The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1897-08-28

try and learned the facts Of thecase than
he sent in his resignation 70 the house and
arranged 20 go into the pearl industry on
MS own hook After that il was not long
before the general public learned OF tIe
wonderful discoveries.
Memphis capitalists were attracted early
20 the pearl fields. ]. Williams of this city,
took an interest in the business as soon as
the first announcements were made Hay-
ing some acQua.n tances IN the territory. he
got in communication with persons VINO
could give him the facts He sent for ex-
rerts in 81 Louis and even had man come
down from Tiffany's n New York Togeth-
er they went to the pearl country. The ex-
perts unhes:tatingly pronounced the pearls
to be genuine and of excellent quality.
There was no doubt about the quality OF the
stones The gntlemen poked about in the
mud with sticks for a couple OF hours and
succeeded in finding threee more stones.
ranging in size from pea 10 walnut
The largest stones are worth from 500 20
1850. They are of varius tints. The larger
are quite pink ana the smaller ones rang
ing TO a shining white. The stones are
without exception perfect n formation
Faulty ones are seldom found The large
cnes are more nearly perfect circles. They
are ones of oval formation. and the smaller
smooth as though they had been IN the
hands OF the lap:dary for special prepare
ton
The result Of Mr.. Williams visit was that
he acquired the leasehold interest in the
two lakes where the best and most pearls
have been found-the Walker and Murphy
laes. These bodies of water are more pro-
perly termed bayous in this country They
are located on branches of the White river,
and are merely expansions Of tributary
streams. They are perhaps two miles long
They are surrounded by dense growths or
cypress wood. They abound IN all inds or
game fish. and have long been the favor.te
resort OF hunters and fishermen for hun
dreds of miles around. One fisherman, who
had his house boat tied 10 the bakn OF
Walker Lake. picked up half dozen gooG
sized pearls by merely reaching over the
side of his boat. The lakes are easy to
reach They are within few miles of the
ST. Louis, Iron Mountain and Southern
Railroad, and the White River IS navigable
Ear beyond the neighborhood Of these bay
Gus. A regular plies that trade during the
high water and one of the sights OF Mem
phis these days is the crowd of people whc
take passage on the boats destined for these
rearl lakes. They take about as mucn
equipment as one would need on trip to
the KIond:ke, although the search for pearls
is attended by none of the d!scomforts that
the Alaskan adventurer may count upon
meeting.
Mr. Williams has taken extraordinary
precautions 10 guard his treasures. He mas
enc:rcled the two lakes with a GORDON o.
deputies whose instructions are 10 arrest
any persons found proving on the shores
OF the lakes. The two bodies OF water have
also been surrounded by gasoline lights that
at night illuminate the entire corcum1erence
so that il is impossible for anybody to ap-
proach the pearl deposits without peins
seen and halted by the vigilant officers. Mr.
Williams has also made arrangements Tor
" orking the deposits IN a business Ike way
As soon as ne leased the lakes he ordered
from Indianapolis large dredge boat TO be
shipped down In sections and put together
upon arrival at the scene of the fisheries.
This craft has arrived and is now being
put in shape for service. The water in the
AXE Is muddy. Ike all the Southwestern
courses and it would DE impossible for div
ers to work al the bottom with any degree
of success. for 1t would DE impossible TO see
a couple of inches ahead of their noses. Il
is therefore necessary 10 dredge up all the
soil at the bottom OF the lakes. The task
is not such great one. for the made land
of Arkansas is not deep. and VIII not take
long to get over an acre of lake bottom.
Memphis is filled these days with wonder
full stories Of pearl finds. There is much OF
truth in most OF them. For instance, II Is
an established fact that John Baron, ne
gro living or the Baron plantation, near
Marion Ark found in the stomach OF
ring tailed raccoon last week, pearl wnicn
ne now holds for s1f5. The con had evil
IDENTIFY made a meal of the mussel in which
the pearl had formed. The negroes just
across the river from this city, who IND
Isolated stones, and who think il is all
Joke when told that the stones are worth
big money, have been sapping slUo gems LOT
such tr.fies as gallon of whisky OF pack
age Of tobacco. and thinking they were get
ting the best of the bargain at that. over
rear Clarendon a negro cropper on Monday
sent 10 Memphis six large stones with IN
struct;ons to his agents TO try and get MIN
a pair of shoes with the stones. The small
est of them is appraised a; 500 in value
These pearls are not unlike others in the
manner Of their formation. They are grown
inside the shell of the mussels that IN some
Of the Southern waters are so pienu1ul as
% impede navigation, as al mussel snoaIs. IN
the Tennessee River. But II requires pc
,uIisr soil for the propagation OF the pearls
-o that no pearls may be fund in some
olaces where the bivalyes are quite plenti-
full. The meat OF these clear water oys-
.ers is eaten by many people. but 1t is too
soft and fiabby TO be considered with fav-
Dr. by gourmets. Under proper condiuons
, small grit finds Judgement OF this meaty
substance. II adheres and begins 10 grow. !
r seams 70 absorb the meat and 10 expand !
-roportionately itself, with TIE result that !
n the course Of time the shell is devoid OF !,
neat. but contains a pearl OF greater or /
ess size In places where the shells nave /
,ot been disturbed by the action of the /
,urrents, or otherwise, the pearl Is yet % |
&c found In the she'll; but here the sneH
las been driven about considerably the
,earis may be scattered. II IS mucn mcse
convenient for the pearl hunter TO ma the
tone separated from TIE shell. Tor II i
zone the .ess easy 70 find. and II 5 H'ucn
more easy 10 get at. Sometimes the pear
,unter will have 20 open FIVE or SIX thous-
ma shells before his search VII be reward
a BY coming upon store OF any V@4oe.
The operations OF the Williams syndicate
viii be carried or much the same as the
,lacer mining OF the west A s!uice viii
V arranged on the dredge boat into which
he sediment taken from the bottom Of The
axe will be poured. and as the SOL docs
iot contain any other stony substance than
Re shells o. me ulgssels Or the pure pearls
Is plain that whel tie DIT shall have
cen washed through the sluices nothing
vill remain Il the bottom but TIE valuable
ubstancss-
One OF the most business Ike prospectoTs
n The pear country az this early date =
ir Charles Wins. Of th-s city. who rep
ssen;s a lccal frn OF jewelers.. who have
eat him OF, TO buy al the gems he can
ear Of His means OF Iocoulotton Il Uslf-