Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1888-02-07


porter and Observation-Disclosures of
Gathering Shells - Factories Where
Pearl Work is Turned Out.
A cargo of about 5000 pounds of pearl
from the Philippine Islands arrived in this
city recently, and it viii, no doubt, soon be
converted into artistic shapes for the adorn-
nient Of fashionable mansions. One of the
latest Alterations OF the wealthy is the addi-
ton to their household gods of artistically
executed sea and landscape paintings in oil
upon mother of pearl shells. 1t is doubtful if
one OF the hundreds who purchase them, or
five out of the thousands who admire them in
the show windows on Broadway or elsewhere,
have the remotest idea that nature formed
these shells for any other purpose than to be
used in this style of adornment.
a large importer of shells and a manufac-
turer Of pearl goods, i'll conversation with
reporter, expressed establishment at the pro
found ignorance Of so many persons in re-
gard to the different localities from which
pearl shells come, and the hundred and one
purposes for which they are used.
"How many kinds are there used in your
business" asked the reporter.
THE VARIOUS KINDS.
1.-THE shells which possess a commercial
value are known to the trade as the Manila,
Australian, Bombay, Japan, East India,
Trocus, Chinese snail, black and red ear, and
Panama. Several Of these species are pearl
bearing shell, and are only obtained by pro-
fessional divers at the imminent risk of their
lives. Many of these bivalves are very heavy,
weighing sometimes eight or ten pounds The
moment the native gets one ashore he forces
it open, and, carefully removing the living
inhabitant, carefully searches for any pearl
it may contain. Not only the shell, at and
about its hinge, but the meat or fish within is
thoroughly examined, lest the pearl might be
secreJed, as is frequently the case, in the body.
This examination over, the shells laid
aside to dry, having first been thoroughly
cleaned. The finest shell for manufacturing
purposes comes from the Philippine islands
and is called the Manila. 1t ranges in price
from sixty to seventy five cents pound, and
is used for making dress and shirt buttons,
pistol stocks, cuff buttons, parasol and UNI
brella handles, pen handles, studs, and scores
of other articles. A thin veneering is also
made of it, which is worth $l2 a pound, and
is used for inlaying the covers CT albums and
fancy cabinet work. These veneerings are
fairly dazzling with rainbow hues, and when
When we have got all these articles out Of
the shell there is very little of the shell re-
naming"
as there any difficulty or danger attending
the gathering of these shells2"
81 should rather say there was There il
one species of shell shaped like an ear, called
the silver and red ear, in the sides of which
are small holes and through these, by means
of long suckers, the fish fastens himself to a
rock. When the tide has pretty nearly run
out the natives go down among the rocks
and, watching their opportunity, catch hold
of the upper shell which the shellfish keeps
open Unless he succeeds in the first instance
in pulling it from its resting place the animal
will close its shell in second, and the mans
fingers will be held there i'll wise like grip
In that case the unfortunate pearl gatherer
will have to stand up to his knees in water
unless be cuts off his imprisoned fingers, for
the shell cannot be pried open, nor can three
men, with their united strength, pull his
suckers from the rock. The shell is so hard
that it is next to impossible to smash it,
There the poor fellow is held in agony until
the tide rises, when, unless he frees himself
by chopping off his finger ends and leaving
them for the animal TO dine on, he is sure to
be drowned.
PEARL MANUFACTURING.
"After the shells have been thoroughly
searched for pearls, they are cleansed and
packed in cases of about two hundred pounds
each, and shipped to England, France, or this
country. Great ingenuity and long expert
ence are required to become an expert in
pearl shell working. When a manufacturer
receives an order for a lot of cuff buttons he
is sometimes obliged to overhaul dozens of
cases in order to obtain those of the required
thickness, and then not more than three or
four buttons can be drilled out Of the heaviest
shell. But then nothing goes to waste, for
small buttons and other articles are made
from the thinner parts, and then. by means
Of a circular saw, the scrap is cut for inlay
ing or veneering. Pistol stocks require the
very heaviest shell. A pearl worker in this
city, having some time ago received an order
from an army officer for pearl handled re.
volver, was obliged to overhaul nearly q
whole ship load before he could find two
shells of the required thickness. He received
500 for that pistol stock
"The business Of pearl manufacturing is
comparatively new in this country. and the
profits are so large that there is tendency to
monopolize the industry. In consequence all
sorts of devices are resorted to in order to OBJ
tain the advantage. Some time ago a large
house in this city bought a cargo of pearl
shells to arrive at 20 cents pound. While
the vessel was In transit the market fell about
DO cents. 1t was q lucky thing for the house
that the vessel foundered off the Cape Of
Good Hope, for the concern would certainly
have foundered had the ship come safely to
port. Manufacturers here prefer waiting for
lots of pearl shells to arrive at this port direct
from the fisheries, instead Of ordering from
London, knowing that the shells are assorted
there and the choicest picked out for the
English and French markets There are
several large manufactures of pearl work in
Newark, Philadelphia, Germantown, and in
this city, and since the establishment OF this
industry here the Importation of pearl but
tons from England has greatly fallen off,
New York Commercial Advertiser.
Women Workers in Russia.
The women in Russia do two-thirds of the
work in the country. There immense
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