West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1885-07-10
AMERICAN PEARLS.
How They Arc Obtained from the Lowsr
California Fisheries.

Most of the valuable gems found In
tho fisheries of Baia California have
been sent 20 Paris, the great pearl mar
ket OF the world. About all the com
petition that exists is confined 60 n few
French houses. which have agents sc
la Paz. who buy up the stones as fast
as found. IL seems q strange indilIcr-
once on the par, of the United States to
treasures SO easily within her reach. not
to mention the merchants OF England
aud Germany, that Franco is permitted
to secure nil these gems for nominal
sum, aud then sell them again 20 these
same countries at an enormous adj
vance.
IL is difficult to approximate the value
of the Gulf of California fisheries. be-
cause the fishers themselves place n
mere nominal value on tho pearls in
their consular invoice before sending
them to Europe Thus superb gem,
which may sell for 5000 when first torn
from the red hand of the coral reef,
will bring i'm Paris from ZOO to-
5000 Yet, with the hlphazard policy
that has always prevailed. the annual
yield of the gull beds Is estimated at not
less than $3.50 900 worth. whi0 five
times that amount would more titly rep
resent the real value of the pearls as
sold In Europe. Tho frequent occur
renee of black pearls in these fisheries
has given them unusual importance,
those gems being now the rage on the
Continent, To be worn by people in
mourning. Rare and beautiful pink
pearls are also occasionally brought up,
moro valuable than diamonds of equal
size. During the year 1888 several not
able specimens were found. Among
them was light-brown pearl. ilock0d
with darker shades, which weighed
siXty-hve karats, its estimated value
mp by Manuel Urbauo, and
of Gonzales 81 RulfO. who sent IL to
Paris. Another, found 10y Napoleon
Savin, was pear-shaped, white, shot
four karats. and sold for $1,000 At
the same time Mcssrs Pablo, Ilidalgo
& Co, pearl merchants OF La Pnz,
secured another gem from some un-
known Indian diver for which they
paid $40 and received 50, 800 for IL i'm
France. II was oval shape, of light
sandy color, perfect in contour and
brilliant in lustcr, weighing thirty-two
karats That lucky diver Savin, found
two other treasures last year, weighing
respectively forty-fve and thirty one
karats, which together, because OF their
surprising luster, brought Sll, 200.
But the most famous treasure of all
was secured years ago near LOreto by
Mexican diver, who came up into tho
sunshine with the loveliest gem OF the
sea 2 asped in his dusky hand, per
feet pearl, weighing 100 karats, which
may to-day be seen i'm the royal crown
ol Isabel tho Catholic.
The profit of the fisheries is by no
means limited TO the pearls them
elves The shells are also coveted,
tho poorest selling upon the spot for
from TO II GEMS per pound. while
in Europe, where the lining OF the
shells is worked into buttons and knife
handles, they bring from 20 TO 80
cents per pound. Many OF the larger
shells are shipped to San Francisco,
where, as mothcr-Of-pearl, they find
ready sale at from $3.50 20 50 per
pound For centuries the Gulf coast
has been noted for It's Genealogical
beauties, but the shells Of the pearl
fisheries are most highly priced, some
Of them being fully fifteen inches wide,
and marycously beautiful when pol
ishcd. One may find them for sale i'm
the San Francisco shops for fabulous
prices. with birds, flowers or land
scapcs claborately carved upon them.
The meat Of the pearl oysters, though
unstable IN the American market. is
also made source of profit. being
readily bought by Cinnamon, who dry
the leathcry little bivalves. or seal them
up i'm cans and send them TO their
brethren in China or i'm San Francisco.
Those sciOns Of The Flowery Kingdom.
who reside in great numbers around tine
gulf, are never employed a divers. but
arc engaged i'm the un ,avory occupation
oil digging and shipping guau0 from
wave wa he'd caves and rock-bound
coasts, whore sca-bird5 have been de
pOtiIing b. for centuries. II is we'll
known fact that pearls are sometimes
produced by means that arc partly arti-
iicial, especially i'm the japanese fisher
les, That gem OF purcst ray serene so
priced by admirers OF precious stones in
aIi ages OF the world, is but the result
Of some lesion suffered by the oyster.
it5 sOldihcd tear of suffering. Hence
an injury is often purposcly inflicted by
introducing ue Wc'u the shells a small
stone or shot o. bic OF gravel, aud then
the oysters are again put To- bed. This
process IS said 10 be- successful in pro
duciug great quantities Of pearls but
those thus formed are inferior in luster
and less desirable for marketable pur-
poses No such attempts have been
madn in tho MeXcan fisheries Tor tho o
supplied by nature aro sufficiently nu-
mcrOus. Sun francisco COr ~ y
sun.