Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1882-05-31
Where Amber Is Found.

amber producing country on the Baltic.
Amber is unique in one respect, namely
that the finding Of it involves two opera
tlcps Otherwise peculiar to mining and
pearl fishing. At various distances from
the shore were anchored as many as TWEEN
ty good-SiZed boats. and these, we learned,
were engaged in fishing for amber. The
Commercienrath signal quickly brought a
dlugey TO shore. and were carried to one of
the boats. Only one diver was fishing
for amber. The COMMENCEMENT signal
quickly brought dingey to shore, and
we were carried 10 one of the boats. Only
one diver was fishing from this boat, but
the task of supplying him with air kept
two men busy al the mir pump. A signal
from the overseer brought the amphibious
one 10 the surface, with his little bag of
amner; but as ne had little luck, he soon
returned TO the depths. Rswing to an
other boat. we signalled for diver, but
he gave US TO understand that he had
''stakcd"a a good ''clslm," and was not to
be induced to abandon il until he had
worked IT for all il was worth. We re-
spec,ed his diligence, and rowed Oh to an
other boat. Here the diver, had, we were
hours, and was not unwilling to come TO
the surface. His find WAS not very yalu-
able, for though he had three pounds of
amber 1t ran small. Amber, We learned,
increases in value according to the size
and fneness Of the piece, in a similar pro-
portion to the relative size and value of
precious stones.
In this novel industry we were repeat
edly meeting with surprises No sooner
did boats crew come ashore than the
men were marched up to table and made
TO undergo an operation that would be
Illuminating were they not used to it.
Every man was searched literally trGGi
the crown OF his head 10 the soles of his
shoes. Relentlessly, and with well-accus
toned fingers, the four searchers, taking
each man, examined his clothing through
out. Then they felt his head, armpits,
and every part of his body; the privacy of
his lunch basket was invaded, and he was
asked 4 Question Generally his name), TO
betTay any small piece Of amber that might
be secrered under his tongue or behind his
mOiars. II Is SAID that human cupidity
makes this poecauticn necessary, and In
spite of it pieces of amber are frequenti V
stolen.
Ii is not until the next day that we were
allowed TO explore the mines, and in the
meantime we were introduced t. a func-
tlOnary whose presence reminded us thst
amber getting IN Prussia is on somewhat
similar footing to the dissilling of whisky
in our own country, and that Government
monopoly is not wholly obsolete. This
officer was the Govel nmenl inspector.
whose business is an easy and not particu
larly inyidIOus one. Instead OF taking an
account of all the amber found, he SIMPLY
keeps a reckoning of the days on which no
work is cone. Every day the divers
and miners work tie Government receives
a tribute OF 500 marks. If day is lost,
Government gels nothing.
On the morrow We were taken to the
mines. The descent was not so easy as
the proverbia approaches TO Avernus, for
lnvo,ved the use If ladders to the depth OF
$50 feet dOwG pIor shaft only three
feet WIDE. But We were now dressed in
miners costumes, with thick high boots,
ana provided with lanterns, and we ap-
preached the nine without dismay. Ar
AAfNN a. AAAS tbNtoAAls w NAVh Vi
u friendly wagon, and pushed a distance
of several hundred feet. The corridors
were sboIed up, as in coal mines, by wood
en- pillars, some Of which, ewing TO the
immense wei-ht upon them, had dan
geIoL,ly oppTessSd lOok that suggested the
possibility of their relieving thur feelings
by giving way under them. We observed
this, however, without apprehension and
having reached the workings, with pick
and shovel We made our first assault upon
the blue earth that carries the treasure.
Our igbgr was cot IN vair, for We were
lucky enough to find premium piece
worth stout fifty marks; and well content
with our work, We trayersed other coTrI-
dors, ami finally Quilted the mine by a
different shaft from that by which we en-
tered It. Here we found an elevator, and
were not sorry to be saved the return trip
by ladder.
About the mouth o, this the principal
shalt were carried ON the operations neces
saTy 10 bnng the amber to marketable
conditinn. The amber-besring earth is
brought 10 the surface IN wagons, ana
Is th,n submitted to washing process
into large inclined trough. through
which powerful stream of water is i'm
PEELED. Al distances OF about ten feet neis
are placed, the meShes of which decrease
IN size, So that NJ last the very smallest
pieces are caught, willie the earth, tho
roughly dislnIergrated, escapes. The
amount Of amber obtained from . ton OF
earth seems so small that ones respect for
it Is considerably increased by watching
the process
NOr Is Ibis al that is done before the
substance is ready for shipping to the
warehouse. Much Of the amber that is
found is partially coated with thick
crust. This KIND is known as a ''erd-
stein" (eerth AMBER; when reduced either
by nature or art-aDd 1t is considerably re-
duced by the pTOct $50 Its SIMPLE con-
dIiIon, il Is called ''Aie.en," Nature has
been al work for generations reducing
erd stein 10 fiIesen by the slow process OF
washing II about in the sand OF tne sea
until the crust Is worn off. TIE Herr
Commerclenrath, with all due respect and
gratitude 10 nature, VINO has kindly pre-
pared SO much ti.esen for him, takes the
hbNiA1 VI ho9-SAAA@es AAC pipOC9S INC dSS
OF drum or barrel, winch reyolyes by |
steam IN one direction, while series of |
brushes inside it revolves with equal |
rapidity IN the contrary direction. Into /
this tie erd stein is thrown, and the same 1
result Is Effected IN few hours as would 4
be accomplished 10y natural causes only III /
years, or perhaps generations. Inc amber /
thus IreaIed is then pat into barrels and /
taken 10 the sOrIng and chopplng room. |
where 1t Is cl4ssideu according TO size anu |
purity. If tue SORTING and chopplng rom |
where II Is classified accord ny to SIZE ano
puHiy. II the scrLer ooAes upon a pIscs
that : poor or ulriy al eULer ED, the
waste Is chopped oil and taTown asiGe.
Piece 'hai ale cracked they break apart,
and any that they know IS ''sprode' (but-
Ile) tLey throw aside to be sold as ''bIcck-
stem" (scTap amber). la the warehouse
are bins Containing amber of all sorts and
sizes, from the very small pieces, only
suited fOr making bea.s, up to the large
pf NUlrab no sfapnthp1acas af |