Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1899-08-17
AFUIURE POSSIBILITY FORoI1UaWA
A. Butcher, Proprietor OF Hutton Fac.
tory at N1uscatine. Iowa, tsathering
''Nigaer aeads'' for Testing rur-
:. poses from Des Moines River.

river, went, to investigate number OF
large clam beds, which are said to eN-
ist In the. pss Moines river in this Wis |
cinity.s One OF the largest beds is
located, about b mile north of Chilli
tothG, and there IRE also beds hetYeeift
fiere' land aI2It dr. ysist what the dnal-
ity OF thesAhall Is is eannot be deter-
mined until Mr.. Butcher has ,natie a.
thorough-,testspfr. them by running
them through his machines at Musca-
tine. He wifi make small collection
OF Des Moines river shells for this pur-
pose, and after giving them a thorough
test and investigating the extent of the
beds will be able TO come to some de-
cision in the matter.
Mr.. Butcher was seen by Il, Courier
reporter last evening, and while he
could not give much encouragement as
to the possibility of locating u button
factory here, he said that the people,
of Ottumwa could rest assured that il
he found the clam beds in the Des
Moines river pne-half as large and the
shells anywhere near the size that is
claimed, he would endeavor to organ
ize stock company for the. purpose
of erecting plant in Ottumwa. He
said that Ottumwa would not. be call
ed upon to furnish all the capital.
either He intimateu that he would
take Il good share of the stock, and
would not ask any bonus whatever III
order to ge, located hero. sOf
course continued Mr.. Butcher. ''tbis
matter depends entirely upon the
quantity and quality of the shells, and
more especially the quality, There are
oceans OF shells which are not suita-
able for the manufacture of buttons.
They are too brittle and break as soon
as they are put into the machines.
There are large beds of shells in the
Skunk river. but they are too hard,
and consequently can not be used for
this business.
"rhe shell most generally used in
the manufacture of buttons is known
us the .nigger head This is the specie
that abounds in large, quantities, in
the river both above and below Musca-
tine. The shell beds are practically In
eNhaustible., Experience has demon
strated that. the mussel Spropagates
Very rapidly. and he top of a bed may
be worked, down mill the. excavation
becomes so2flleu with sand. that work
suspended. In ii few months the mus
sells will have forced the sand out and
the Shell 9atherers return to the, oh,
bed and find the supply as abundant
as before. The depth OF nlussel shell
beds varies from few inches to sew
eral feet, often extending as deep as
nine feet. -
In Muscatine there are over 1880
peoDle employed directly and indirectly
in the manufacture of buttons. be-
sides the hundreds of people all along
The river who find profitable employ
ment in gathering the shells. The
work is carried OH in the winter sea-
son as well as through the summer
months. 1t is all piece work. and the
pay for men varies from $40 per week
up. have men IN my employ who
make as high as So for fifty-nine
hours work. y great many girls and
women lind employment in this bust
ness. and make from "a 10 SIS per
week.
MIR. Butcher est.mates that Ottum-
wa could support a factory that will
give employment to 200 people the
year round, providing the shells are
found in sufficient quanaity and of the
right quality The pearl button mans
ufacturing business is an enterprise
attendant with considerable expense.
The machinery used in the manufac-
ture of buttons. OF ,ihis kind is very
| expensive, the latest improved ma
chimes costing each $1,000. Besides
| these machines there are several mi
nor devices necessary to,eauip II plant
L In, Il, ac nh, 4 LIN.
ton, before 1t is completed. passes
through twenty different processes. i
3G-saw plant would give employment
er penrl has Tome to. be in great de,
nand, by eastern manufacturers, who
/ Tor a long times -wagel IA bitter wa.
against, them, in favor ofethe seaapearl
I Today the formee.is the staple ,tbd The
button inaNstrgSis oneathat;is grow.
lng,i,s,c a:ir ~ t.s@'I ts.ess
sai:sialt, Fonnd Good Shells. tssit m;
Mr.. Butcher returned this Afternoon
from his investigation up the river
VERY much clated oyer his success. and
this afternoon went down The river
where even larger beds are said tc
exist. In company with James Clari
he rowed up the river to Il point one
land onc-half miles above the Burling
ton railroad bridge, where they foune
some fine specimens of shells. but ow
ing to the depth OF the water ut that
point We're unable to ascertain in wlint
extent they ahonnd. The bed above
Chillicotlie was not visited this morn
ing. but Mr.. Clark will secure speci
mems from there rs well us from
numerous beds along the river both
north and south Of this city. and shiI
them to Mr.. Butcher Among til,
i specimens which were secured thi.
morning is II dead she'll the pearl il,
(which. Mr.. Butcher says. is equal TO tht
mother Of pearl found in the ocean
The live shells are The ones that ar,
commonly used in the mannfactnre o
,bnt tonsd and the liye1spetimens Secured
jihis morning. Mr.. Butcher pronounce
very fine. He Is Of the opi;iion ;=tla
| they viii not be too brittle to ruf
through the machines. He will talk,
a large number OF them home with hin
This evening and give the Des Moinci
river shells q thorough test. Til