The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1898-02-01
THE PEARL KING.
A Young Californian's Interesting Trade
With Natives of Pacific Islands.

| (From the Chicago Times-Herald.)
It is not generally known that one
single merchant, young Californian,
80 years of age, controls the pearl and
pearl shell market of America and Eur
ope. This monarch of the pearl trade is
Samuel Harris. ), He operates in the Ia
cific Ocean, and he has built up an as
| founding commercial reputation in the
course of eight years. There are plenty of
cattle kings in the West and wheat kings
in the East, and money kings every
where, but there is only one pearl king,
and that is Harris. Thousands of rare,
translucent gems are brought to this
country and shipped to Europe by his
agents. He deals in mother of-pearl
shells by the ton, and the magnitude of
his transactions has made the private
mark of Harris, namely, diamond in
closing largo n, q seal of international
Importance and guarantee of genuine
kingslfip
| Harris gathers his gems exclusively in
the Society Islands. For eight years he
has made these Pacific land spots the field
of his interesting business. It was on
the shores of Tahiti that first he earned
his title of king After repeated transac-
tions with the natives whom he employed
in pearl fishing he stimulated them
from passivity to great activity, gaining
their confidence and trust by honest and
reliable barter. He never made prom
Uses to them that he did not keep. He
paid them in full the price which they
demanded. Himself finished critic, a
connoisseur, he never permitted them to
overvalue pile of shells, and they grew
to admire him. He controlled the situa-
ton at Tahiti. He was easily king.
1t is said that Harris has been a lover of
these delicate gems since his boyhood.
Pearls have always been to him the most
mysterious, the most wonderful the most
beautiful handiwor,z of nature. To him,
gifted with an artistic, idealistic temper
sment, they appealed in romantic. poetic
Way. To him each translucent globule
seemed like tear from the wierd eyes of
an earth bewitched mermaid. They
were silent tokens of IT,
grief. she who perh"rf plned Tor terres
FINALLY xo.ung Harris took a pleasure
VOYAGE 80 the distant Society Isles and
s.scv@ what made his enthusiastic eyes
Y bllee in their sockets. He saw native
. children playing along the sands with the
richest pearls he had ever seen; he saw
the native bellies passing by with ropes OF
pearly gems about their throats, such
treasures as would have made society
queen turn pale with envy. Then Harris
made his first business trip to Tahiti, and
he taok with him $4,000 worth of mer-
is 1r1o nj
tobacco knives, rope, flshhooks and arti
Giles of clothing. These were luxuries to
the native Tahitites, and the pearl trader
brought back that year in exchange for
his merchandise fully s40 200 worth OF
pearls and pearl shells He did not con-
sider it bad bargain, and he has been
, hack every year since.
Formerly only the lowest grade pearls
were brought to the American market.
The finer ones were retained abroad and
rarely ever found their way this side OF
the water. Harris has turned the tables,
and now brings to the San Francisco
market the most perfect pearls found any
where The perfect stones are Orient
and of translucent whiteness or glimmer-
ing irridescense They are finely SYM
naetrical in form and the best are gener-
ally pearl shaped, like falling tear. The
hunt for these beauties of the deep goes
zen incessantly. The same excitement
and uncertainty attend the fishing as sur
|, round the tireless chase for gold OF the
determined digging in q diamond mine.
There is the same labor and the oft re-
peated disappointment. Now and then q
great surprise is brought up by the fear
less pearl diver. That compensates for
all the rest. Lately it was an Immense
black pearl, the handsomest of its kind
ever. snatched from the fathomless ocean.
! Harris brought it in his last voy-
age TO San Francisco. After careful ex
animation it was found to be absolutely
Derfect, having weight of six karats. Ii
is valued in the London market at Gl5O.
Since 1894 Harris has revolutiouize the
trade in pearl shells. Only one grade evel
found its way to the manufacturers OF
Eearl ornaments and gewgaws. 1t was
generally shell that was thin, fiakey anc
colorless, and sold for $500 ton. This
energetic young pearl king now exports
four different grades or varieties, rang
ing,in value from 5000 to 81 900 ton:
All shells are purchased in bulk from
the native fishers. They bring dowI
their hauls of she'll to the young kings
schooner as it lies in port, fretting rest
lessly against the side of the rude piers
They bring down their find here for thu
kings inspection. He sits il state an6
passes Judgment. Harris can tell at
glance what IA pile of shells is worth. HI
J is an expert at determining value, ant
he is a shreWd buyer as We'll, anu ntl
never permitted the native experts to out
distance him in judgment When pill
of shells is dropped before him he piok
ND one or two and runs his arm carelessl.
through the heap, and in q moment cal
determine the grade, for the natives ar
clever at assortment No uncommon
/ shells are ever found among the poo
ones. They have not learned yet thu
trick of deception by mingling the goot
and the bad.