APPENDIX A 



151 



squabs I can use, but will start with two 

 dozen a week, picked, at $2.50 per dozen. 

 Ship as soon as you please and will look the 

 market up for you in the meantime." 



Gordon & Co., commission merchants, 811 

 Western Avenue, Seattle, Wash. (Feb. 13, 

 1903): " Replying to your letter will say that 

 we have telephoned to several of the hotels 

 and restaurants here that would be apt to 

 use squabs and we find that there are some 

 places that make a specialty of using them 

 and we do not believe we would have any 

 trouble in disposing of them nicely. We 

 would suggest that yoti send down a small 

 box of them and let us show the customers 

 just what they are and find out jnst what 

 they will be willing to pay for them. They 

 have been selling recently for 25 cents each. 

 If you care to make this shipment, we will 

 be glad to get it." 



Seattle Market, Cor. First Avenue South 

 and Washington Street, Seattle, Wash, (Feb. 

 10, 1903): " In reply to yours would say, it 

 would be a good idea for you to ship us in 

 two or three dozen squabs for sample. I could 

 get the hotel and restaurant people's opin- 

 ion on price and quality and be able to talk 

 to you on quantity. Eastern frozen squabs 

 are selling on this market for %2 to $2.25 per 

 dozen. If your stock is as you say, I think 

 it would be a better seller than frozen goods." 

 Maison Barberis, restaurant and dining 

 parlors, 204-210 James Street, Seattle, Wash. 

 (Feb. 11. 1903) : '* We will take thirty dozen 

 squabs every month; have them plucked, and 

 will pay you $3 per dozen. Please answer 

 and say about what day of the month you 

 will send them in." 



E. C. Klyce & Co., commission merchants, 

 906 Western Avenue, Seattle, Wash. (Feb. 13, 

 1903) : " Yours regarding squabs to hand. 

 We have investigated the market here and 

 find a good many of the first-class hotels and 

 cafes will take them at very fair figures. 

 There seems to be a variance of opinion as to 

 what they will pay, but we presume that the 

 supply has been very limited, and they 

 woiild pay just about whatever the seller 

 would ask in order to get them. We think 

 the average price would be about $2.50 to 

 $2.75 per dozen. Of covirse there would be 

 some bidding among the different buyers in 

 case they were scarce, and we might get more 

 for them. We have immediate access by 

 'phone and salesmen with all our customers 

 who serve squabs for short orders or other- 

 wise. By this means you would be in close 

 touch with the people most in need of them 

 and would always try to get you top-notch 

 prices. We believe this is a good investment 

 for you to grow them for this market. Of 

 course you would have to start in and grad- 

 uate up to find how large the volume of trade 

 will be that we can command you on them. 

 Anything in the way of game, fowls or meats 

 are staple sellers at good prices." 

 Hamm & Schmitz, Hotel Butler, Seattle, 



Wash. (Feb. 12, 1903): '* In reply to yours, 

 will say that we could use three dozen a 

 week of the squabs and will pay three dollars 

 per dozen for plucked birds, laid down here." 



The above letters indicate to us that peo- 

 ple in the State of Washington who eat squabs 

 have to pay from $3 to $4 a dozen for the 

 cold storage , frozen kind. Poor as these 

 are (they are the lightweight squabs of com- 

 mon pigeons) they are in active demand. 

 Of course the consumers would pay as much, 

 and no doubt more, for fresh-killed squabs 

 bred from our fine Homers. The commis- 

 sion men are certainly eager to get squabs. 

 They are willing to pay from $2 to $3.50 per 

 dozen. They resell them at a profit. 



The above letter from E. C. Klyce & Co. 

 is sensible and could well be written by any 

 commission firm in any State in the Union, 

 or by any commission firm anywhere that 

 sells poultry, eggs and butter. Wherever 

 there is a sale for hens and chickens, dressed 

 or with feathers on, there is a sale for squabs 

 at higher prices not only because they are 

 a greater delicacy, but also because good 

 eaters everywhere know they are a greater 

 delicacy, and expect to pay, and do pay, more 

 for squabs, pound for pound, than they pay 

 for hens and chickens, geese and turkeys. 



We ship to Seattle by the fastest express 

 trains. The birds go from Boston to St. 

 Paul (Minnesota) by the Wells-Fargo Express 

 Company. At St. Paul the birds are taken 

 by the Northern Pacific Express Com,pany, 

 which has charge of them to destination. 

 Every express messenger in the employ of 

 these two companies of this long route has 

 handled our shipments and made a fine 

 record, and is trained to the work of feeding 

 and \vatering all sizes of shipments. Our 

 Seattle trade can be sure that their ship- 

 ments will be treated right and will reach 

 them in perfect condition. That is what we 

 guarantee. 



MORE LETTERS. Here are more letters 

 from squab buyers, unclassified, as they came 

 to us in the first part of February, 1903: 



Allyn House, Hartford, Conn. (February, 

 1903): " In answer to yours will say we are 

 continually using squabs. We buy them 

 plucked in all cases. We pay all prices, ac- 

 cording to size, age, and condition when re- 

 ceived. They nm from $2.25 to $3.25 per 

 dozen. Sometimes the market is a little 

 higher." 



Russell House, Detroit, Michigan (Feb- 

 ruary, 1903) : " In reply to your letter would 

 say that we use quite a few squabs here. Am 

 paying at present $2.50 per dozen for splen- 

 did stock. If you care to send me any at 

 that, you have to pay the express, I should 

 be glad to have same." 



Duquesne Club, Pittsburg, Penn. (Feb. 11, 

 1903): "Wish to know, if you have squabs 

 of first quality. Should you have about three 

 dozen on hand, I would pay you per dozen. 



