The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-03-17
MONEY IN SHELLS.
Profit IN Dredging for CLANS in the
Mississippi River.
From the Chicago Inter Ocean.

| Mississippi River.
From the Chicago Inter Ocean.
! In the last few seasons along the Mis-
sissippi river peculiar Industry has as
sumed large proportions. In a number of
towns between La Grange, Mo-, and Lam
| sing, Ia. hundreds of men have been en-
ployed in the dredging and the prepar-
ing for market of what is commonly
known as the mussel or cam shell. Here
tofore they have been looked upon by all
observers as practically useless, except as
brica-brac, but their use as material for
| button making has made them commo-
| dity in commercial circles
Buttons, pins and other ornaments made
out Of the shell of the Mississippi mussel
are found in all parts of the world. The
pearls which are found in these mussais
| are popular among jewelers., and some
| command handsome prices
The man' dredging for shells has a large
| boat built especially for the purpose.
which he allows 10 float down stream gent
| ly, while he rakes the bed of the river
! for the shells all of which he sorts i'm.
mediately after taking them out of the
water tossing back those of no value and
throwing the remainder in basket The
! shells are afterward boiled in large yes
seis on the banks of the river, then re-
sorted and shipped TO the markets. often.
! times by tons and car loads
or the thirty different varieties found in
the Mississippi, there are two colors,
| Whlte and pink. The white shells are the
only ones used for button making. the
| PINK having too many different shades
which could never be matched in color.
| Inc most numerous sort is known in the
| cam digger's parlance as the niger
cad These are the best for the making
OF buttons; the shell is of only one shade
OF Whlte and Is very easily sorted An
other kind very similar to the "nieger
| mead are known as 'muckets." These
| are thick and opaque. and do not sustain
| d very hlgh polish In shape both resetn-
pie the salt water clam; the weight s
ABOUT one-third of a pound Out of a
sheli OF TINS size can be made one dozen
slXteen-4ne buttons which ordinarily sell
Tor from 10 to 20 cents per dozen. so the
Value Oh the large-size mussel. after it
mas undergone the refining process and
the saws have made buttons OUT Of II
can be Appropriated.
Inc highest price which the dredoer 70
celVes Tor the variety known as the mig
ger head in the winter months is about
81 cents per hundredwe The shells
prhg the highest prices in the winter
months because they are hard to procure
on account of the ice In the bieht of the
q
along the river are at work the nrice &c
otteh as low as % cents per hundred weiebt
Inc hrst two varieties named grow in
beds, which sometimes cover 400 10 sOO
acres and are from four to eight feet deen
Ihey nave no way of locomotion. and are
compelled 20 stay in the place of creation
Ahey multiply, one on top of the other.
until they reach within two feet of the sur.
lace OF the water, at low water mark The
Ded is always in deep water. and in nro.
tected places, such as the mouth of a hav
or slough " N"S
Another variety. known among clan,
diggers as the elite of The clam family is
the sand she'll" which is not folnd in
oeds' out travels around on sandy beaches
unu slopIhs nud banks, and in the spawn
ing season, which is May ii has tho ,ouver
to make itself buoyant and foat or J,ith
the current In shape it much resembles
the ordinary long pocket book; in color n
is on the outside yellow, and ten diffarent
SHADES on the inner side. This varied color
makes il valuable for there is little waste
TO 1t after the buttons have been sawed
from II. rms sort commands an average
price OF 20 per hundred weight Anotber
sort is the "buckhorn," In shane verI sir0.
lar 10 the oyster and of a dark brou,p
color on the outside. The inside Of This
shetl cannot be surpassed by any sea sbeu
in beauty of colors. This shan is mi fo,,oi
in beds, but lies scattered among otb.ar 80
rletles; The last sort used for button maj
ing is called the butterfly" because of its
shape, which is like the wing Of n h,t,r
ny. II IS very prettily marked on the oni-
side. over a background of dark valou,
run black stripes to the outer edge IF The
shell, with dark dots between strinas TIL
shell is generally small but thick and
found, like the sand she'll and buckborp in
small quantities. "
rTSl.-
The pearl buttons made from river CLAIMS
surpass those made from sea shells. he
cause they Will not split being of a sofia
formation. The prospects for the develon-
ment of a great industry along the Nfis-
sissippi are good. The supply for n con
stanty increasing market is almost in
exhaushble. and already hundreds Of men
In the river towns have found easv er-
ployment in dredging for the shells
Not only is there profit in gathering Tho
, shells, but occasionally pearls ranging in
value from s. to $40 are found in the nue.
sells The "nigger head" variety is the
one IN which pearls are most freouentlv
found. These pearls are often of rare
beauty and shape. The shane is eitbor
round, oval or saucer form and in size
they run from that of the head of a MIN
10 a buckshot.
The growth of the shell is very Slow A.
nine years 1t has the diameter OF a dol~
! lar, which is the smallest sized shell mar
keted, and when matured 1t is the size Of
mans hand. Those found in slack wa
ter. small streams or head water arc
generally limy and brittle and cannot be
used, having TOO much lime in the shen
The vast beds of mussel shells. from
| which the marketable ones are taken
abound from LAGRANGE Mo. north 70
Lansing, Ia, the most noted bed beinp
at New Boston, Ia. from which more
than 10000 tons Of shells were taken IN
the last three seasons. Large quantities
of the shells are exported 20 Berlin, Am
sterdam. Rotterdam. Paris and Varna
From Mississippi river towns about fort,
carloads were shipped to the Euronean