The San Francisco call., 1896-05-17
]. Clark, the Queensland Gem.
Hunter, and His Story
of Fortune.
HE EMPLOYS ABOUT 1900 MEN,
Has Lately Founded a Pearl Shell
Farm Which He Has Stocked
From Deep Sea Waters.

James Clark of Queensland, Australia.
the King of the pearl-f fishers and the owner
of the only pearl-shell farm in the world,
is at the Occidental.
Mr.. Clark's pearl-shell farm is stocked
with 10000 pearl shell, which he collected
from the deep sea waters. He believes
that he can grow pearls and shells. 1t is
new thing. Nobody has ever attempted
it before. Mr.. Clark is on tour of the
world to investigate the various pearl
fisheries.
He has all the facts and figures concern
ing them at his tinger-tips. He is much
interested in the extensive pearl fisheries
in the Gulf of California, but, of course,
only In an abstract way, as he has no
money invested in them.
The king OF pearl-fshers employs no
less than 1900 men and $50 vessels. OF the
army of 1900 men $50 are skilled divers.
The vessels used are of all sizes, the average
cost of each being about f600
II have been fifteen years engaged in
pearl-fshing," said Mr.. Clark last night.
MY fisheries are in the Torres Straits, in
the north of Queensland. l began in
small way, and have given the pearl fish
cries my close attention during all these
years. My experience has led me to the
belief that with proper intelligence in the
selection of place one can raise pearls
and pearl shells as easily as one can raise
oysters. but OF course to do this you must
know how. l started a large pearl-shell
farm three wears ago. and have stocked it
with shell which l obtained in many in
stances far ont at ocean, in the deep water.
To grow shells successfully, according to
my experience, thus far, the water must
not be too deep.
There is one thing / am sure of, and
that is that, no matter how many pearls
are produced, the supply can never equal
the demand, and therefore there is no dam
ger OF any com bine among the pearl-fsh-
ers OF the globe. 1t is for the purpose OF
hndlng out all | can in regard to the pearl
fisheries OF the different parts Of the world
that l have now set out on this trip. |
keep pretty we'll informed in regard to the
pearl fisheries in all parts of the country
Your great fishery in the Gulf of California
Is the biggest one on the American CONT
nent, and practically the only one, except.
ing that of the Gull of Mexico, below the
gulf.
II want to get scientific partner in
connection with my pearl-shell farm.
want man who knows science, and who
also knows as much as possible about
pearls and shells. This is one of the other
purposes of my trip. With the big fish
cries on my hands and the new farm
which | have started l have rather more
to do than L can well attend to, so I need
an associate to look after the farm where
the new pearls are growing.
THE pearls that are grown in the
Torres Straits are all of the color that YOU
see here. This beautiful silver pearl
which you see on my scarf is good illus
tration of the kind we produce. There is
only one color, in fact, and it is the most
desired among purchasers. This large
oval pearl you may think something
abnormal in it's way. but we get many OF
them. There is no question but that the
Torres fisheries produce the finest pearls
to be had. The market shows that. They
bring the highest prices"
Mr.. Clark is man of medium height
and middle age. He is said to be multi
millionaire and to have acquired his
colossal fortune since he began pearl-fi sh-
ing few years ago. He has reddish
beard, clear gray eye and a quiet. con-
fident way of talking that is very interest
ing:
my pearl-shell farm" he continued.
Occupies a stretch of water ten miles long
and about five miles wide on the edge of
the Torres Straits. The water is shallow,
for it is only in this kind of water that
shells can be successfully matured. Any
experienced pearl-fisher can tell at a