The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1893-01-18
wHALEBoNE IN STACKS.


In precious stones, says the San Francisco
Chronicle. 1t is the property of the Pa.
cific Steam Whaling Company and came
of the whaling barks Beluga, Mary ID.
Hume, Agenor and America, lately In
from the Arctic.
The building is a perfect vault with
brick and stone sides, iron roof and iron
doors. All around the top runs a perfer-
ated pipe by means of which the whole
interior could be flooded IL q Ere should
by any possibility break out. Rats are
thick on the water front and can do 9
great deal OF damage to a cargo Of whale,
bone, SO small iron doors have been put
in to answer as barricades when the big
ones are opened to air the place Oilskins
such as the fire patrol use are spread over
the cargo as the final addi tional precau.
tion that human ingenuity can suggest
The uninitiated on first stepping into
the cold, cheerless place, with its damp
cement hoor, are apt TO wonder why it
has all been done. The lor q black stalks
don't look like much piled against the
walls, and to hear their immense value
set forth is enough TO take the breath
away. But the place does not always con-
tain 81 900, 900 stock. The season Just
closing was a most profitable one, and in
consequences the warehouse is nearly full.
1.-The lady purchasing a few sticks of
whalebone on her shopping tour scarcely
realized the immense risk and the great
amount of labor necessary to place IL on
the counter" said w. X. Wand, one Of
the representatives Of the whaling COM
pany, yesterday There is big risk oven
here. We can take no chances In the
rough, after simple polishing, the bone
is worth s. a pound, and we have at least
200, 900 pounds on hand now. When the
vessel docks at the wharf yonder we pitch
In and work day and night until the cargo
is housed here, and then we try to get il
off on the railroad as soon as possible.
While it is here this little structure is
guarded day and night. A million dol.
lars is something OF a responsibility, can
assure you"
"Where does most of the bone gor' was
asked.
"A great deal of it goes to New York.
replied Mr.. Wand, "but most Of the cut.
ting is done in Paris and Bremen. A lit
tie is done In London. We polish it of
here, get the color, assert it out and put
1t up in bundles. Then it is forced
through to its destination as rapidly az
possible. You see, the bone with q light
or pearl shade is worth more than the
black, and we have to separate It,"
Several of the bundles bore the mark
txxo
Wand, ''is the name Of the vessel from
which the bone was taken; In this in
stance the Mary d. Hume, a vessel which
brought in the most valuable cargo ever
received from the Arctic seas. One or
two OF these bundles are marked cut,
you observe. That is to guide the buyer
when the bone is offered for sale. 1t sig. |
nifes that the bone is nicked on some
portion OF it. The value Is greatly re-
iuced, and we must theref ore handle the |
cargo like eggs. IL roughly handled q
cargo OF whalebone can well-nigh bs
ruined. The slightest cut in stalk
brings down its value about one-half
'The bone, you know, is the teeth of the
whale, and a large-siEed front molar is
worth about $50. In every whales jaw
here are 413 teeth, and one good sized
lead is worth a good deal Of money. On
he last trip the men on the Jessie d.
freeman brought one big fellow along
ide, the head of which produced 5000
'ounds OF bone. The mouth Of the whale
$ simply huge suction pump. The
monster travels along with its mouth
vide open on the surface. The only food
10 will take is a little red bit of animal
ife that floats on the northern seas. He
ucks in enough to make a good mouth
ul, and then elects the water. The food
} sifted down through the soft teeth, and
J filtered like lot of sawdust would be
4 a sieve.
This black hair that fringes the bone
as separate value It is cut from the
seth and is used for making fine furni-
are. 1t has become so valuable, how
yer, that it cannot be used to any great
Ntent.n
when do you expect to ship this cargo
ff'
"As soon as ever Providence will let
}. 1t is something extraordinary for us
have such an enormously valuable load
ere, and we won hold il q day longer
IAN necessary, can assure you.l
Ever troubled by thievess" ,
"No," was the laughing response
The bone is trifle too heavy to run
way with and the place is too well '
larded. Fire is the greatest danger, and >
u can see how that has been guarded :
ainst."
Out in the bay six OF the most unsightly :
ips that ever huddled together in port
re tossing Put up al auction the lot
'uld scarcely bring its value in old lum. !,
r, but those hulks brought in as valu.
lie freight as many treasure ship has q
On laden with. =
Wise Girl.