Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-08-19

Picking ten Surface \ Nh psarI. q Big
- sAeosnl.


New York, Aug. 1S.-Fhe excitement
over the Klondyke gold discoveries,
which for time ragged here. as In all
other parts 0 fthe country, has been
altogether eclipsed hereabouts by the
remarkable finds OF pearls in appar-
emily inexhaustfble numbers in lakes
and bayous of western Arkansas. SAYS
a special to- the Sun from Memphis.
The extent of these pearl deposits
cannot be estimated. A couple of the
largest lakes, where the>fnost valuable
finds have been made, have already.
been leased by persons OF means who
are willing to risk their capital in the
venture. They confidently hope that
these lakes alone, OF the snyriads OF
lakes in Arkansas, viii furnish the
pure gems.
The two lakes referred to are the
Miller and Murphy lakes, not far from
Bald Knob. on the Iron Mountain Rail-
road. and about 10 miles from Searcy.
Ark, only about 100 miles west OF
Memphis The story OF the discovery
Is interesting.
"A few weeks ago young man named
Furlough came down from st. Louis to
fish in the Murphy lake. He had
handled pearls in his time and was at
once struck by the appearance Of these
stones. He sent one Of them to an ex-
pert at st. Louis and awaited the yer-
dict.
The positive assurance came back
that the stone was genuine pearl and
of excellent quality.
Furlough at once deserted his pisca-
torial employment and devoted himself
entirely to accommodating stock Of the
gems. When his money ran short he
sent few of the smaller specimens To
the Byrd jewelry house in Memphis,
and by return mail received the regu
lar market price for such stones.
Soon other persons from the same
neighborhood began to consign similar
stones to the Byrd establishment. The
Memphis people began to make In
quiries, and it was not long before en-
pfoyes of the jewelry house began to
throw up their jobs and to make mys-
FERROUS journeys over into the swamp
country. They gave out that they were
going fishing; and SO by degrees it be-
came generally known that the Arkan :
sas lakes were yielding fortunes III,
precious stones for all who would go
after them.
Mr.. j. ]. Williams, county trustee of
Shelby county, went over to the scene
of the discoveries a week ago. He spent
three days there, and during that time
picked up AZ pearls from the surface
mud, ranging in size from a pea to a
large acorn. and concluded a deal with
the owners of the property by which
he secured an exclusive lease of the
two lakes for period of five years.
Before leaving he engaged a force Of
deputy sheriffs to guard both lakes
day and night, and lights were erected
all around the lakes so that they could
not be approached by depredators at
night without being seen.
On his return to this city Mr.. Will
liams purchased a dredge boat and had
it shipped over by rail in sections. 1t is
now being put together on the shore Of
Murphy lake, and as soon as 1t is in
shape the work Of dredging the lake
will be taken up in earnest.
The mussels from which the pearls
are developed abound in all the Arkan-
sas bayous. Many persons eat them.
but the meat is too soft and flabby to
be favored by the epicure.
Under certain conditions small grit
forms on the surface of the meat inside
the SHE'LL and this gradually becomes a
sort of cancerous growth. 1t expands
and hardenes, and as it grows it ad
sorbes the meat of the mussel till at
last none of this animal substance is
left but in its stead is a pearl more or
less perfect.
If the shell remains undistrubed it
will contain the pearl when it is picked
up, but if there has been a current in
the water that has disturbed the shells
the pearls may be scattered over wide
territory. The alluvium of the Arkan
sas lakes and bayous is not deep. and
therefore the work of dredging and sift-
ing it is not serious undertaking.