The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1892-04-12
SPONGES MADC TO ORDER.
Dirty Bahama Sponges Changed Into the
f,.r4I.. ELa.....aa..


Costly Mediterranean Article.
In a dingy back room of William street
importing house there is Turk engaged
in effecting an interesting metamorphosis.
He stands in a circle of great tubs filled
with dark looking and foul smelling stuff.
| There are faint odors of chlorine. of oxalic
and muriatic acids and of the salt sea air.
The little daylight that finds its way down
past the walls of the high surrounding
buildings and into the rooms of this gloomy
old Mohammedan sees him day after day,
year after year, dipping into his liquids,
murmuring strange lamentations over his
tubs, and turning, with a vigor not to be
expected in such a place, the cogs Of a
creaking instrument closely resembling a
kitchen clothes wringer
There is mystery and weirdness about
all this that suggests glimpse of an
ancient astrologer, or perhaps of Balzac's
hero in search of the Alkahest. Yet the
old man is neither astrologer nor alchem-
list. He is engaged in turning Florida
sponges into Mediterranean sponges; bring
ing Key West, as it were, in contact with
far off Syria.
The sponges which he handles are
brought to him from Key West in thirty
pound bales, They are the direct result of
the occupation of a small army of fisher
men who ply in and otlt of that port in
small vessels, four men to a crew.. When
they have a load it is dumped on the wharf
and sold by auction TO the highest bidder.
The captain gets half and the crew divide
the remainder of the proceeds among them
selves. This is cooperation in its primitive
simplicity.
The sponges delivered at the William
street establishment are none of your light,
yellow and soft affairs. They are dark
almost black--full of mud, sand and shells
and of a distinctly salty odor. When they
arrive they are stored in deep cellar in
order that they may retain their dampness
until the magician is ready to transform
them
Once in his hands, the change begins.
First the sponges are separated. The
grass" goes into one bin, the "sheep's
wool" into another and the 'velvets" into
third. ''Grass" is the poor quality that
breaks apart easily. After it is cleaned it
is usually cut into pieces about two inches
square, which are sold at the rate of cent
apiece, its largest purchasers being chill
dren with states to clean and tidy house
wives with grease spots to erase.
The ''sheep's WOOL is a much finer va
riety, and it shares & better fate 1t is first
dipped into one of a line of eight big tubs
filled with heaven knows what. The Turk
was asked, but would not tell. He looked
wise and said it WIS secret. This bath
does not alter the color of the sponge, but
1t removes the mud, sand, shells and para
site growths in surprisingly short time.
Ones respect for the sponge increases ten
fold when it emerees from this bath, but
it is still very sorry looking specimen,
not at all the sort OF thing one would care
TO squeeze in a bath.
From this tubit passes through a wringer
and thence into tub containing perman-
ganate of potash. This gives the sponge a
curious bright brown color. and causes it
to swell with apparent pride, although in
reality it is the permanganate rather than
the pride which causes the swelling
This done, there is another wringinC and
another tub, the latter containing oxalic
ind muriatic acids. Here a singular chem
zeal change takes place. The sponge sinks
bright brown. In less time than it takes
towrite it it floats pure white. This color
is not desirable one, however, as the real
Mediterranean sponge, which this one is to
be, is yellow. SO there are more wringers
and more tubs. the last one containing car
Donate of soda, which imparts 20 the i'm;
ported article rich, golden hue, such as
only the most aristocratic member of the
Mediterranean sponge family could hope
TO attain. Then it is trimmed with big
pair OF shears and hung up to dry Finally
it Is boxed, and GA the covers and sides of
the box there appear prominently, 80 tenn
pora! o mores.' the words Greece" or
Syria, :" or Cyprus New York Times.