Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1885-04-02

tention, and dispatched Juan Hidalgo.
armed with powers of attorney and all
necessary credentials, 10 obtain the
capital necessary to Systematically
work one OF the most gigantic schemes
of monopoly which the word has ever
seen-a monopoly embo9ying the
germs of a wealth and power which
may possibly in time rival the glories
lot the old Hudson Bay and South Ssa
Companies, with powers as will here
after be seen, in some respects APP
preaching that Of the East India Com
pany. Senior Hidalgo's efforts in
San Francisco have been successful,
and in July last, under the modest
title of the Mother of-peaSl Shell
Company, corporation was formed
under the laws of California. with
Juan Hidalgo as President, George
W, Waltz general freight agent of
the Union Pacific Railway as Secre-
tary, and d. Samuels, of the Lace
House, r. h Philips (he capitalist,
and julius Jacobs, general agent of
the Germania Life Insurance Com
pany as directors, with capital of
S5000)0 1t is limited that in add
ton to the foregoing names a number
of our prominent capitalists, among
others ex Governor Perkins, are inter.
ested as stockholders. AS an evidence
Of tie
ENORMOUS PROFIT
to be made by this gigantic scheme It
may be mentioned that for the past
two years the yield of the fisheries,
conducted with four schooners and
tweaty boats, has been from 5000, 009
$3.50, coo in pearls and about 900 tons
of she'll, worth from SEQ to 870-say
e65 a ton, or about 1922, 500, making
a gross yield of $542, GOO per annum.
The company has now four scboon~
ers OF the fishing grounds, the Por-
firio Diaz, the Adriana, the Consuelo,
and the PalomU.
The fisheries are conducted as fol-
lows: Each vessel carries five bOsts
and each boat carries crew oil six
men-a diver, two men to work the
air-pumps, one at the life line, and
two at the oars. The vessel having
anchored ON favorable grounds, the
boats put off from the ships side early
IN the morning. The diver is lowered
and remains on the bottom for two or
three hours at a time, and by 3o'clock
in the afternoon he has filed INTO his
iron basket from 200 to 5000 shells
At that hour the shells are opened by
the officers, who remove and retain in
safe keeping the pearls, which are
principally what are known as black
pearls, Of great rarity, and valued at
present higher, in proportion to their
size, than diamonds. The decks are
then cleaned up, the shells consigned
to the hold, and work discontinued
for the remainder of the day. The
pearls and shells are sold in the mar
kets OF London, Paris, and Hamburg
principally Ia London.
DEsPoTIC POWERS.
Preparations are being made by the
company, which has an unpretentious
Office at No. 302 California street. to
send into the waters of the gulf as
soon as possible large fleet of vessels,
equipped with all the most modern
improvements in diving apparatus.
and the company expects to realize
millions every year. AS a further in
stance of the enormous powers con-
ferred by the Gonzales government
on its favored naonopolies, the hold
ers of the concessions are authorized,
without any process of law, by force
of arms if necessary, to arrest any per-
sons found fishing in the waters of the
gulf without permit or license from
Senior Hidalgo and his associates, or
their assigns, to seize their vessels and
consign them to the Mexican author
ties, TO be dealt with according to
Mexican law, and all custom house
officers on the gulf coast have been
instructed TO recognize the permits
and licenses Of the holders Of the con
cession, with the same effect as if
issued from the fountain head of the
uOvnrnnPnt