Monmouth weekly herald. [volume] (Freehold, N.J.) 1854-1860, 1857-05-07
Gbe family GJirtle.
From the New York Tribune.
The Jersey Pearl Fishery.

treasures from the Shiny depths of Jersey
mud, the public were naturally skeptical,
and disposed to look upon the whole
thing as a testaceous trick, bivalvular
hoax-in short, in short fish story
But when it was rumored that jersey
pearls had been offered in the market, and
that single one had been purchased by
Messrs. Tiffany & Co., for the substantial
sum of 81 900, an air of authenticity was
given to the stories, and the thing SEEM
ed worthy of Investigation. One of our
reporters was dispatched to the scene OF
operations, and he learned that not only
have quantity of valuable pearls been
found by accident, but that the prospect
of obtaining more is so good that num-
Der of persons in and about Paterson
have abandoned their regular ayocations
and betaken themselves to pearl fishing,
in the hope, which may not in all cases
prove delusive, of speedily realizing for
tunes
The discovery of the first pearl was
purely accidental, the Jerseymen no more
supposing that pearl-oysters existed in
their fresh water brooks than that dia
monds grew on their peach trees, or that
every hear of cabbage in their land was
stuffed with rubies and emeralds. In the
latter part of February, Mr.. David How
ell, poor shoemaker Of Patterson, find
ing work scarce, money hard to get and
bread difficult to procure without either,
at the suggestion of neighbor, collected
a quantity of muscles from little stream
known as the Notch Brook to make a
dainty meal for himself and family. He
first boiled the shell-Gsh, but finding that
a single cooking did not render them ten
der and palatabe, he afterward fried the
same over in fat, which so far softened
their obduracy as to render them eatable.
In the course of the repast, Mr.. Howell
discovered in one of the muscles stony
substance of spherical shape and OF con-
siderable size. Having some vague ideas
upon the subject of jewels, he preserved
the curious stone and submitted it to
ieweler for examination. He was then
informed that the stone was a genuine
pearl, of dimensions which dealers in pre-
cious stones considered fabulous until the
specimen was placed before their eyes,
and which, had not its luster been utter
ly ruined by the several culinary opera
tions to which it had been subjected,
would have been worth at least $25,000.
Here was Cleopatra outdone with ven
geance. She RECALLED her sweetheart An
tony with few small pearls dissolved in
vinegar stew, and for this trihe the car
ping world has called her extravagant.-
What will they now say of the jersey
.journeyman shoemaker who served up to
the partner Of his bosom for lunch, $685.
900 pearl in fried clam?
Mr.. David Howell, this fortunate un-
fortunate, resolved to make the best of
his happy, unhappy fortune. He accord
ingIy sold the big pearl for twenty or
thirty dollars, as curiosity, and recall
ing to mind the old proyerb : There are
as good fish in the sea as have ever been
caught" he took off his coat, and set to
work to find more. He has since that
time abiured the lapstone, and success
fully continued his search for the treas
ures. His labors have been rewarded
by the discovery of number Of smaller
pearls Of considerable value, none of them
however, approaching in size the first one;
although he considers even these smaller
ones luxurious too costly for his own pri-
vate table, and has disposed Of them to
persons who could better afford all the
delicacies of the season, and who are at
perfect liberty to cook them if they think
fit.
The news of Mr.. Howell's fortune soon
leaked out, his neighbors became interes-
ted in the matter, and resolved also to go
pearl-fshing. Messrs. Jacob Quacken-
bush, boss carpenter of Paterson, and
Mis- brother John, went on an Exploring
Expedition in the Notch Brook, and found
several of the valuable gems, and among
them the largest one which has yet been
offered for sale. and which was purchased
at a risk by Tiffany & Co., for 5000, and
is valued by the present holder at $500
and it is not at all impossible that the big
Jersey pearl may yet adorn an Imperial
diadelh.
Mr.. Lewis Van Orden found four hand
some pearls, of fine color, which he dis
posed of to Mr.. Quackenbush. Many
other persons have searched for them with
VARYING success; the most of them, how
ever, being disappointed and obtaining
nothing. So great was the crowd at one
time, that the owners Of the land through
which the streams run put up large play
cards warning off all trespassers under
the penalty of the law; the notice; how
ever, came late in the day; the stable was
| locked, but not until the steed was gone:
now every one Of the brooks in the vicin
ity of Paterson has been raked and search
ed. until their waters hide no shel6sh large
enough to be visible to the naked eye.
The pearl bearing muscles have also
been found in the Rockford Brook.
about four miles from Paterson, and in the
Godwinsville Brook. A number ofaaspec
linens, very beautiful in color. and regu
lar in shape, though not of great size.
have been found near Sufferns. Several
| of them have been taken by hunter from
the stomachs of muskrats; the muskrats
devour the muscles, but the pearls puzzle
their digestive apparatus, and if the ami
NAL chances to be killed Immediately af
ter his repast, the gems may be recover
ed. In one or two instances the bivalves
have been discovered with perforations in
the shells, through which the pearls have
dropped and have been found in the bot
| tom of the stream, spoiled by the action
| of the water.
The pearl muscle is found on the bot
tom Of the brooks, or sticking in the soft
1 n