CAT AND RAT FUR COMPANY (THE)

CAT AND RAT FUR COMPANY. Following WORLD WAR I, some people having nothing to do circulated pamphlets for this company, in jest, soliciting funds. In 1946 a similar pamphlet was circulated. The 1920 circular read:

                       The Cat and Rat Fur Company
                           Capital--$1,000,000
                                Dubuque, Iowa
                              January 5, 1920

           My dear friend:

           Knowing of your good business judgment, we take the liberty
           to address you on a subject which to us, seems a most
           wonderful business proposition.  You, no doubt will wire
           us immediately for a thousand shares. Care "Julien Dubuque"
           (America's most beautiful hotel).

           The object of the company is to operate a cat ranch.

           To start with, we will collect 100,000 cats. Each cat will
           have 12 kittens each year on an average. The skins will run
           from 10 cents for the white ones to 75 cents for the pure
           black ones. This will give us Twelve Million skins per year,
           which will average 30 cents each, or a revenue of about
           $10,000 per day.

           We can get men to skin 50 cats per day for $2. It will take 
           100 men to operate this ranch. The net profit will be
           $9,000 per day.

           We will feed the cats on rats as we will operate a rat farm
           next door.  The rats multiply four times as fast as the
           cats.

           If we start with one million rats, we will have four rats 
           for each cat, which is plenty.

           We will feed the rats on the cats that have been skinned,
           giving each rat one-fourth of a cat.

           It will be seen that the business is self-supporting from
           the start. The cats will eat the rats, and the rats will
           eat the cats and we will reap the profits.

           You will please not mention this to outsiders, as just at
           this time there is a very decided stand being taken
           against profiteering, and we do not wish to have the ill
           will of anyone.

           Hoping to hear from you promptly, and believing you will
           appreciate the opportunity which we are extending you as
           a personal friend, we remain,
   
                               Very Truly Yours,
                               The Cat and Rat Fur Company

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Source:

"Cat and Rat Ranch Ruse is Revived," The Telegraph-Herald, July 28, 1946, p. 1