The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1885-06-26

the fisheries Of Baja California have
been sent to Paris. the great pearl mar
ket Of the world. About all the com
petition that exists Is confined 70 few
French houses. which have agents al
Ia Paz. who buy up the stones a fast
As found. II seems q strange indffer-
ence on the part Of the United States 10
treasures so easily within her reach, not
To mention the merchants OF England
and Germany. that France j. permitted
To secure all these gems for nominal
sum. and then sell them again to these
same countries at an enormous ad-
vance
II is difficult TO approximate the value
Of The Gulf Of California fisheries. be-
cause the fishers themselves place
mere nominal value ON the pearls in
their consular invoice. before sending
them 10 Europe. Thus a superb gem.
which may sell for 500 when first torn
from the red hand OF the coral reef.
will bring in Paris from 5000 to
5000 let. with the haphazard policy
that has always prevailed. the annual
yield Of the =. II beds j. estimated nj not
less than S25u. 900 worth. while five
times that amount. would more fills rep
resent the real value Of tie pearls Is
sald IN Europe. The frequent occur
renee OF black pearls in these fisheries
has given them unusual importance.
those gems being now the rage on the
Continent. 10 b. worn by people in
mourning. Rare and beautiful pink
pearls are also occasionally brought up.
more valuable than diamonds OF equal
size. During the year 1883 several not
able specimens were found. Among
them was light-brown pearl. fleckcd
with darker shades. which weighed
slxty-tive karats. is estimated value
being 5000 II was brought
up bv Manuel Urbano. and
purchased by the pearl firm
OF Gonzales & Ruio. who sent IL Ia
Paris. Another. found BY Napoleon
Savin. was pcar-shaped. white. shot
with dark speck~. Il weighed forty
four kaTats. and sold for $500. At
the same time Messrs- Pablo. Hidalgo
x Co, pearl merchants OF La Paz.
known Indian diver for which they
paid $40 and received -. 500 for il in
France II was oval shape. of light
sandy color. perfect in contour and
brilliant in luster. weighing thirly-two
karats That lucky diver. Savn. found
two other treasures last year. weighing
respectively forty-iive and thirty-one
karats. which together. because OF their
surprising luster. brought Sll.OOo.
But the most famous treasure Of all
was secured years ago near Loreto by
a Mexican diver. who came up into the
sunshine with the lovcIicst gem of the
sea gra~pcd in his dusky hand. per
feet pearl. weighing 100 karats. which
may to-day be seen in the royal crown
of Isabel the Catholic,
The profit Of the fisheries l. by no
means limited to the pearls them
selves. The shells are also coveted.
the poorest ling upon the spot for
from : 10 II Genes per pound. while
in Europe. where the lining Of the
shells is worked into buttons and knife
handles. they bring from 20 % 80
cents per pound. Many OF the larger
shells are shipped TO San Francisco.
where. A. mo,her-of-pcarl. they find
ready sale at from Sl.50 10 - per
pound. For centuries the Gulf coast
has been noted for it, genealogical
beauties. but the shells of the pearl
fisheries are most highly priced. some
of them being FULLY fifteen inches wide
and maryelonsly beautiful when pol
ishcd. One may find them for sale in
the san Francisco shops for fabulous
prices. with birds. flowers or land
scapes deliberately carved upon them.
The meat of the pearl oySt r.. though
unsuitable in the American market. j.
alSp made source " profit. being
readily bought by thinamen. who dry
The leathrry little biyalyes. or seal IN nj
~ in cans and send them to their
brethren ia China or in San Francisco.
Those scions Of the Flowcry Kingdom.
who reside in great numbers around the
gulf. are never employed a, divers. but
are engaged in the un~avory occupation
Df digging and shipping guano from
wave washed caves aud rock-bOu
roas,s. where sca-birds have been de-
posting IL for centuries. II Is . we'll
known fact that pearls are sometimes
produced by means that are partly arti-
icial. especially in the Japanese Usher
Is That gem Of purest ray serene 50
priced by admirers Of precious stones in
ali ayes Of the world. il but the result
of some lesion suffered by the oyster.
T. solidificd tear Of suffering. Hence
IN injury is often purposely inflicted by
between the shells small
stone or shot or bit Of gravel, and then
he oysters are again put to bed. This
process j. said 10 be successful in pro-
iucing great quantities Of pearls. but
hose thus formed are inferior in lustcr
md less desirable for marketable pur-
POSES. No such attempts have been
made in the Mexican fisheries. for those
supplied by nature are sufficiently nu-
nerous. San Francisco Cor NJ T.
Sam