Walker Lake bulletin. (Hawthorne, Nev.) 1883-1926, 1894-01-03
SPONGES MADE TO ORDER,
Dirty Bahama sponges Changed Into the
Costly Mediterranean Article.

Dtf'y bauh"h oPohBts Shhnkeu into the
Costly Mediterranean Article.
In dingy back room of a William street
importing house there is Turk engaged
in effecting an interesting n metamorphosis.
He stands in circle of great tubs filled
with dark looking and foul smelling stuff.
There are faint odors of chlorine of oxalio
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 incantations over his
tubs, and turning, with vigor not to be
expected in such place, the cogs of
creaking instrument closely resembling
kitchen clothes wringer.
There is a 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-
ist. 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 n small army of fisher
men who ply in and out Of that port in
small vessels, four men to a crew. When
they have n 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
ctr IA ,.l,.
yellow and soft affairs. They are dark
almost black-full of mud, sand and shells
and of 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 'sheeps
wool" into another and the ''velvets'' into
a 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 woo' 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 was a secret. This bath
does not alter the color of the sponge, but
it removes the mud, sand, shells and para
site growths in a surprisingly short time.
Ones respect for the sponge increases ten
fold when it energies from this bath, but
it is still very sorry looking specimen,
not at all the sort of thing one would care
to squeeze in bath.
| From this tub it passes through wringer
and thence into a tub containing perman-
ganate of potash. This gives the sponge
curious bright, brown color. and causes it
to swell with apparent pride, although in
reality it is the permanganate rather than
.hc pride which causes the swelling.
This done, there is another wringing and
another tub, the latter containing oxalc
and muriatic acids. Here a singular chem
ical change takes place. The sponge sinks
bright brown. In less time than it takes
to write it it floats pure white. This color
is not a 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 to the sim
ported article" II rich golden hue such as
only the most aristocratic member of the
Mediterranean sponge family could hope
to attain. Then it is trimmed with Il big
pair of shears and hung up to dry. Finally
1t is boxed and on the covers and sides of
the box there appear prominently, 80 tenn
poral o moresp the words Greece" or
"Syria," or Cyprus. New York Times