Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1894-09-12
SKELETON MARKET.
UNCLE SAM is THE CHAMPION BONE
COLLECTOR OF THE WORLD.

Specimens From the Lowest Fishes to the
Human Species Found In the National
Museum-Bones Used as Fertilizers-Mar-
ket Value of Skeletons.
Funk island-that is, part of it
has been reproduced for exhibition at
the National museum at Washington.
1t was on that lonely rock, 80 miles off
the coast of Newfoundland, that the
now extinct great aux had its principal
roost. Fifty years ago the last individual
of the species perished. 1t is represented
now by a skeleton, worth 5000, stand
ing by heap of bird remains such as
chiefly compose the surface soil of Funk
island, while alongside is an egg of the
fowl, valued at 81, 500, together with
the inner skin of another egg. The Ma
tional museum possesses nearly all Of
the great aux bones in existence. They
are the most costly bones in the world.
The finest collection of skeletons in
the world is also stored at the National
museum. They run upward from the
lowest fishes, through the reptiles and
Birds to man. Human bones are much
cheaper than those of many other ami
mails. One can buy a nicely articulated
skeleton Of man for $40 or of woman
for $5O-sex makes some difference in
the price-whereas the skeleton of a
gorilla costs $500, of whale $3.50, Of
an elephant $400, of lion $75, of
horse $40, of cat $12 and of python
$75.
The bones of human being are near
ly one-quarter water during the life of
the individual. They are chiefly COM
posed of phosphate of lime, but contain
a good deal of animal matter and other
elements. In the skeleton of man are
nearly four pounds of the metal cal
cium, which is many times more valu-
able than gold, being worth $500 an
ounce. Thus in the osseous framework of
the average tramp may be found ma
terial with , market value of about
$1S, if it could be separated.
1t is only in bones that phosphate of
lime is found in anything like pure
state. Everybody knows the value of
that material as fertilizer, but it is
only recently that human skeletons
have been imported into this country to
grow crops with. Not. long ago ship
ment was made from Mexico to the
United States of 10 carloads of human
bones, said to have been obtained from
ancient mounds in southern Mexico,
but more probably gathered from vari-
GUS old and abandoned cemeteries. AS
these remains were fragments of unas-
sorted skeletons, it was estimated that
80, 900 individuals were represented in
the lot.
This would not be considered novel
ty in Europe. Years ago English farm
ers used human bones to some extent to
fertilizo their land. The battlefield of
Waterloo was for time the base of sup
plies, and this was supplemented by
cargoes of mummies from Egypt ground
to a fine powder.
In ancient Egyptian tombs are found
great numbers of copper boxes, opening
at one end by slide, which contain
mummies of cats, hawks, ibises and
now and then snakes ,and small croco-
mercial article in that country today.
For a long time locomotives were run
between Cairo and Suez with no other
fuel. Corpses of royal personages 5000
years old and upward fetch high prices.
A year ago the Austrian bark Villa
was deserted by her crew. Later she
was picked up as a derelict off Cape
LOTT fOt1T,I t0
sist in large part of bones, and of these
one-fourth were human. The rest was
composed mainly of the bones Of horses
and cattle. In one corner of her hold
was great heap of human skulls. No
body knows to this day why the crew
deserted the vessel in midocean. She
was worth $4,000, including her
freight. The bones had been collected
in deserts and cemeteries of Egypt. The
preparation of human skeletons for mar
ket is quite an industry. The chief CEN
ter for this branch of commercial activ
ity is Paris, where three concerns are
engaged in the business ON considerable
scale. They obtain the requisite supplies
of raw material in the shape of bodies
luSJltuJlOllS, IuOSb vi tICln
being those of paupers and criminals.
In the United States the existing laws
would not permit the establishment of
a factory for bleaching and preparing
human skeletons. The only sort of
skeleton produced here is of the family
type, which is kept in the closet.
To supply the demand in this country
oh cJr ,tol
nually. This reckoning does not include
minor parts, such as skulls and thigh
bones. These are in great request by Sc
cret societies, being absolute ! indis-
pensable for initiatory ceremonies. One
may purchase Uranium and crossbones
for only SO. But if you want some
thing really fancy in the way of skull
you must pay $40. 1t is worth the
money, however, being beautifully dis
articulated, SO that each particular bone
may be studied separately, including
even the little bones of the ear.
You can buy very good skeleton
complete for $40. A plain skull costs
only Sc. By students of obstetrics
there is special demand for the pelyis,
WHICH COIu6S d6 Si. CluDS OrSdillZeu 10
defy superstitious beliefs affect the use
of skulls for drinking cups, and young
men who are studying for the medical
profession indulge CHASTITY humor by
employing similar receptacles to hold
tobacco. The demand for human bones
always exceeds the supply. York
World.
Wonderful Fecundity of Flowers.
A single seed of the common sweet
pea of the Emily Henderson variety has
been known to produce stalk yielding
1900 flowers per month during the
Towering season, which generally lasts
from June 5 to Oct. 1. A record of the
flowers cut from row of these peas 60
feet in length, plants or vines standing
at a distanceof nine inches apart, shows
that the first flowers were plucked on
June II and the last ON Oct. 20. Even
though badly matted-which made close
cutting almost imDOssible and allowed