The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-11-27
QUEER INDUSTRIES.
The Latest Census DiscIoses Some
Curious and NepuIsive ways OF
Making n Living.

Making n Living.
From the ST. Louis Republic.
Occupations open to the thrifty indivd-
uals of both sexes have greatly increased
during the last two decades, or even since
the taking of the last decimal census In
1890.
The extraordinary progress of science
during the time specified and the applica-
ton of its principle to the practical prob
lens of human life have not only had the
effect of greatly increasing the capacity
for production in the trades already hrm-
ly established, but have opened hundreds
of queer side alleys which lead direct to
the avenues of trade.
There are, of course, dozens or these
new and remarkable occupations with
which science does not deal even In the
remotest sense In this class we find the
rat catcher the skunk farmer, the man
who makes his living by picking up lost
things in depots theaters. hotels, etc, and
returning them to their owners with the
expectation Of being rewarded; the clock
winder, the man who collects orange and
lemon peels, and the Lake Michigan syn
dicate which is now engaged in raising
black cats for their fur. They are not
raising these cats on water, as might be
inferred from the title, but have leased an
island in the great lake, which is now
plentlfully stocked with both sexes of
screeching felines.
There are still others I'm the non-scien-
tific category of queer occupations, but 1t
will only be necessary to mention a few
One is a "rattlesnake farmer" who lives
in the Ozark mountains, and makes the
products of his farm bring money from
three different directions. The oil he dis
poses of to druggists, who have regular
customers that believe II to be a panacea
for a hundred different ills; the skins he
sells to would-be cowboys, who use them
| as hat bands, and the skeletons are al
ways ready SALE the purchasers being
| the curators OF the natural history depart
ment of the different college and society
museums. The man who wakes people
| up in the morning, the old cork collectors
and the dog ca tchers are well known char.
acters In every large city.
| The individuals who gain livelihood In
| pursuits that are strictly scientific are
| equally as numerous as those who follow
the more humble callings In the list OF
! occupations that are strictly scientific is
| tho manufacture Of artificial eggs, artlh-
| cial coffee and false diamonds. Also the
industry of making buttons, combs, pen
| holders and other articles OF a singular
nature from blood collected at the slaugh-
| ter houses. The man who makes billiard
balls, buttons and rings from potatoes
which have been treated to a solution Of
| nitric and sulphuric acids is also the pro-
| prietor of an Industry" wherein the fun
damental principles are strictly scientific.
| But the queerest of all is carried on by
| two young Pennsylvanians, who are max
| ing a regular business OF extracting the
| poison from honey bees. According to the
accounts, they have two different ways
| of collecting their crop Of venom. In the
first the bees are caught and held with
their abdomens in small glass tubes until
the poison sacs have been emptied. In the
| second they are placed in bottle on wire
netting and enraged until the tiny drops
| Of venom fall into the alcohol which fills
| the lower third Of the bottle. This ven
ON Is said to be sovereign remedy for
cancer. rheumatism, snake bite, and a
hundred others Of the more terrible Ills OF
| humanity.