Barre evening enterprise. (Barre, Vt.) 1898-1898, 1898-04-26
HE is THE PEARLKING
HOW SAMUEL HARRIS OF CALIFORNIA
WON THIS TITLE.

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,
~ 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 aIS shipped to
Europe by his agents. He deals in
mother Of pearl shells by the ton, and
the magnitude of his transactions has
made tho private mark of Harris
namely, diamond inclosing large H
"A seal of international Importance ard
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 o fin
lshed critic, il connoisseur, he never
permitted them to overvalue a pile of
shells, and they grew to admire him.
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, tho most beautiful handiwork of
nature. To him, gifted with an artistic,
idealistic temperament, they appealed
III 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 maids grief she who
perhaps pinned for a terrestrial lover.
Finally young Harris took a 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 SO, 600
worth of merchandise. His burden con-
sisted mainly of tobacco, knives, rope,
tishhool1s and articles of clothing.
These were luXuries to the native Tahi
tite, and the pearl trader brought back
that year in exchange for his merchan
disc fully $40, coo worth of pearls and
pearl shells. lie did not consider it a
bad bargain, and be has been back very
year since
Formerly only the lowest grade pearls
were brought to the American market.
The finer ones We're retained abroad and
rarely ever fuuud their way this side Of
the water. Harris has turned the tables
and now brings to the San Francisco
market the most perfect pearls foun'
anywhere. The perfect stones are orlen
and of translucent whiteness or glim-
mering iridesconce. They are finely
symmetrical in form, and the best are
generally pear shaped, like a falling
star The hunt for these beauties of the
deep goes Oh necessarily. The same ex-
citement and uncertainty attend the
fishing as surround the tirelcss chase
for gold or the determined digging IN a
diamond mine.
There is the same labor and the oft
repeated disappointment. Now and then
q 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 Of
its kind ever sllatched from the fathom-
less ocean. Harris brought it on his last
recent VOYAGE to San Francisco. After
careful examination it was found to be
absolutely perfect, having weight OF
six carats. 1t is valued il the London
market at $50.
Since 1894 Harris has rcvolutlonlzed
the trade in pearl shells. Only one
grade ever found its way to the manu-
facturers of pearl shell ornaments and
pewraws. 1t was generally shell that
was thin, haky and colorless and sold
for $500 ton. This energetic young
pearl king now exports four different
grades or varieties, ranging III value
from 5000 to $1,000 ton.
All shells are purchased in bulk from
the native fishers. They bring down
their hauls of shell to the young king 5
schooner as it lies in port, frettlnS rest
lessly against the side of the rude piers
They bring down their find here for the
kings inspection. He sits III state ana
passes Judgment. Harris can tell at Il
Glance what pile of shells is worth.
He is all expert at determining value,
and he is q shrewd buyer as well ana
has never permitted the native experts
to outdistance him in Judgment, Wheh
pile of shells is dropped before NM
he picks up one or two ana runs HIS
arm carelessly through the heap and III
81 moment can determine the grade lor
fine natives are clever at assortment NO
uncommon shells are ever found among
the moor ones. They have not learned