Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1899-08-31


State OF Tennessee Gathering CT
the Gems May Be Promoted Arti-
fcially.
Half a gallon of pearls and one Of
them worth more than $500. This IS
| the remarkable sight today displayed
by Herman Myer Of New York to a
few of his personal acquaintance who
were invited to his rooms in the Pal
mer house. Although a young man,
MrMyer is recognized as the chief
! promoter Of fresh-Water pearl fishing
! in the United States. He is returning
from an extended trip through the West
and South, in the course Of which he
| has not only visited all the streams
which have acquired reputation as
| pearl-producing waters, but has dill
gently prosecuted a campaign calcu-
! lated to give this peculiar industry a
start in places where the inhabitants
I have not dreamed of having a fortune
dormant and useless in the shells of
the CLAIMS in the beds Of their creeks
and rivers
Probably no other person has so wide
and accurate a knowledge of the pearl
fishing industry in America as Mr..
Myer, who now carries in a shot bag
the largest number Of pearls ever COL
lected in one place and at one time in
this country. His purchases on this
trip amount to $4,000, and include all
degrees, costing from 10 cents to $500
"The finest and, indeed, costliest
pearls in the world" said Mr.. Myer,
| ARE taken from the Sugar river in
Wisconsin. This stream empties into
the Rock river in the northern extrem-
ity of this state. Pearls Of a beauti-
full metallic green and possessing a
superb luster are peculiar to this little
Wisconsin stream. Generally speak
ing, these pearls are worth ABOUT three
times as much as first-class white spa-
cimens. Nothing found in the Orient
approaches in beauty the superb green
pearls Of the Sugar river.
F'The greatest find in the fresh-water
field is that of White river, Ark, dis
covered in 1879 The year following
the opening of these fisheries they
yielded at the lowest calculation
S400,0 900 worth Of exquisitely colored
pearls which we're bought to New York
and shipped to Paris, where the de-
mand for this variety is strong. Hun
dreds Of negroes came up from Mem
phis and worked the White river beds
cat Paterson, n. J., in 1858, were dis
covered the first fresh-water pearls
brought to public attention in America
About the same time settlers along the
Little Miami river, in Ohio, found few
good specimens in the mussel shells Of
that stream. Not until 1888, when
pearls were found in astonishing num-
bers in shells taken from the Cumber-
land river, in Tennessee, did the indus
try Of fresn-water pearl fishing have a
beginning From the year of its dis
covery to the present the Cumberland
has yielded an annual pearl crop worth
s150,000 No finer white pearls are
found anywhere than those taken
from the Tennessee streams. These
have the brilliant silver-white Iustar
which distinguishes the American from
the oriental pearl. The latter has a
creamy TINT
THE pearl for which I willingly paid
$500 was taken from the Ciinch river
IN eastern Tennessee, and was bought
by the local jeweler for $1,000 I know
of no 0tner pearl in this country that
is superior to this in size, luster and all
the other points which go to make a
perfect specimen, with the exception
Of that owned by Mr.. Stetson of Phi1a-
delpnia. That is far superior to mine,
and cost $4,000.
NThe most expert and conservative
dealers in pearls are now ready ts0 ,ad-
nit that the silvery globe taken from
! the American clam is superior to the
! oriental article. The former has the
foilIiant luster of a drop of mercury.
While the latter is more like a glo0ule.
Of cream. London is the great pearl
market, and the dealers there at first
said The American pearls would not re
| tain their beauty; but this was only an
excuse to gain time in which to dispose
Of the OTientals They thought Amer
lea would food the market. On the
contrary, the supply Of pearls has
| never been equal to the demand. and
the demand is constantly and rapidly
increasing
This increase is to be accounted for
by combination Of causes The first
| OF the reasons for the popularity of
the pearl is tone of sentiment. The
pearl has a modest beauty and a purity
| quite its own--an individuality pos
| sessed by no ether gem. This makes
| 1t in good taste at all times and under
all circumstances. 1t can be appropri-
| ately worn when the display of an
| ornament OF any kind is allowable.
| Then, the wearing of 'baroque,' or
| rough, pearls has become fashionable
| in Paris. They are mounted for scarf
| pins for men and IN a hunderd forms
for feminine adornment Those re-
| sernbling in form the wing OF an insect
are quite common and formerly were
| regarded as Of very unfortunate form
Now they are mounted as the wings Of
| pearl insects and bring excellent prices.
Young men in Turkey have taken
to the wearing Of rough pearls in the
form OF watch charms. Turkey is one
Of the best markets of the world for
the cheaper grades of pearls. This is
! because all the members of the Turk
/ ISL harem must be provided with jew
| elry Of some kind, and the most salts
| factory investment in this line seems
| 10 be the pearl, as quite a showing can