The morning times., 1896-05-10
Copyright, 1896,


The sharpest electrical current of the
century was mild sensation compared
to the thrill felt by jewel hunters at the
news that pearls had been discovered
in the South and that the pearl industry
might become a great business OF the
United States.
This country, rich in gold and silver,
in ores ana salt, lacked the precious
jewel of the sea.
The new pearl fishery was discovered
in a river OF tennessee, and though the
''nnds' from II have been lew, and the
reports and location kept as still as
possible, there is every hope that Il
IealIy valuable pearl field has been found.
The discovery was Nude TWO weeks ago.
All who have handled gems IemenII.l.
the great sensation caused 10y the ais
cOyery OF The Wisconsin pearls Il few
years ago. FCr awhile Wisconsin pearls
were III such demand that $3.50 was
CheerfuiIy paid Tor au ordinary gem and
Sl0O Tor pearl that now can be bought
Tor $50.
Tie Wisconsin pearl fisheries still go
on, but the supply is small compared
10 the demand. and the great sensation
which they made has died out. Te own
native pcau was 50 desired 10y pearl
collectors that they would pay anything
to get one. And the pearl divers, not
understanding the Cecil Rhodes plan of
keeping the market scantily supplied,
flooded 1t with their pearls. bringing
dawn the price. Then the supply dwin-
died.
NOW. dealers say, ii Is rare that they
get a good one. Private sale monopo-
Lies them
THE DISCOVERY. ~
The discovery Of the Knoxville pearls was
made 10y a dredger IN a small I.-er Inis
dredger, who was not a professional diver.
brought up u large round shell hat had Il
strange, foreign look to him. He opened
IL and found an oyster inside. The oyster
was OF curious shape, almost round. and
lay III shiny, highly polished ted - giisl-
tnlng substance. a second look told the
dredger that he had found mutheT-oi pearl
shell, and that lie had in his hand the much
desired pearl oyster of the sea. In the
soft body OF the oyster was small, hard
mass, which proved To be white pearl.
SO important a find led 10 further dredg-
ing. The result was several of those shells,
all of which were sent to New York 10 he
examined by jewel experts. Their finding
that the shells were of the purest
mother-of-pearl, and that one pearl dis
covered had thick ''skin,' clear and al
most transparent, with a milky opaque
perfect roundness.
In pearl flsnmg the diver brings up tho
shells for the mother-of-pearlthatl linesthem.
The oyster is not edible, but before thro wing
il way he feels carefully through il for
lump. The lump means pearl. Fe " oysters
have gems. One pearl to a Thousand oysters
is fair average. 1t is therefore considered
a good sign that a pearl was found with
such small examination of oyster shells.
And, of course. nothing had ever been done
TO plant the shells.
PREPARATIONS FOR DIVING
The pearl fishing in the newly discovered
spot will be carried ON as rapidly as pos
sibIe. but this Will be slowly at best.
The first requirement or pearl fishery
is a lugger or boat for lowering the diver.
There must be a wheel for pumping air
down the diving tube. and every diving APP
paratu must represent for the diver. When
al is ready the man who is hardy enough
% take his life in his hand and descend TO
the bottom OF the sea with jt must be
found.
The scarcity of pearl divers in this coun-
try is very remarkable where SO much
industry exists. There is said to be only
one thorough pearl diver. and he is a
New England man, who was sent upon a
diving expedition in the West Indies. and
losing his diver, had to teach him self to
save the expedition from failure.
II the Bahamas there has been a pearl
industry carried on for some years. Their
principal find is conch-shen pearl. This
is all colors pink green, yellow and purple
and is very pretty. But il does not com-
pare in value to the milk-white pearl The
conch-shell pearl is irregular in color. shape
and size. aud must be worked before il can
be used for ornaments.
The value OF the pearl as jewel OF
trade is that it requires no workmanship
after IL is discovered. II is brought to the
surfacein the oyster washed aud put into n
bottle. When the bottle is full ii is shipped
toa Jewelcr- The pearls are ready forneck-
laces. rings and pins.
The most Yd diuable pearl is the round one,
nearly white. The oval ones have their
uses, but bring less money. a good pearl
OF niue grains brings fully $40. That was
the exact price for which the Knoxville
pearl was sold, and had the pearl dealer
been inclined to do so be could have held it
20 secure his price for the first pearl of
the new fishery.
A diver in going down for pearls carries
big bag with him TO hold the shells.
tits fullo OF water and the shellsare dropped
in carefully until the bag is full. A tug
at the life line aud he is raised up TO un.
load and descend again.
PEARL SHELLS
The size of pearl oyster shell is as
the bed of the ocean, with others grow.
ing near it. IL rests against a stone, rs
though il had drifted along whcn small
until lodged firmly. The knocking against
thestone may have made the irritation in
the shell which produced the pearl. Opin
ions of experts differ. Many think The pear
the work Of n parasite that bores holes in
the shell and lives in it. Old shells fisIl
OF parasites have the most pearls
Divers are so careful of the oyster shell
that they win not drop them into a bag
but prefer TO come up 10 the lugger with ;
shellin each hand and go down gain.
The iiniag of the shells is n very heanti-
fui thing. II is used for countless orna
ments, among those being opera glasses
table tops and table ornaments. The ma K
ing OF these is so delicate that the shells ar,