The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-08-29
ARKANSAS PEARL STORIES.
scoEES OF GEMS PICKED OUT OF
the LAKES AVID CREEKS.

with Raid nob-Wiliinns's Lively StruGEle-
.N-yrrIs Aug. cs.-People In Arkansas are
,.rit- wonderful stories about discoveries Of
r.,-ls r.. yaaays. Not long ago an elderly vo
r,nn was at Mg-phy Lake with some neighbors
and RI ends, all Of r"hom were wishing for large
r.ms wen she 'ooked down and sait. Hc-e's
~. ~, the ,hinrs." She received an offer OF SIS
to- d, on the spot. A Mr.. Kelley who lives near
p.,t Knob remembers when his children In get
ting mussels COR tsh bait often found pretty
,ock, " irsi q the shells and used them for mar
Ma. But 70 the average Ratherer the labor Of
,e,tin, them is worth all they will bring in the
market, II may Scam an easy thing to do TO
Gather mr. sse's and open them and secure their
r.m.. but Il. is not when all the surroundings
are IONS Id'red-
correspondent Of THE Sun visited the
White county pearl fisheries last week. To be-
rim With. very few places where the mussels ara
found In .,rge quantities are accessible. To
reach them me- ms long rides over the toughest
roads IN the United States. Bald Knob WAS
b,,isuartcrs. The nearest pearl lakes were
Nurphy and Walker. which are connected by a
harrow stream. At the present time there Il so
much drift in the stream and the water lie so
INV that a canoe cannot he padded from one TO
the other, but has 70 10 pulled over the drift
wood. To reach these lakes from Bald
Knob necessitates a ten.mile ride over
the toughest road that q four-wheeled
vehicle was ever driven. The wheels
do not make q complete revolution with
OF: one or more running over a stump or root.
There are deep chuck holes that threaten to
swallow NJ the travellers. The long. flexible
limbs OF the un'errrowth and the stiff, stuhhy
Ioushs o. The hickory slap the passengers in the
ss,e and try TO drag them out OF the buggy.
There "a some recorlpcnse in this ride in viewing
-. .,rtgn 80 ~ --ooji.pj Tho D,a aoJ
the back gum are hanging their scarlet banners
OF their bending branches and the wild wooc
flowers are in all their glory.
After an hour AMI = half the scene ct the
IsarI isheries is reached. Murphy and Walker
likes are beautiful bodies Of water. hort!cred
h. crpress and other Southern lowland woods.
Murphy Lake il ,wo miles long and 500 feet
vide al the widest place. Walker lake is only
ahort a nile long. but is much deeper, being
from fifteen 10 eighteen feet now at low water.
Murphy Lake is very mach shallower, and in
many places may be waded in safety.
George c. Griffith OF Raid Knob owns the
lakes. When IL was found that mussels
aSounied there. ard that some valuable
gems hal leeu taken from them. J. J. Williams
OF Memphis, who Shancc,. to De tn re on a Meas.
nre trip. bunting and fishing. leased the lakes
Tor = term of five ye r.. and ~ once put q force
OF men 70 work The divers and waders are
nTst-any constitution nd one predisposed To
work TO sand This work. for il is very hard ard
trying. The lakes are filed with mtlarlal poi.
son. 4 few days continuous wndinE brings on
low malarial ever. and several have died from
its efec's. The eaters give the mesh a ~uecGliar
and very unpleasant feeling. as thnucn Que
we're bathing in a strong solution of coprerrs.
Iiere are snrinCs seepinE out around the banks
me rnsscis are :mbeIded in t.e mud and are
taken oat by hand, In a LITTLE time the finger
TIPS feel rouch and harsh. Bat In sp'te efthese
End most OF them have heen rewarded with what
they deem a fair return for the time invested.
