The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1892-07-30
In an Amber Mine.

Deep down in the "blue earth
/ along the shores of and beneath the
treacherous breakers of the Baltic
Sea, are found in bits and fragments
of fossilized wood the traces of vast
forests that in ages long past have
covered nearly the entire coast line
of what is now known as East
Prussia.
Large tracts of land have sunk
there below sea level, and in time
were covered with rank submarine
growths of seaweed and algae.
Whenever storm churns and
lashes the waves then large masses
of this green tangle are torn from
the bottom and often carry with
them pieces of amber, the resin of
fossil pines, which being but slight
ly heavier than salt water will float
in the network of weeds.
Upon bringing the floating mead
ows, that cover the sea after pro-
pitious gale, ashore at given points,
there depends frequently an enor-
nous gain to the amber fisher, who
has rented certain portions of the
shore from the Crown.
At those times the villages along
the seaboard are all astir with ex-
citement. Nobody thinks of rest
day or night, and everyone is on
the alert, ready to fly to the waves
at the first alarm from the watchers.
Men defy the roaring breakers, and,
standing up to their shoulders in
the seathing foam, catch wisps of
seaweed in long nets and fling them
shoreward, where the women and
children gather from them the yell
low jewels of the sea.
In this manner as much as $14,-
600 worth is known to have been
gathered in a single night. But in
spite Of the most rapid work it is
not always possible to bring all the
cast up amber ashore; the larger
pieces, especially, are apt to sink.
They are gathered by means of long
handled nets called "catchers,' y
when a bright day and placid sea
enables the amber fishers sight to
penetrate the limpid water. Inas-
much as it is often necessary to
turn over huge rock, this work is
| very laborious, yet case is known
where 5000 worth of amber amply
repaid four men for summer day s
drudgery.
Recently, however, this mode has
been entirely abandoned in favor OF
one more in keeping with modern
ingenuity and inventions.
The company now having charge
Of the entire industry recognized
some twenty years ago the fact that
the largest pieces of amber could
not be easily moved by the waves
on account of their weight, and that
therefore a lucrative harvest could
be gathered directly from the SUBJ
merged portion of the amber-bear-
ing stratum.
Accordingly divers were imported
from France, but the very first at
tempt, thoroughly satisfactory from
commercial point Of view, demon
strated that Frenchmen were not
able to stand the rigid climate of
Eastern Prussia, and Luthuniars
were substituted for them.
Naturally the cleaning Of the
bottom of the sea along the coast
eventually exhausted the accessible
supply of the valuable resin, and
from 28,4O0 pounds in 1881 the
treasure dropped to 5000 pounds,
in 1890, that diving had to be dis
continued and will not be resumed
until the government permits SUBJ
marine amber mining. The rapid
action of dynamite will then take
the place of the work of divers,
whose movements are hampered by
the stiff and heavy rubber suit and
brass helmet.
Amber is now mined from that
portion of the blue earth stratum
which extends into terra firma.
Difficulties that only the genius
of modern engineers were able to
overcome, the penetrations of quick
sands and layers of gravel that ad-
mitted water from the sea, prevented
extensive diggings until recently.
Now, however, drift that slants
downward to depth of 12O feet of
"blue earth" were taken 405, 900
pounds of amber, valued at nearly
$5OO,000, last year by mining.
Every miner has strapped to him
a bag, in which he collects the
pieces of amber.
Before miner is permitted to
leave the premises after each days
work he is searched. Scrupulously
honest men have had strangely per-
verted conceptions of right and
wrong as regards amber. It seems
to be considered as a gift of nature
to which he who finds it is entitled.
In the Baltic amber fields such
thefts were formerly punished by
death, and ocbasion still requirs O
quite frequent infliction of severe
| punishment.
| A recital of the curious and in
genious ways and means in which
men have attempted to circumvent