The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1882-04-06
lie Pearl Fisheries Of Lower California.


~. poor, rIsher;os ofIoxar r7-irornia.
-.>'~.--..
On the coast Of Lower California an
important industry has been developed
by the pearl fisheries of that remote re-
zion. Five merchants and thousand
daring divers are wearing out their
lives in supplying the markets of Paris,
London and New York with the rare
and costly black pearl, which is found
in state of great perfection III the
deepwaters off La Plaza. The latitude
is q little south of Key West, in Florida,
and not far north of Havana Smce
the recent Mexican fever began. an in
creasing public interest has been taken
in the resources of the ancient Empire
of the Montezumas, and the gold and
silver and other precious products OF
that land are exciting much curiosity
among American. capitalists. As the
pearl fisheries OF Lower California be
long to Mexico, they will, OF course,
rank among the other natural riches oi
that country. Chief Engineer Magee,
of the limited States Navy, who has
lately returned from the Gull of Cal
ifornia, was found atsthe+ Fifth Avenue
Hotel recently, in company with one oi
who had Just arrived from Paris,
whittier he had been to dispose of his
annual harvest of precious stones.
This merchant, while hoping to see his
country developed and American cap
ital. industry, and machinery encour-
aged for this purpose, did not think
that the present condition of the pearl
fisheries of the Gulf of California would
warrant the investment of more capi-
tai or labor.
The following facts were given dur
ing the interviews, Pearl, oysters are
found from one to six miles from shore
in from eight to twenty-one fathoms
OF water. The 1000 divers who are
engaged in searching for them are
renerallv employed under the contract
system, as they make greater efforts to
| discover the pearls, than they do when
hired by the day. Boats, diving appa-
ratus and money for provisions and
outfits are supplied by the merchant
on condition that all the pearls diseov-
cred shall be sold to him at, such prices
us may be agreed upon-in other words,
.hat he NAV have the refusal of all the
pearls found. Sail-boats of five ton
| burden and containing six men each
are fitted up with sleeping and cooking
accommodations, and six months are de-
voted to pearl diving up and down the
coast from May until October and
November. The total product of a
years work is estimated at about
$500, 900 that is, Yaluing the pearls at
the first cost price.v The United States
is very poor place to sell pearls of
any kind, and black pearls. which are
most valuable are bought exclusively
by wealthy and titled people in Europe.
St. Petersburg ranks next to Paris US a
good market for them, while in the
United States there isia great demand
for diamonds of extraordinary value
| Of the entire yield of Mexican pe:trls
ten per cent are white" forty per cent.
blue, and fifteen per cent black. Hhe
blue stones are of little value. Che
oyster in which the pearl is found has
the shape of large clam or saddle, rock
oyster, but it is smooth and brilliant,
With all the colors of the rainbow.
The shells, which are known as mother.
of-pearl, are carried once a Year in
ships of 1000 tons, around Cape Horn
to Hamburg where they are sold to Ger
man merchants and manufacturers for
saving into buttons, knife handles,
paner-cutters and thousand other
ornaments for boudoir and studio
Americans are beginning to use
this material, and it is thought
hat there will beFa large demand for
pearl shells in afew years: They iare
worth from S400 to $500 per ton. Bos-
ton buys more of them than any other
city in the United States. 7 - 1asr
lhe value of pearls depends entirely
upon their size, shape and color, and
,erfect condition There can never be
an arbitrary schedule of prices agreed
upon, for what one man NAV be willing
TO pay ST., 900 another man would not
ue willing to- pay a tenth part of that
sum. The Russian mobiles are espe-
| ,.ially fond OF rich black pearls. which
e,reeIy find sale in the United States.
..yl..sp. as a matter of speculation to
end abroad. Sometimes it is weeks
and evene months before hundred
| do,tars worth of stones are discovered.
The choicest pearls that are found during
a season are worth from S / 900 to 81. 600
| apieee. The cheapest pearls are sold
| NV weipht Generally pearls are about
| tho Size nj hntiats and foub,1 in ;tbp soft
90, ster near the place where it Joins the
nrl. rhen AGAIN. inst at the close of
:. ROM and unprofit able. season an expe-
r,ep.:ed diver NAV find a few pearls worth
, fortune. STRANGE things happen down
in the wild solitades Of those distant
!, .hpr;es Poor men sometimes find
3e,rls that a king might envy. and if
h. ,iivers we're frupaf they could often
r,se above the obscnritv OF poor pearl
ush.rmen: but such successe, are oen-
rral,v followed lbv dissipat,onIF w6icb
s,uu leaves the man as penniless AZ he
wa before. 81 80
| l,e Mexican divers of the Gulf of
t,;,l,.ornia are said to be the most exnert
n th. world rhev oo down into deem
..,,..r and remain for iono lime. In
,r,,,er times n any men We're lost in
mis- Derilous pu0}ft after submarine
r.. Ir,.s Enpljsb DIVING snits are