Arizona silver belt., 1899-06-08
MONEY IN PEARLS.
S,me Valuable Gems Found in
 tho streams of Kentucky.
ou,ss an Extensive Bustness Done by the Pearl Hunssrs--The Late Dry Sea. son Productive of Great
 Eucccss-

The continued dry weather of the past summer and fall, which has caused many of the creeks and rivers in Ken
 ucliy to go nearly dry, has Eeen very
 nrornble 10 the pearl hunters in the
 umberland and other rivers, and quite number of fine specimens have been
 ound, especially in tbe Cumberland
 yer. which seems to be the most pro-
 'uctivc of penrl-bearing musscls. One
 the weli-known pearl hunters told
 ne writer that he had found several
 carls during the past summer tbat were worth $7s tO $lGo each, nnd [ large 'ot of smaller and cheaper ones.
 The leading pearl hunters, who pros.
 cct up and down the Cumberland, sentl heir pearls tc Chicago, Philadelphia
 nd New York, Tiffany getting the best
 them. Several years ago m old man
 icked up musscl from saHabGf in the Cun;5erland river near Point Burn side, station on the Cincinnati South ern railroad, and upon opening the oyster-like biva!ve found magnificent learl of fine size and color. A pearl 'lunter who ran across the old man shortly afterward, and to whom he showed the gem, at once recognized the value of it, and bought it for a triaing sum, afterward selling it for $500. Such finds as this, however, are few and far between.
 The pearl hunters work whenever the water is not too cold for them to wade in it. They find the mussels lying on the sandbars, pick them up, and prying them open, feel" for the pearl, and if there is no pearl drop the mussel back into it's place in the river. The pearl IS found clinging to the wall of the mus sells shell, and ciose to the mouth of it. The large majority of the pearls, as a natter of course, are oddly shaped and
 regular in form, and for that reason are worthless. Now and then pearls of jeautiful color are found, but useless bccausc of lack of desirable form. The round pearls, usually found and put upon the market by these wander Ing pearl hunters, vary in size from the dimensions of the head of pin to the size oT a pea, and bring from 50 cents 10 $50 apiece. Few of them Tt. ch the $50 mark, however.
 The pearl hunter who searches the Kentucky streams ia usually shift css, casy-going fellow, who is at home most any place, and makes hls bed upon the banks of the stream as readily IS he would in the most claborateIy furnished mansion. When he has good luck on a trip he waits until all of his ,noney is gone before he strikes out upon another journey. Now and then | more businesslike operator is found, vho will carry camping outfit, good -ent, etc, and live in true sportsman like style while at work.
 The pearl hunters say that one req. son why the streams of Kentucky are more productive of pearls than the rivers in some other states is because of the limestone bedrock, which seems more adapted to the purposes of the nearl-bearing mussels than the forma- lions underlying many streams in other sections Of the country. Pearl nussels are, therefore, found in nearly very waterway in the blue grass state, but for some reason only compare lively small number of men are en- gagged in the hunting of them, which pays great deal better han most an, other form Of common labor. The excitement and anticipa- ,ion attendant upon the industry, too, las something of the effect of the fas- ination of the diamond fields, for the | next one' is always expected to be a 'Soo beauty. One of the most valuable |, iearls ever found in the United States, | he pearl hunters say, came from the iiami river, in Ohio.-St. Louis Globe
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