Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1896-05-10
4 PEARL KINGDOM IN THE SOUTH.
Genuine 9S-4 Grain Mk-White Pearl Brought Up from
River Near Knoxville, Tenn
OYSTER SHELLS LINED WITH CLEAR MOTHER OF PEARL
Copyright, 1896, by Ryman Interview
SYndicate.l

the news that pearls naQ Deen ulScoF-
cred in the South and that the pearl in
dustry might become great business
of the United States.
This country. rich in gold and silver,
in ores and salt, lacked the precious
Jewel of the Sea.
The new pearl fishery was discovered
in a river of Tennessee, and though
the finds" from it have been few, and
the reports and location kept as still
as possible, there is every hope that
really valuable pearl field has been
found. The discovery was made two
weeks ago.
All who have handled gems remem-
Der the great sensation caused by the
discovery of the Wisconsin pearls few
years ago. For awhile Wisconsin pearls
we're in such demand that $500 was
cheerfully paid for an ordinary gem and
800 for a pearl that now can be bought
for $780,
The Wisconsin pearl fisheries still go
on, but the supply is small compared
to the demand, and the great sensation
which they made has died out. To own
a native pearl was so desired by pearl
NOlltSlOlo tudN lnCg pay al tnih6
TO get one. And the pearl divers, not
understanding the Cecil Rhodes plan of
keeping the market scantily supplied.
flooded it with their pearls. bringing
down the price. Then the supply dwin-
died.
Now, dealers say. it is rare that they
get good one. Private sale monopo-
Lies them.
THE DISCOVERY.
The discovery of the Knoxville pearls
was made by dredger in a small
river. This dredger, who was not
professional diver, brought up large
round shell that had a strange foreign
look to him. He opened it and found
an oyster inside. The oyster was of a
curious shape, almost round and lay in
shiny, highly polished bed of glisten-
ing substance. A second look told the
dredger that he had found a mother-of-
pearl shell, and that he had in his hand
the much desired pearl oyster" Of the
sea- In the soft body of the oyster was
a small. hard mass which proved to be
white pearl.
So important a find led to further
dredging. The result was several OF
these shells. all of which were sent to
New York to be examined by jewel ex-
perts. Their finding was that the shells
were of the purest mother-of-pearl and
that the one pearl discovered had
thick skin" clear and almost trans
parent with a milky opaqueness. 1t
weighed ga grains and was of perfect
roundness.
In pearl fishing the diver brings up
the shells for the mother f-pear that
lines them. The oyster is not edible,
but before throwing it away he feels
carefully through it for lump. The
lump means a pearl. Few oysters have
gems One pearl to thousand oysters is
a fair average. 1t Is therefore consid-
cred a good sign that pearl was found
with such a small examination OF oys-
ter shells And, of course. nothing had
ever been done TO plant" the shells.
PREPARATIONS FOR DIVING.
The pearl fishing in the newly dis
covered spot will be carried on as rap
idly as possible. But this will be
slow at best. The first requirement OF
a pearl fishery is a lugger or boat for
lowering the diver. There must be
wheel for pumping air down the div
ing tube and every diving apparatus
must be present for the diver. When
all is ready the man who is hardy
enough to take his life in his hand and
descend to the bottom Of the sea with
it must be found
The scarcity of pearl divers in this
country 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 himself to save the expedition
from failure
In the Bahamas there has been
pearl industry carried on for some
years Their principal find is conch-
shell pearl This is all colors, pink,
green, yellow and purple, and is very
pretty. But it does not compare in val
lie to the milk-white pearl. The conch-
shell pearl is irregular in color, shape
and size and must be worked" before
it can be used for ornaments.
The value Of the pearl as jewel of
trade is that it requires no workman
ship after it is discovered. 1t is brought
to the surface in the oyster. washed and
put into a bottle. When the bottle is
full it is shipped to jeweer The
pearls are ready for neclace, rings and
pins.
The most valuable pearl is the round
one. nearly white. The oval ones have
their uses, but bring less money. A
good pearl of nine 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 he could have held it to secure
his price for the first pearl of the new
fishery.
A diver in going down for pearls car
ries big bag with him to hold the
shells. 1t is full of water and the shells
are dropped in carefully until the bag
is full A tug at the life line and he is
raised up to unload and descend again.
PEARL SHELLS.
The size of the pearl oyster shell is
as big as dinner plate. 1t lies tipped
upon the bed of the ocean. with others
growing near it. 1t rests against
stone as though it had drifted along
when small until lodged firmly. The
knocking against the stone may have
made the irritation in the shall which
produced the pearl. Opinions OF ex-
perts differ. Many think the pearl the
work OF parasite that bores holes IN
the shell and lives in it. Old shells
full OF parasites have the most pearls.
Divers are so careful of the oyster