The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1898-01-01

Some Valuable Gems Found In
tho Streams of kentucky.



nast summer and fall, which has caused
many OF the creeks and rivers In Ken
lucky to go nearly dry, has been very
favorable to the pearl hunters IN the
Cumberland and other rivers. and quite
a number Of fine specimens have been
found, especially in the Cumberland
river, which seems to be the most pro-
ductive Of pearl-bearing mussels. One
Of the well-known pearl hunters told
the writer that he had found several
pearls during the past summer that
were worth SIS to 500 each, and . large
lot of smaller and cheaper ones.
The leading pearl hunters, who pros
pect up and down the Cumberland, send
their pearls to Chicago, Philadelphia
and New York, Tiffany getting the best
of them. Several years ago IN old man
picked up mussel from sandbar in
the Cumberland river near Point Burn
side, station on the Cincinnati South
ern railroad, and upon opening the
oyster-like bivalve found magnificent
pearl of fine size and color. A pearl
hunter who ran across the old man
shortly afterward, and to whom he
showed the gem, at once recognized the
value of it, and bought it for trifing
sum, afterward selling 1t for $500.
Such flnds as this, however, are few and
tar between.
The pearl hunters work whenever the
water IL not too cold for them to wade
in 1t. They find the mussels lying on
the sandbars, pick them up, and prying
them open, "feel' for the pearl, and 1t
there is no pearl drop the mussel back
into its place in the river. The pearl
is found clinging to the wall Of the mus
sells shell, and close to the mouth of it.
The large majority Of the pearls. a. .
matter of course. are oddly shaped and
irregular in form. and for that reason
are worthless. Now and then pearls OF
beautiful color are found, but useless
because of a lack of desirable form.
The round pearls, usually found and
put upon the market by these wander
ing pearl hunters, vary in size from the
dimensions of the head of q pin to the
size Of pea, and bring from SO cents to
$50 apiece. Few Of them reach the $50
mark, however.
The pearl hunter who searches the
Kentucky streams is usually a shift
less, easy-going fellow, who il at home
most any place, and makes his bed
upon the banks of the stream as readily
as he would in the most elaborately
furnished mansion. When he has good
luck on trip he waits until all of his
money is gone before he strikes out
upon another journey. Now and then
a more businesslike operator is found,
who will carry camping outat. good
tent, ETC., and live in true sportsman
like style while at work.
The pearl hunters say that one rea-
son why the streams of Kentucky are
more productive of pearls than the
rivers in some other states is because
of the limestone bedrock, which seems
more adapted to the purposes OF the
pearl-bearing mussels than the forma-
tions underlying many streams In
other sections of the country. Pearl
mussels are, therefore, found in nearly
every waterway in the blue grass state,
but for some reason only compara-
lively small number of men are en-
gagged in the hunting of them, which
frequently pays great deal better
than most any other form OF common
labor. The excitement and anticipa-
ton attendant upon the industry. too.
has something of the effect of the fas-
cination of the diamond fields, for the
next one" is always expected to be .
$500 beauty. One Of the most valuable
Y,aarls over found IN the limited States
the pearl hunters say, came from the
Miami river, in Ohio.-St. Louis Globe
Democrat. ..