The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-01-25
WHALEBoNE IN SACKS.
A Million Dollars Worth Stored In n
Building in san Francisco.

Building in san Francisco.
In little brick and stone stru eture
on the Potero shore of the bay there IS a
million dollars worth OF whalebone
stored and it is guarded as js&lously ga il
1t we're 50 many $50 pieces or is weight
IN precious stones, says the SAN Francisco
Chronicle. II is the property of the Pa
eitie Steam Whaling Company and came
OF the whaling bSrks BelCga, Nary D.
hume, Agenor and Anne: "a, lately in
from the Arctic
The building is perfect vault with
/ brick and stone sides, iron rsof and iron
doors All around the top rams a perfer-
ated pipe by means Of which the whole
interior could be flooded if Ere should
by any possibility break ont Rats arc
thick on the water front and can do a
great deal OF damage TO a cargo OF Whale
bone, 50 small iron doors have been pat
IN 10 answer as barricsdes 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 additional precau-
ton that human ingenuity can suggest
The uninitiased on first stepping into
the cold, cherries place, with its damp
cement floor, are aps TO wonder WY IL
has all bsen done. The long 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 81 600, eco stock The season lust
closing was g most profitable one and in
consequences the warehouse is nearly full
''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 r. Wand enc OF
the representatives OF the whaling con-
pany, yesterday There is big risk even
here. We can take no chances In the
rough, after simple polishing, the bons
is worth IS 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
of on the railroad as soon as possible.
While it is here this little structurs i.
guarded day and night. A million dol
lsrsis something of a responsibility, can
assure you"
where does most of the bone go'' was
asked
"A great deal of it goes TO New York. "
replied Mr.. Wand, ''but most Of the cut
ting is done il Paris and Bremen A lit
tie is done in London. We polish it of
here, get the color, assert it out and put
it up in bundles. Then it is forced
through TO its destination as rapidly as
possible You see, the bone with light
or pearl shade is worth more than the
black, and we have to separate il. -
Several of the bundles bore the mark
NJ. d. Ii. in a diamond That, =" said Mr.
Wand, lis 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 II sig
niles That the bone Is nlcked on some
portion of it. The value is greatly re- /
cargo like eggs. If roughly handled a I
cargo Of whalebone can weII-nigh lie .
ruined. The slightest cut III stalk .
brings down its value about one-balf i
"The bone, you know, is the teeth Of the /
whale, and a large-sized front molar is 4
worth about $50 In every whales jaw /
there are Alb teeth, and one good sized 4
-, = J. i.
the last trip the men on the Jessie d. /
Freeman brought one big fellow along /
side, the head of which produced g, 900 /
pounds OF bone. The mouth Of the whale 4
Is simply huge suction pump. Inc /
monster travels along with its mouth /
wide open on the surface. The only food
he will take IS little red bit OF animal
life that floats on the northern seas. lie
sucks in enough TO make a good mouth /
ful, and then elects the water The food .
is sifted down through the soft teeth, and |
IS filtered like lot Of sawdust would DO /
IN a sieve.
This black hair that fringes the bone
has a separate value IL Is cut from the
teeth and is used for making 1ine fdrni-
tAit. ~ Las DI'bit4E 81 FtAtfiHbiNt tAbF-
ever, that it cannot be used to any great
extent
when do you expect to ship this cargo
OFF,
las soon as ever Providence will let
US. 1t is something extraordinary for as
to have such al enormously valuable load
here, and we won hold IL day longer
shan necessary, ] can assure you"
Ever troubled By thievess''
NO" was tie laughing response.
''The bone L. q trifs too heavy TO run
away with and the place is too well
guarded Fire Is the greatest danger. add
you can see now that has been guarded
sgains-."
Out in the bay six OF The most unsightly
ships that ever buddled together ia port
were tossing Put up At auction tic lot
would scarcely bring it. value n old TN
Der, bat those hulks brought 10 a. valu-
abe freight as many a treasure ship has
seen laden with
FeBagains Contrzrfo-ss.
Old Rooster-What have you stopped