INVESTIGATION OF THE FUR-SEAL INDUSTRY OF ALASKA. 745 



Just take notice of this review of the sale of the last batch of 1,800 

 skins taken last year and sold in St. Louis, December 16, last, as 

 published in the Fur News Magazine, New York, January, 1914, 

 page 43, to wit: 



Now, let me read this to you, page 43. 



Mr. Stephens. What is the date of that? 



Mr. Elliott. The Fur News of January, 1914, New York, one of 

 the oldest and best established journals of the trade, 71 West Twenty- 

 third Street, New York City. A. L. Belden, president; Paul Belden, 

 secretary and treasurer. Page 43. 



SEAL SALE. 



The most widely, if not best, advertised seal sale was held in St. Louis on December 

 16, 1913. Prices as compared with the 1912 collection were nearly 40 per cent lower, 

 though the offering of 1912 skins was more than thre'e times greater. 



The skins were purchased as follows: 



For New York : 



Charles S. Porter, for G. Gaudig & Blum 953 



C. & E. Chapal Freres & Co 179 



Otto Erler 180 



J. D. Williams 90 



Total 1, 402 



For St. Paul : 



E. Albrecht & Son 131 



For St. Louis: 



Samuel Kessler , for Kolb & Teich 196 



Samuel Pingree 83 



Stix, Baer & Fuller 141 



Total 320 



For Leipzig: 



Lomer & Co 45 



Grand total 1, 898 



This was the smallest seal sale held since the Government purchased Alaska in 1867, 

 and more unnecessary expense was directly attached to it by Government action 

 than any sale of seals ever held; the total amount realized for the skins sold in St. 

 Louis on December 16, 1913, was $55,156, an average of $29.06. 



Where are those $50 skins? 



Mr. Patton. How many skins were sold? 



Mr. Elliott. One thousand eight hundred and ninety-eight. Yet 

 they could not get any $50 average. They could not get 1,898 skins 

 to bring $50. 



An average of $29.06 was very low compared with recent years, and a decline of 

 nearly 40 per cent in average as compared with the sale of the 1912 collection. 



The highest price, December 16, 1913, was $52 per skin, for only one lot of 43 skins; 

 highest in 1912 was $58 per skin for 109 skins; the lowest price, 1913, was $15. 



Only one lot, the smallest lot in the offering, 18 skins, brought more than in 1912, 

 and only 71 cents more per skin. 



In December, 1910, the first year in which the Government sold the skins on its 

 own account, the sale being held in London, with a total of 13,584 skins, the average 

 price realized was $32.76. 



Mr. Patton. When was this? 



Mr. Elliott. December, 1910. I have been reading this to you 

 from the Fur Nevjs. 



