The morning times., 1896-05-10
NO MORE NEED OF IMPORTATION FROM AUSTRIA
Important Jewel Hunters Discovery of Western Gold
Mines and Harder to Work.
PEARL FISHERY MAY RIVAL THE ORIENTAL ONES

sent 20 Germany and Austria, where the
art Is wen known, and there the Inning is
carefully removed and the pearl sent 10
this country In other shape. The mother
of-pearl Is valuable enough To repay Tie
trouble ana expense OF diving Tor 1t.
diver gets So 90 pair FOR the shells
lined with pearl; and II lie is expert he can
gather 3oo pairs III day.
The diver, as lie has existed in this coun-
try, has been uocS diver, trained TO iay
submarine foundations and TO remove
wreckage. He works i'll the dark and
runs no rls X from the ueep-Sea fishes.
The pearl diver walks or iuns upon the
bottom OF the sea. His lugger is u Nv O.
masted or d steamboat tina, moves a.ong
rapidly with the tide, dragging the life
aud air lines with IL. The uIycr upon the
bed Of the sea or river must keep pace with
the lugger, picking up the shells as he runs.
His rubber suit gives him speed, and he
can bound along like rubber ball upon
the bed OF the water
The depth TO which a diver can go is not
greater than 100 feet Below this The pres
sure Of the water is too great. To lower
him to this depth he must wear iron shoes
that weigh fourteen pounds, and must have
eighty pounds OF lead strapped around his
| waist WhenTifted Off the lugger. feet first
he weighs 200 pounds. His first sensa ton on
entering the water is a frightful pain III the
ears. aud in all exposed parts OF the body
where the air suit cannot keep pressure
away or where the air becomes unevenly
distributed. He sinks rapidly. but once
upon the bed OF the ocean he is ready for
work. The shells look so enormous to him
that he is sure lac cannot lift more than one
at a time. and the novice will give the
Lifeline a tug and be lifted 10 the surface
only to find. when<out of the magnifying
powers of the water, that he has a small
| shell in his hand. b.
| DANGERS.
| The danger in diving is that the men will
| not keep the wheel going that pumps ar
/ to the pipe that supplies the diver with air
! that the boat may sail over some submarine
obstruction in which the lifeline will get
tangled. An old anchor with the rope dTlIU-
ing from it seriously endangered The life Of
one diver. The dangers below are poisonous
; fish that wIii bite Il man = l6et or Ilnger-r
sharks that nip them OIL at bite. y
poisonous stone" fish seCrcteS Itself behind
. the oyster shell. and gives the diver serious
/ injury If stung.
In a river like the newly discovered
! Tennessee fishery. Civer could remain
/ below an hour without trouble, the
depth where the shells lie IS not great.
But at 100 feet Il buZzing in his helmet
warns him after fifteen minutes to cone
up for a breath of air. He gets this by
+ having The glass font of his helmet un-
rewed. and by breathing deeply for
! five minutes.
DIVERS LcCome deaf from the pressure
upon the ear drum. They also run great
! risk of paralysis from disturbance of the
circulation Of the blood. The heart suf-
fers from the same cause, and the lungs,
! If weak. rupture at the first descent. Ii
takes the greatest hardness. and any
! iluess of body, from weak joint to a
sneeZing cold. lays Il diver up until ell
tirely-recovered.
The banks of a pearl fishery become
! very valuable. Towns spring up and
shipping starts into activity. Railroads
are pleased to make connections. and
there become cities where a few houses
were scattered before. The reason is that
hundreds engage in the business. and
the place becomes q center for traders
in gems and jewel experts. The workers
OF mother of-pearl establish themselves
near by. and the discovery OF gold mine
is scarcely less prolific of a boom than
the discovery of pearl fishery.
Like all projectors. the owner of this
pearl spot wants to keep his find quiet
until he has found what its surround
iugS arc worth to him. Meanwhile the
gem dealer to whom he sent his pear
shells awaits. further results with inter