Mr.. Williams has more than paid the wages of
the men enployed and the amount othis lease.
heai,es the expenses. OF building a 5redge for
pave! for "riTns. Nj. Williams has sol sew
ta7se he has had made into ornaments for his
4 Nr, Smith Of Yves, FONT is a farmer. and
Starred ac-op. He was too loor to get supplies
and the merchants would not credit him. HI
went ash,aE. and IN EettiIF a MUSE! for bait
~eoar!sed he hunt-i for MOI" pearls, and has W
10 his inc sold -; -o3 worth; He found hi'
s6Ttk than fSe M5-u5y an Uaike- I4;cs.
Mr.. p ROW, = n '-rhant % Rid Knob, t1rgh'
tTo psarIs 'or 81 each and .old them FOR s25o.,
taken out OF Little Red River.
George ard 'Lisha Osborne have sold SsOd
Of their pearls wero from, Murphy Lake ant
r1ay we're from W0o!ruf Lake.
500 ro:la Of pearls. John Sins made s45 II,
ssund day he worked. They have taken oQ
re eat!Fe amount ain" June -.
6oyAn Edwards had r pearl one day last Wee
leasket 10 FOR and then dropped it under to,
sLisSs.k. Tie atierward found II and sold i
TT brennan showed the reporter a beautl
he pear pear. IS 8 are as H. z pea but s s:S S5 - ped; TN !
psa tf,'S Il az ii st9' ar * tn! htf SOLO $40 worth o
J.. Z. Diehl. who lives on tho hank OF Murph,
Like. gathered and sold S2.5 worth OF pearl.
ana has not worked moTs thu i've days. II
Siso htS ten pearls in New NO.X ne has no
heard from. and seYera! small ones he has no
Tie list nigh; be drawn out Indefinitely, 70
~ hrxansIs has the Fever. ant loses 40 opuo!
The surface mussels in Murphy and Wake
f.s are very 5y Icy yEi,i - the PRESENT time: In
operation which will bring up all the mussei
that may be hidden beneath the surface. II
as ,heory that for centuries the mussels hnv
their pearls are ye; In their shells, or that po.
s,o!y they may have dropDed ont in rhc mud c
Others advance the theory that the m.s.el
Mi sse'F pearls; In either case n y
wealth Of the lakes may be BROUGHT to the 81!
iEaoHss, He mas buiir a cottage by the lake for
.hsH he visits the lakes, Jsreme Richerds
thls city, has been placed In charge, and TIL
week will be at hom in the new cottage. while
VIII pc complete in a few days. Tho ~turnitur
made by a BeId Knobca y cimaker. The cottas
-. ''t+S p Y w WINS WIN " nall y
t"een;, Il Is built under the shade OF the tree
ehf VII! re Rs comfortable as q place can be O
Inc !owldnds. A driven we'll furnishes a
e,nhdaht supply OF water.
BIT NLilims Is hlying an uphill tim OF tn
NerA. Wnen he : trled down to work, after $
curing the ease from the owner. he posted II
axes Ior he purpose OF keeping the multitude
oaL w hIte signs were put Up about the lal
SHORES ana the roads leading to them, reading:
NOTICE,
ms lake has heen leas ii TO J. J. Williams OF Mer
e., All par=ous tres passing on these premises "
prosecuted 70 the extent Of toe law.
:, ]. WILLIAMS,
GEORGE =. GRIFFrrH.
There is a fierce rivalry bctwcen Bid Knc
81 - ), The county seat Of White count
seSrSy has ner medicinal springs OF great mer
sc Ler school, and colleges. but Bale KNOB b
Two railroads, a through line from ST. Louis
teA.s, aHi a branch liz from Memphis, VIII
uer ryNl has TO be content with a branch fro
we main line. VISA Bald Knob sudden
sprLnG into promineT - by reason OF being L
I.Ace from which mot Of the pearl hunte
uArteh 10 the lakes the little coun
seat grew, Jealous. and her Mayor al
several leading citizens came 10 the 'front.' wi
tpf"test against any one having the sole rig
~ the Learl fisheries il Murphy and WAX
aaes. This protcs. took - yery interesting al
s4hewhat exciting form. The news spre,
GIEDNt that a rfDDpapy fpprn Za,s,y -. .l,s,