Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1885-09-12

bow It Es Carried on By che Bahz-na =
landers.

How H Es Carried On by che Baha-na =
landsrs.
Albany Argus.
PTevi Gus to about 1850 the Bahama is
landers cared little for anything that was
more tame than Wrecking. That was the
faVorite business of both men and WO-
men, who thought virtually nothing Of
pursuing the ordinary methods Of OBJ
tanning q livelihood. But when the mum
Der Of wrecks were lessenad By the cree
ton of lighthouses and the substitution
OF steam for sailing craft, the islanders
turned their attention to the cultivation
of the soil and the exploration Of the
depths Of the sea The outcome became
tWOfOld. The two Industries that spraug
up were the pineapple business and the
sponge trade, which are now Of such inn
oortance that they bring considerable
money into the colonies, and furnish
steady and lucrative employment TO sew
er4l sh9J>ead persons.
WINS 8 ! irst spOnges were taken ont
they Wef esJ lmercially divided into two
classes, the sJarse and fne, worth respect
/ lively and 10 cents g pound. Now, there
are recognized to be nine classes, which
I in the order of their values are sheep
wool, white reef, velvet, dark reef, boat
hardhead, grass, yellow, and glove. Of
/ some Of these varieties there are ssvera
! grades Bahama and Florida sponges
are about Of the same value, but they are
/ both rated in market as inferior co those
I OF the Mediterranean. Previous 90 the
rebellion the amount Of sponge gathered
/ annually scarcely exceeded one ton, and
/ it was worth on an average $26 per hun
dIed pounds. From 1853 to 1866 the
! people lapsed into ways akin to their old
/ pursuits, blockade running enRrOssing
! their attention to such an extent that
little was done in any legitimate employ
ment. But Immediately upon the close
of the war the sponge trade grew brisk,
! and so continued until the outbreak Of
/ the Cuban instruction drove thesponge
/ fishers away from the Cuban c0ast. In
! 1878 the Spanish consul at Nassau issued
one hundred licenses at $25 each, to Ba-
hanian vessels to sponge of Cuba, and
all was going nicely when the Spanisrds
WaXed jealous, and have never permitted
any operations in their waters Since
that time spOnging has been confined to
Bahamian waters.
There are several hundred sponge craft
each of eight or ten tons burden, and
carrying from six to twelve men. Though
| these vessels merely coast about along
/ the banks and among the reefs, they car
ry six weeks supply Of provisions and do
not run under lee except In case of a
storm. The spOnges are found where the
I
! ing on the rocks and reefs. They are
caught by diving, or by means Of iron
hooks fastened to slender poles. Wher
first brought to the surface they are black
gelatinOus and soft, for the sponge prope,
is only the skeleton of a jelly-like sea
animal. The catch, spread on the decks
Of the vessels, dies and the living cover
ing decays, emitting a horrible OdOr in
deCOmpOsing. When q cargo is secured
the vessel Tuts In aft IFS home hpw and
the spOnges are placed In q pen Of stakes
at the waters edge where the action of
the tide tends to remove the black COW
ering. The process is completed by
pounding by hand. and the spOnges are
strung on strips Of palmetto, each strip
having four spOnges, and being called 8
"beed." A cargo of "beeds" is worth
from 500 to $500, and the sales and
handling are substantially controlled by
the Nassau Sponge Exchange company,
limited, which is chartered and makes
regular exchange sales.
After the spOnges are clipped to good
shape they are put to soak in watts Of
lime water, and after several hours are
dried and bleaChed IL the sun. Next day
they are pressed into bales, each two by
three feet, and weighing one hundred
pounds. These bales, when incased in
bagging and strongly corded are ready
for shipment. All of the work from catch
ing to shipment is done by native blacks.
The average current prices of sponges on
ship-bOard are: Sheep wool and white
reef, 70 cents a pound; velvet, 65 cents;
dark reef and boat, So cents; hardhead,
80 cents; grass and yellow, 20 cents; glove,
10 cents. Nearly all 60 either to the
United States or England, and the total
worth exceeds $15OOOO, Of which this
country handles 100000 or more.