Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1895-01-26
AMERICAN PEARLS.
More Than $500, 900 Worth
Found In Wisconsin,

Mr.. George +. Kunz, the New York
expert in precious stones, states
that pearl-fishing Is becoming an inn
portant industry in Wisconsin, and
that more than $500, 600 worth of ex-
cellent pearls have been taken out Of
the Sugar river, down in the south.
western part Of the State, during the
last three or four years. But he
thinks the legislature ought to pass
stringent law to protect the fisher.
les, which will otherwise soon be de.
stroyed by the improvidence Of those
who are working them. The pearls
are found In species Of mussel
which can be preserved and propo.
gated like the oyster, and the yield
OF pearls can not only be made per-
manent, but can be improved. The
fishermen now tear open the shell
and destroy all the life IL contains,
whether 1t carries a pearl or not,
when 1t would be just as easy gently
to pry 1t open with some sharp in.
strument and remove the pearl with
pair Of pincers without injuring
the industrious and humble little
being. He can .then be put back
into his bed ut the bottom of the
stream to breed and bear pearls In.
definitely. by selecting the mus
sells from which the best pearls have
been taken from those that have
borne poorer quality, and planting
them at. the spots where the yield
has been most prolific, IL would be
possible to improve the pearls both
In size and quality. Experience has
taught that oysters can be bred up
just like horses or cattle, and Mr..
kunz believes that there would be no
difficulty in doing the same with all
pearl-bearing shell fish.
1t has already beeu done to Ger.
tain extent In other countries and
the conditions at the Wisconsin pearl
fisheries are peculiarly favorable for
1t. He has prepared circular let.
ter on the subject which has been
sent out by the United States fish
commission, but he suggests that the
legislature Of Wisconsin should
order an investigation and pass laws
to protect the pearl musscls and res
ulate the fisheries before they are
entirely destroyed. Most OF the men
working them now are amateurs and
have no knowledge of the scientific
side of the industry.
Mr., Kunz, or rather Mrs. Kunz,
has discoverca TINT what ire known
Us blue-white diamonds, that aro
very rare and come from The mines
In Brazil, arc reservoirs OF light, and
will not only show phosphorrscence
In the dark by friction, but will even
sparkle when entirely ut res Mrs.
kunz was wearing u diamond OF this
kind and one night happened to no.
tice the phenomenon while hanging
up some clothes In u dark closet.
She called her husbands attention
to 1t and he made Il thorough inves.
tigatlon. But OF all the grades and
colors and kinds of diamonds that he
had access to, the blue.white variety
alone seemed to retain and emit light
In tho dark. While Mr. Kunz had
rever known OF this popularity be.
fore he thought 1t must have been
discovered by some one, and began a
search through all the authorities
that treat Of precious stones. Finally
he found reference to the fact in an
old English work, but the author
evidently regarded II as OF little I'M.
portancc. Those who happen to owr
blue-white diamonds can make tests
/ for themselves.