Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-06-11
He Has n Pearl Farm.

(San Francisco CALI
James Clark OF Queensland. Australia.
the king Of the pearl-fshers and the owner
Of the only pearl-shell farm IN the world.
IS at the Occidental
Mr. Clarks pear-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 II Is
a new thing Nobody has ever attempted
1t before. Mr. Clark is on a tour Of no
world 10 investigate the various pearl
fisheries.
He has all the facts and figures concern
iHs them on his hngertips. 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 10
money Invested I'M them.
The king Of pearl fishers employs no less
than 100 men and 80 vcusels OF the
army OF l,5O0 men. 2J0 are skilled divers.
The vessels used are Of all sizes. the ave-
rage cost Of each being about f600.
Il have been fifteen years engaged I'm
pearl fishing" said Mr.. Clark last night.
My fisheries are in the Torres Straits N
the north OF Queensland. 1 began on a.
small scale, and have given the pearl fish
cries my close attention during all these
years. My experience has led me 10 the
belief that. with proper intelligence In the
selection Of a place, one can raise pearls
and pearl shells as easily as one can raise
must know how. ] started a large pearl
shell farm three years ago, and have
stocked 1t with shell, which / obtained IN
many instances far out az ocean, In the
deep water. TO grow shells successfully,
according 10 my experience thus far, the
water must not be too deep.
There IL one thing am sure or. and
that Is that no matter how many pearls
are produced. the supply can never equal
the demand, and therefore there Is M
danger OF any combine among the pearls
fishers Of the globe II Is for the purpose
OF finding out all | can in regard 90 the
pearl fisheries Of the different parts of
the world that / have now set out on this
trip. 1 keep pretty well informed In re-
gard 10 the pearl fisheries In all parts OF
the country. Your great fishery in thu
Gulf Of California is the bigges. one on
the American Con tinent, and Is practically
the only one, excepting that OF the Gulf
OF Mexico, below the Gllf
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 illustration
OF the kind we produce. There Is only one
color, In fact, and that is the most de 5ire4
among purchasers. This large oval pearl
you may think something abnormal IN It's
way but we get many OF them. There s.
no question but that the Torres fisheries
produce the finest pearls 70 be had. The
market shows that. They bring the high
est prices"
Mr.. Clark Is a man OF medium height
and middle age He Is said 70 be multi
millionaire and TO have acquired his CO.
lOssal fortune since he began pearl-hshins
a few years ago. He has a reddish beard,
a clear gray eye, and a quiet, confident
way OF talking that Is very interesting.
My pearl-shel 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 shall
low for Il Is only in that kind OF water
that shells can be successfully matured.
Any experienced pearl-hsher can tell at
q surrounding shores
whether or not he has the best fishing
ground.
"If the shores are high ard rugged, ID
indicates that the water II deep and cold.
The shells do not attain the greatest size
there. Besides this II IS hard on the
divers IN going so deep for them.
Where the shores are low and receding
and the water warm. there are TO be
found the finest shells and the biggest
pearls
II ship my shells to London In my own
vessels. The shells are used FOR scores
/ OF dlfxrent purposes now and there Is a
/ greatly demand for them each year They
/ 60 20 London In my vessels by hundreds
"The pearls are marketed In London
| and Paris mainly The catch each year
| runs, roughly speaking. from 80. 90 worth
I up to almost 1--WE times that. There Is q
! constantly growing demand for them. /
/ have been IN the business long enough to
/ ascertain that FOR a certainty.
| ct is because OF this that | am now
trying 70 make pearls and shells on my
| own farm. which have established and
stocked by portion OF what l have
i caught"