The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-09-20
AMERICAN EARLS.

Some Very Fine Specimens Taken
from Rivers In the United States.
From the Cincinnati Times-Star.
There is a current expression about pearls
and swine which would seem to have q
wider application in a certain sense than
most people have suspected. The sense re-
ferred to is this: While pearls are to be
found in the streams and rivers all over our
country few appreciate the fact. People,
with the exception Of those who are we'll
informed on the subject, have vague idea
that all pearls come from the remote east,
and do not suspect that some very
fine specimens have been found in Amerl-
can waters.
1t has even been stated by gentleman
connected with the Tiffany firm of New
York that the state of Ohio furnishes the
handsomest specimens of the American
pearl. The same gentleman says that his
firm possesses several Wisconsin pearls
valued at $500 The finding of American
pearls began about thirty years ago, when
one was found in Bound Brook, N. j.
Tiffany gave 81, 900, with watch and chain,
to the discoverer for this gem, and finally,
after passing through many hands, it came
into the possession of the Empress Eugene.
The discovery of this pearl created
great excitement, and the waters in the
ighborhood where it was found were
carefully searched by many would-be pearl
finders. Nothing was found as valuable as
the first one, although one was destroyed
by being cooked before it was noticed,
which would have been worth, it was esti-
mated, $4,000.
Since that time they have been found
almost everywhere, and just at presentthere
is an exciting search being prosecuted for
them in secluded pond up in Michigan.
Already very valuable gems have been dis
covered in this locality-one of the last
places where any one would have supposed
them to exist.
Although it is claimed by the above-men-
toned representative of the Tiffany firm
that the best white pearls found in America
come from the Little and Big Miami rivers
of this state, the TimeS-Stdr reporter found
upon inquiry among the jewelers. that the
Miami pearls were considered almost worth
less here. One of these gentlemen said, when
| asked if he had seen any: YES; a man
came In here not long ago with a handful of
them. They are too irregular in shape and
too impure to suit our purposes.
"A friend Of mine once spent his vaca-
ton upon the Miami gathering them, with
| the expectation of earning quite sum in
that way. He brought them to us, and we
told him that we could not give 81 50 for
the whole lot"
"Where can the American pearls be
! found!n
"Well. Michigan is the place just now
| that is attracting the most attention. But
nobody can tell where they will be found
next Diamonds have been found unex-
pectedly in all kinds of out-of-the- way
places, and it is just the same in the case of
the pearl"
"What gives the pearl its valuep
1.-THE most valuable pearls are Of pure
white and perfectly round. This is the only
gem which does not need the lapidary's art
to reveal its beauty. Sometimes when the
outer covering is spotted or otherwise i'm
perfect it is peeled off. Underneath will be
found spotless surface, and the gem will
pass as one smaller but more valuable than
the original.
Few people understand about the max
ing OF this precious gem. A grain Of sand
or some other small and irritating partic
gets lodged in an oyster or mussel she'll.
The oyster cannot remove it, but can get
rid Of its irritating effects 1t deposits
layer after layer of a secretion of lime. and
hides the irritating grain in mother of
pearl In China advantage is taken of this
fact to obtain most delicate pearl figures.
Small pellets of clay are nodded into vari-
GUS shapes, or metal images are made:
these are inserted between the shells of
river musseis in the month of May and left
there until November. The mussel by that
time has deposited several layers of 'nacre.'
or mother of PEARL aud pearl image mas
been obtained which could not have been
cut out of a completely formed pc al.
1T thus happens that whom Lne exterior
covering is imperfect it eau be peeled of.
A pearl is like al onion in that respect. and
consists Of many concentric spherical Law
ers. But no matter how far you may peel
you rarely find the grain which caused the
construction OF the beautiful gem.
The perfpcfiv rouuAad r,aari ho.s
said. IS the most valuable, other things be-
ing equal Next in order of value comes
the pear-shaped and last tue egg-shaped.
some have the form Of buttons, but the
have to be cut into shape, and when taey