The Somerset reporter., 1898-03-10
HE Is HEPEARLKING
HOW SAMUEL HARRIS OF CALIFORNIA
WON THIS TITLE.

, He Now Controls the Pearl and Pearl
Shell Market of America and Europe.
An Interesting Trade with Natives of
Pacific Islands.
, 1t is not generally known that one
) single merchant, young Californian,
30 years of age controls the pearl and
pearl shell market of America and Eu-
, rope. This monarch of the pearl trade
is Samuel Harris He operates in the
, Pacific ocean, and he has built up an
astounding 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 everywhere, but there is only one
pearl king, and that is Harris Thou
sands 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 inclosing large FL
"a seal of International Importance and
a guarantee of genuine kingship.
| 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 1t was
on the shores of Tahiti that first he
earned his title of king. After repeated
transactions 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 promises to them that he did not
keep. He paid them in full the price
which they demanded. Himself a fin
ished critic, ii connoisseur, he never
permitted them to overyalue pile of
shells, and they grew to admire him.
J He controlled the situation at Tahiti.
, He was easily king.
1t is said that Harris has been lover
of these delicate gems since his boy
hood Pearls have always been to him
the most mysterious, the most wonder
full, the most beautiful handiwork of
nature. To him, gifted with an artistic,
tCIpChnihOho1 ehty "PPSstNNA
in romantic, poetic way. To him each
translucent globule seemed like tear
from the weird eyes of an earth be-
witched mermaid. They were silent to
kens of the water maid grief, she who
perhaps pinned for terrestrial lover.
Finally young Harris took pleasure
voyage to the distant Society isles and
saw what made his enthusiastic eyes
bulge 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 threats,
such treasures as would have made a
society queen turn pale with envy. Then
Harris made his first business trip to
Tahiti, and he took with him 50, 00O
worth of merchandise. His burden con-
sisted mainly of tobacco, knives, rope,
!, tishhooks and articles of clothing.
These were Iuxuries to the native Tahi-
tite, and the pearl trader brought back
that year in exchange for his merchan-
disc fully $40, 900 worth of pearls and
pearl shells. He did not consider it a
bad bargain, and he has been back very
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
1 market the most perfect pearls found
anywhere. The perfect stones are orient
and of translucent whiteness or glim
mering iridescence. They are finely
symmetrical in form, and the best are
generally pear shaped. like falling
star The hunt for these beauties of the
deep goes on necessarily. The same ex
element and uncertainty attend the
fishing as surround the tireless chase
for gold or the determined digging in 6
diamond mine.
There is the same labor and the of
repeated disappointment. Now and theI
, great surprise is brought up by the
| fearless pearl diver. That compensates
{ for all the rest. Lately it was an i'm
mense black pearl, the handsomest o.
its kind ever snatched from the fathom
less ocean. Harris brought it on his las
recent voyage to San Francisco. After
I careful examination it was found to b'
: absolutely perfect, having a weight O
+ six carats. 1t is valued in the London
t market at ESQ.
4 Since 1894 Harris has revolutioniZet
+ the trade in pearl shells. Only ont
grade ever found its way to the manu-
: facturers of pearl she'll ornaments and
gewgaws. 1t was generally she'll tina
was thin, flaky and colorless and sole
t for $500 ton. This energetic youns
a pearl king now exports four differen
s grades or varieties, ranging in valu'
g from 5000 to 81, 200 ton.
All shells are purchased in bulk from
the native fishers. They bring dowl
=, their hauls of she'll to the young king
= schooner as it lies in port, fretting rest
lessly against the side of the rude piers
: They bring down their find here for tn
!, kings inspection. He sits in state ant
r passes judgment. Harris can tell at /
v glance what pile of shells is worth
d He is an expert at determining value
: and he is shrewd buyer as well ant
: has never permitted the native expert
to outdistance him i'll judgment. Whel
pile of shells is dropped before him
7 he picks up one or two and runs hi
g arm carelessly through the heap and il
n q moment can determine the grade, 70
the natives are clever at assortment. n