Evening Republican, Volume 16, Number 25, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 29 January 1912 — Will Market Cats [ARTICLE]

Will Market Cats

Company Proposes to Raise Tabbies for Their Fur. Animal Society’s Views—Treasurer Bergh Frowns on Scheme, but Fur Dealer Has Nothing but Praise for It. Corona, L. I. —This city is to have a cat farm, to be run on the same plan as a chicken farm or any othdr kind residents of Corona who foresee a fortune in selling the skins of the cats. Judging by the sentiment prevailing against cat farms, however, the Corona Catskin company, as it is to be called, will have troubles of its own before very long. The company was organized recently and It was said that application for a charter will be made to the secretary of state within a few days. The promoters are to pay nominal sums for all stray cats that can be gathered

up within a reasonable freight rate radius. Having possession of these cats, they intend to go into the business of breeding cats on a large scale. Should this scheme become effective the first to oppose it will undoubtedly be the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. Henry Bergh, treasurer of the society and a member of the board of managers, when asked about such a scheme recently, said that in his opinion the society would be authorized to interfere. “I/donT think the object attained by the killing of cats by wholesale,” he said, “would be justifiable. Of course it raises a point which would first have to be decided. "The promoters of the catskin company might argue that killing cats for their fur Is no more unjustifiable than killing birds for their feathers. I doubt whether it would be justifiable to kill cats under any consideration unless the flesh of the animal Is to be used as food. Of course, I realize that some use might be made of the

flesh other than for food purposes, but this, to my mind, would be unjustlliable cruelty to animals. The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals will certainly Investigate such an institution if it becomes effective.’ The use of common, ordinary domestic catskins in the fur business, although not common, has’ been heard of in this city. The fur appears on the market under various trade names, and a select lot of skins, it Is said, can be utilized to such advantage as to make a fine appearancel I. Freundlich of I. Freundlich 80 Sons, furriers, said that in his opinion there would be a big market for a catskin Industry, so large, In fact] that enough eats to furnish the demand could never be raised. ■ ■ “I would not be surprised at all to see such industries flourish in the future.”