532 IN THE PAST. 



business was greatly developed about the year 1870 through the efforts 

 of C. M. Lainpson & Co. ; that about that time the firm of J. M. Oppen- 

 heim & Co. found great difficulties in getting the skins properly un- 

 haired, dressed, and dyed, which difficulties culminated in a strike of 

 their operatives about the year 1873, the result of which was that the 

 firm of Martin & Teichmann took over that portion of the business of 

 Messrs. Oppenheim & Co. connected with the dressing and dyeing of 

 far-seal skins as aforesaid, and began a system of education of their 

 own operatives, and that from that time until within a year ago the 

 business of dressing and dyeing skins has been practically controlled 

 by the firms of Martin & Teichmann & Co. and C. W. Martin & Sons, 

 and has become an established and important industry, in which a 

 large amount of capital is invested and a large number of persons em- 

 ployed. 



The principal market for the skins of such Southern Pacific and 

 v ., „ . , . .„„ Atlantic seals was, as deponent is informed, found 



in the Chinese ports. 



The history of the seal-skin fishery coming from the Northern 



Pacific regions is briefly as follows: 

 Emil Teichmann, p. 579. In the early part of the century a Russian com- 

 pany was formed which obtained from the Rus- 

 sian Government a right to kill seals, both upon the Commander and 

 Pribilof islands and in and around the Bering Sea. Up to the year 

 1853 about 20,000 skins were annually received in London from the 

 company in the parchment state. By the parchment state I mean skins 

 which were dried with the top or water hair left on. They were not, 

 in consequence of this method of preservation by drying, in a condi- 

 tion to be unhaired, and they were, after having been dressed in Lon- 

 don, largely returned to the Russian markets. 



In the year 1853 a trial shipment of salted skins was made to J. M. 

 Oppenheim & Co., in London, in pursuance, as deponent is informed, 

 of suggestions theretofore sent out by Messrs. Oppenheim that an at- 

 tempt should be made to salt the skins, but owing to the defective 

 curing this shipment was a failure. By degrees, however, the curing 

 by means of salting was improved, and in 1858 a contract was made 

 by the Russian American Company to ship to Messrs. J. M. Oppen- 

 heim & Co an annual supply of from 10,000 to 12,000 skins delivered 

 in London at 10s. 10(1. a skin. The quantity was increased in 1804 to 

 20,000 skins. This contract remained in force until the Alaska Territory 

 became the property of the United States. In addition to the salted 

 shins covered by the contract last referred to, Messrs. Oppenheim & Co. 

 also received during these years about 10,000 skins from the Russian 

 American Company per annum, which were dried in the old-fashioned 

 way and not salted. 



Deponent says that what may be termed the fur-seal business has 

 largely been built up by the efforts of the Alaska 



Emil Teichmann, p. 582. Commercial Company, the North American Com- 

 mercial Company, and the firm of C. M. Lamson 

 & Co. 



That it depends to a considerable extent upon making seal-skins an 

 article of fashion and of trade. 



