The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1889-06-12
FACTS ABOUT AMBER.
How the Substance Is Gathered by the
Fishermen of the Baltic.

O~>~~
In the window Of one of the largest
tobacco stores in Brooklyn there Is
displayed remarkably-hne collection
of amber. Some of it, as translucent
as honey, fairly glows with color, as
though it had caught the sunshine OF
a thousand summers. This has been
polished, and differs as greatly from
the rough, dirty-looking Jumps beside
it as does cut from an uncut diamond,
and yet the latter is just as full OF
color, only it is imprisoned.
Where is amber obtained?" 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 Prussian coast OF the Baltic.
I happen to know something about it,
because I came from that part OF the
world myself, although not from that
precise vicinity. From the Brusterot
lighthouse or the Baltic coast one can
see with the naked eye the entire
stretch of shore on which this precious
petrifaction is and has been found for
the past three thousand years. The
stratum of blue earth on which the de-
tached 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 is exposed by the action OF the
water, so that fishing for amber is
much easier than digging, and most OF
it is obtained in that way.
amber fishermen are q vigorous
and hardy people, and they need to be
to carry on their BUSINESS. They
work in stormy weather, when the
huge waves have detached masses OF
amber from the ocean bed and are roll
ing 1t, mixed up with punches OF sea-
weed, in 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 as near as they can to the
waves. The men poke up the masses
of seaweed with their forks and
drag them in toward the shore
as far as possible. With their
nets they endeavor to secure the
pieces of amber that may be floating
in the water. AS fast as the sea-
weed is 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
the fishing is going on, thus hoping to
secure particularly fine specimens.
''It must be pretty interesting
sight"
s.Not only interesting but exciting.
The whole scene is wild in the ex-
treme. The laundering roar of the
surf, the shouts of the men and the
shrill screams OF the women mingle
weirdly with the soughing of the wind.
The most profitable part Of the harvest,
however, is gathered after the
storm is over. The amber which
can be gathered while 1t is in
prorgess is mostly in small pieces,
but large masses OF it too heavy to be
moved within reach Of the fishermen
by the waves. have been uncovered.
When the sea is smooth enough for the
bottom to be seen through from FIVE to
fifteen feet of water, the fishermen row
out and look for these blocks, recoveG-
ing them with their hooks and nets.
A more systematic way of obtaining
the amber is to get it from the reefs
whichli some three-quarters- Of q mile
off shore. Here, when the different
currents have met, it is heaped up with
immense quantities of seaweed and
rubbish. For fully ten months in the
year little feet of black boats is
anchored oyer these reefs, the largest
and most valuable of which is
GOO feet long aud 400 feet wide.
Each boat has diver who is sent down
to poke over the seaweed. discover the
blocks of amber and raise it to the sur
face Each diver remains under water
for five hours at a stretch and the la
Dor is said to be very trying. Some
times such large blocks are found that
It takes the united strength Of two or
even three men to bring them to the
surface. Masses of such size bring
from SIS to $3.50 apiece, the price for
ordinary amber being but about $3.50
a pound. During the fishing season
the water is icy cold and the work is
prosecuted under great hardships."
What is amber used for mostly
now?"
For mouth-pieces for pipes. Some
years ago, you know, jewelry was
quite extensively made OF it, but. with
the exception of children's beads, it
Is not used for that purpose to any
extent now. The greatest rival amber
has nowadays is celluloid, ont OF which
an excellent imitation can be made. ~
ByookLnn En0le.