The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1889-01-25
FACTS ABOUT AMBER.
UOw the Substance l. Gathered by the
Fishermen Of the Baltic.

In the window OF one Of the largest
tobacco stores in Brooklyn there is
displayed a remarkably-finc collection
OF amber Some Of it, as translucent
as honey, fairly glows with color, as
though it had caught the sunshine OF
n thousand summers. This has been
polished and differs "a greatly from
the rough, dirty-looking Jumps beside
IL rs doe. cut from an uncut diamond,
and yet the latter is just as full OF
color, only it is imprisoned
Where il amber obtaincd?" asked
reporter, who had been attracted by
the display, Of the proprietor Of the
store.
The bulk Of the amber supply OF
the world. was the reply, comes now
from the region known as Samland,
on the east Prus,ian coast Of the Baltic.
happen 10 know something about It,
because | came from that part OF the
world myself, although not from that
precise vicinity. From the Brusterot
lighthouse on the Baltic coast one can
see with the naked eye the entire
stretch Of shore on which this precious
pctrifacton is and has been found for
the past three thousand years. The
stratum OF blue earth on which the de-
tachcd fragments of amber are found
lies from twenty TO thirty feet below
the surface Of the beach. To some
extent the amber may be and is OBJ
tanned by mining, but frequently the
vein i, exposed by the action OF the
water 80 that fishing for amber is
much easier than digging, and most Of
it is obtained in that way.
Amber fishermen are vigorous
and hardy people, and they need to be
to carry on their businesss. They
work in stormy weather, when the
huge waves have detached masses of
amber from the ocean bed and are roll
ing It, mixed up with punches OF sea-
weed, i'm the surf. The fishermen, half
naked. wade into the sea, shoulder deep,
armed with long hook forks and hand
nets. The women stand along the
shore ~ near a. they can 10 the
waves. The men poke up the masses
OF ecawccd with their forks and
drag them in toward the shore
as far a. possible. With their
nets they cndcavor to secure the
pieces OF amber that may be floating
in the water. As fast as the sea-
weed l. got to the shore the women
take it and pick out the bits of amber
that may be clinging to it and place
them in bags ready for the dealer.
Some dealers stay on the beach while
tho fishing is going on, thus hoping to
secure particularly fine specimens.
1T must be a pretty interesting
sight -
Not only interesting but exciting.
The whole scene is wild in the eX-
trcmc. The laundering roar of tho
surf the shouts OF the men and the
-hrill screams OF the women mingle
wcirdly with the soughing Of the wind
The most profitable part of the harvest,
however, i gathered after the
storm l. over The amber which
can be gathered while it is in
prorgess j. mostly in small pieces,
but large masses of it too heavy 10 be
moved within reach OF the fishermen
by the waves. have been uncovered
When the sea is smooth enough for tho
bottom TO be seen through from five 20
fifteen feet OF water, the fishermen row
out and look for these blocks. recover
ing them with their hooks and nets.
\ more systematic way of obtaining
the amber Is to get it from the reefs
which lie some three-quarters OF mile
of shore Hc.e. when the different
currents have met, il is heaped up with
immense quantities OF seaweed and
rubbish. For fully ten months in the
year little fleet OF black boats is
anchored over these reefs, the largest
and most valuable OF which Is
Go feet long and 400 feet wide.
Each boat has a diver who is sent down
10 poke over the seaweed. discover the
blocks Of amber and raise IL 10 the SUR
face. Zach diver remains under water
for five hours at q stretch and the Ia
Dor Is said TO be very trying. Some
times such large blocks are found that
IL takes the united strength OF two or
even three men to bring them TO the
surface. Masses Of such size bring
from So to $50 apiece. the price for
ordinary amber being but about $3.50
n pound. During the fishing season
the water il icy cold and the work Is
prosecuted under great hardshlps." "
What il amber used for mostly
now?'
For mouih-pieces for pipes. Some
years ago, you know, iewelry was
quite extensively made Of It. but. with
the exception Of children's beads. It
Is not used for that purpose 70 any
extent now. The greatest rival amber
has nowadays is celluloid. out OF which
an excelen, imitation can DC made. -
BrJ5llga Tls'c