies of God’s Kingdom. Some j
organizations not distinctly Christ- I
tian which are the result of Christ- j
ian influences.”
6:30 p. m. Epworth League. All j
young people of Seward are invit- '
ed to attend and take part in the !
League meetings.
7:30 p. m. Evening Service. Sub- j
ject: “Feeding the Five Thousand.” j
This sermon will be beautifully il- j
lustrated by some of the pictures1
by great artists.
Everybody welcome to the serv- ,
ices of this church regardless of ;
race or creed. Form the habit of j
church attendance.
The Seward Chamber of Com
merce met at its regular weekly
session today at the Electric Bak
ery, the meeting having been post
poned from yesterday! because it
was Thanksgiving Day.
Try 4iur Seattio ice Cream
Fresh on every boat at SYLVIA’S
LEGAL NOTICE
No. S-311
MARSHAL’S PUBLISHED NOTICE
OF ARREST
In the District Court for the Ter
ritory of Alaska, Third Division.
IN ADMIRALTY.
GILBERT M. CHAMBERS, doing
business under the name, style,
and designation of Chambers &
Colwell, Libelant,
against
AMERICAN GAS SCREW SAN
MARCO (213320), her engines,
tackle apparel and furniture, Re
spondent.
NOTICE:
I have arrested the foregoing ves
sel upon a libel filed in a cause of
contract, civil and maritime, for
the sum of $294.83 and interest
thereon.
Process returnable and cause
heard on opening of said Court on
Tuesday, December 8th, 1931, if the
same shall be a day of jurisdiction,
otherwise on the next day of Juris
diction thereafter, at the Federal
Court House at Seward, in the di
vision and territory aforesaid, and
all persons interested must appear
or default and condemnation will
be ordered.
Dated Seldovia, Alaska, Novem
ber 10th, 1931.
H. P. SULLIVAN,
United States Marsha!, Third
Division, Territory of Alaska.
By MILO HULBURT,
Deputy Marshal.
L. V. RAY, Proctor for Libelant,
Seward, Alaska.
Publish Nov. 16, 23, 30, Dec. 7.
M. & W. CLUB
WARD & MITCHELL
Where good fellows get
together.
SEWARD’S
POPULAR
CARD ROOM
FROZE FEET
A trapper named McDaniels,
who traps out of Paxon’s Road
house on the Richardson Highway,
froze his feet while walking his
trapline, reports the Chitina Her
ald. He fell through the ice while
crossing a creek and because his
feet were wet they froze on him
before he could get to the road
house. It is said that McDaniels
will probably lose two toes.
Elmer MacNamee and “Happy”
Ratsford, who have been up Resur
rection Valley after moose, were
successful in bringing down one of
good size.
Don’t miss the "Talkies!”
For satisfaction, try our Seattle
Purity Ice Cream. ALASKA SHOP.
Custom tanners
of fur skins and
buckskin. Taxi
dermist on b i c
Fame rugs, wall
mounts. Manu
facturer of
chokers, coats
and gloves of
latest styles.
Send for oar
catalogue.
—We buy teeth for mounting—
W. W. WEAVER. Reading Michigan
A Masters Work
Jonas Bros, offer you a com
plete Fur, Taxidermy and
Tanning Service.— unexcelled
anywhere.
Game heads, fur rugs, birds,
etc., mounted true to nature.
Your raw fur skins dressed
and made into coats and
chokers.
Write for free catalogue.
JONAS BROS.
1030 Broadway, Denver, Colo.
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NEW YORK
■KuitsYbur
FURS
The purchasing power
of the American fur in
dustry is concentrated in
New York, the fur center
of the world. Offer your
raw furs to these buyers
through the NEW YORK
AUCTION CO., INC. This
Is the safest and best
method of marketing your
merchandise.
Let us put you on our
mailing list. Write us
today.
NEW YORK AUCTION Cftl
liM-orporated
226 West 26th Street
NEW Y03&K
The BEST place for
CLEANING
PRESSING
and ALTERATIONS
AT
C. Henning’s
Tailor Shop
NUKA BAY TRANS
PORTATION CO.
MS ROLPH III
Leaves Seward 20th
of each month
Capt. Pete Sather
For Charter or Hire
4*
A
WHEN WINTER COMES
IS YOUR house packed to the eaves with tremend
ous stores of flour . . . meat . . . clothing . . . and
other supplies to carry you through the long winter ?
Not very likely!
But if not, won’t you—like the butterfly that
played all summer without a thought of the cold
days to come—won’t you be in danger of facing
famine, months before spring comes around again?
Certainly not!
When wintry winds are blowing their coldest,
and the storm is wailing like forgotten banshees on
the roof-top, the chances are you may be eating juicy
strawberries from Costa Rica and fresh asparagus
from Florida. For the day of storing up supplies
against the barrenness of winter has gone forever.
It has passed when America ceased to be a lot ofj
scattered communities, and became a nation united
by swift line of transportation.
4
As you read the advertisements telling you just
what the stores contain for you, fresh to your order,
remember that here are the inexhautible store
rooms of today . . . storerooms that have banished!
forever the anxieties that went with the snows of
yesteryear.