The leader., 1899-04-05
nST0PsPEARL FEvERS.'


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rsn.ssses ths orssssss Pearl ssass-
~ sems Rsmsrksbss D1nds.
The United Ststss Fish Oomnission
4 taking stsps to protect he wonder-
ful pearl fisheries with which natnre
has endowed nearly every State in the
Union and TO put stop 70 pearl
levers" II u really remarkable to
look back upon the history Of these
fsvsrs and see how they have, from
time to time, attacked the people of
this country, not only In late years,
but away back in the prehistoric past.
The first victims were the mound
builders. Recent examinations OF
some of the mounds in the Mississippi
VALLEY, especially at certain points in
Ohio. show that this forgotten race
treasured frssh.watsr mussel pearls to
an astonishing extent. On their
hearths have bean POUNDS bushels Of
dsoomposed pearls. vas
Columbus and all the Spanish dis
ooverers were attracted BY the valu-
able pearls in the possession OF the
Indians. Later De Soto and his fol.
lowers got the pearl fever, and it is
related how, near the Bay Of Espiritu
Santo, now Tampa Bay, Florida. De
Soto came upon the town Of an Indian
chief called Ucita. When the Span
iards discovered the pearls possessed
BY the Indians they were all seized
By very bad form Of the pearl fever.
and went so far as to rife the Indian
graves and sepulchers. securing $50
pounds of pearls.
The greatest pearl fever Of modern
days broke out in 1857 ct Notch Brook,
near Paterson, N. J. It ragged until
men left their regular business and
women left their homes to become
pearl hunters. In fact, some Of the
victims were driven to the insane
asylum by the excitement, which
started with the accidental finding in
Notch Brook Of . fresh water mussel
pearl weighing ninety-three grains.
Il was Of surprising luster and color
aud became known as the queen
pearl" Tiffany & Co. sold 1t to the
Empress Eugenie Of France for $4,000,
and to-day II Is worth four times that
much.
The news OF this find was spread
over the country, and men, women
and children rushed to Notch Brook
from all parts Of New Jersey and the
neighboring States. The fresh water
mussels, the shells Of which are pearl
bearing, were gathered by the millions.
During the excitement large, round
pearl, Weighing 400 grains, which
would doubtless have been the finest
pearl Of modern times, was spoiled by
boiling to open the mussel shell. At
Arst it was the custom Of the hunters
TO wade into the stream and gather up
and open the shells while standing in
the water. A boy who was opening
shells in this way dropped q giant
pearl in the water and it was never
found. Then the hunters gathered
the shells upon the shores and opened
them by heat, until they discovered
that the heat would destroy the luster
Of any pearls which might be within
the shells. Oyster. knives were final
~ found to be the best, and for
months the shores Of the streams of
New Jersey were piled with decsying
mussel shells which had been opened
and found to contain no pearls.
During the first year Of the fever
over 315, 900 worth Of pearls were sent
to the New York market, but . de-
cline came then, and during the next
three years not more than %, 900
worth were found. This was largely
due TO the Wholesale destruction Of
the mussel shells, which, after they
were found not to. contain pearls,
could have been replaced in the
streams, and would, perhaps, have
been pesrl-bearing later. ~
The second fever Of any note broke
out in 1876 ct Waynesville, Ohio,
when $1,000 worth of pearls xwere
found In short time. In 1889 more
than 410.000 worth were sent from
Wisconsin to New York, and since
that time Wisconsin has produced
$3.50, 600 worth Of pearls. h
The year 1897 Witnessed very
widespread, outbreak Of the pearl
mania, which extended through Ar
kansas, State previously unaffected
by.it. The fever seized the whole
population. The ordinary forms of
labor were abandoned. and the people
docksd to the streams to gather mus
sells. Az in New. Jersey, the pearl
bearing shells were soon cleaned out,
and for the time the supply was de-
stroysd. ),
A peculiar feature Of the Arkansas
fever Vas the finding Of pearls in the
mud along the shores OF streams. A
local impression prevailed that the
nusssl crawlsd upon the shore and
shsd his pearl, but il is more scientific
70 conjecture that In the agitation of
the shells by foods and freshets the
pearls were shaken out.
During the 1897 excitement 9 young
man from ST. Louis was spending his
vacation on the shore Of Crooked Lake,
Me-, and while sitting on . log with .
negro guide discovered . fne pearl
lying close ON the shore near him. The
negro told him that the native chill
drsn often gathered .'them things"
10 play with and took him to spot on
theashors Of the lake where they were
lying around In great profnsion, The
aegro was greatly amused ct the child
HE intsrsst the young man took in
them and helped him to gather his
rockets fall. A few oampIee mailed