Democratic Sentinel, Volume 14, Number 28, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 1 August 1890 — The Seal Skin Industry. [ARTICLE]

The Seal Skin Industry.

Tne killing and skinning of the seals is altogether performed by native Aleuts, who are paid 40 cents a skin for their work. From the fat of the seal an oil is obtained which affords a most brilliant and beautiful light. The seal skins are taken to London in their salted state, and are there delivered at an establishment which is one of the two great fur markets of the world, the other being at Lcipsic. To these two emporiums all the furs of the world are brought by the pro ducers and sorted out by experts according to quality and colors. Once a year each of the two great establishments has an auction sale to which fur buyers cpme from everywhere. All the furs are catalogued, so that a merchant can procure any number of anysort of skins, perfectly matched-, without seeing them at all before he makes the purchase. All the seal skins of the world go to the London emporium, because nowhere else than in England is the art of preparing them understood. In the British metropolis there are many big factories, employing thousands of workmen, devoted to this industry.— [Washington Star.