The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-10-18
SOME QUEER INDUSTRIES.
Odd Ways of Making n Living Dis
closed by the Latest Census.
FROM the St. Louis Republic.

FROM the St. Louis Republic
! Occupations open to the thrifty indi-
viduals of both sexes have greatly inereas-
ed during the last two decades, or even
since the taking of the last decennial cen
sus, in 1890.
The extraordinary progress of science
during the time specified and the appli-
cation of its principle to the practical
problems of human life have not only had
the effect of greatly increasing the capac-
ity for production in the trades already
firmly established. but have opened hum
dreds Of queer side alleys which lead d.
rect to the avenues of trade.
There are, Of course, dozens of these new
and remarkable occupations with which
| science does not deal even in the remotest
sense, in this class we find the rat catch
er, the skunk farmer, the man who makes
his living by picking up lost things in de-
pots, 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 syndicate which
is now engaged in raising black cats for
their fur. They are not raising the cats
on water, as might be inferred from the
title, but have leased an island In the
great lake, which is now plentifully stock
ed with both sexes of screeching felines.
There are still others In the non-scien-
tific category of queer occupations, but ii
will only be necessary to mention few.
One is "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 1t to be a panacea
for hundred different ills; the skins he
sells to would-be cowboys, who use them
as hat bands, and the skeletons are always
a ready SALE the purchasers being the
curators of the natural history depart
ments of the different college and society
museums. The man who wakes people
up in the morning. the old cork collectors,
and the dog catchers are Well-known char
acters in every large city
The individuals who gain a 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 the manufacture OF artificial eggs ar
tihcial coffee, and false diamonds Also
the Industry of making buttons. combs,
penholders and other articles Of a similar
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
proprietor Of an industry" wherein the
fundamental principles are strictly scien-
tihc.
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 4to
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 I'm small glass tubes
until the poison sacs have been emptied.
In the second they are placed In a 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 venom is said to be sovereign rem
edy for cancer, rheumatism, snake bite,
and a hundred others Of the more terri
bic ills Of humanity.