The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-06-14
CLAM FISHING INDUSTRY
A REALLY IMPORTANT BUSINESS
GRADUALLY DEVELOPED.
1t Is Carried on Extensively, but in q
Haphazard Way Along the
Mississippi.

Pearson's Magazine for July contains an
Industrial Story of the Clam Fisheries of
the Mississippi. This is one of a series of
special industrial articles that thiH maya
zine is. among other things, noted for. The
story itself, dealing, as il does. with sub
ject little known to many people, illustrates
what is practically modern industry, and
shows the danger of its being crippled UNI
less something Is done to regulate it.
The writer, Antoinett Van Hclser. says:
Fresh-water clam fishing is unique occu-
patton. since it insures modest income.
and at the same time offers the allurement
of game of chance in which is no risk 1t
is the SHE'LL in which the clam has his singu-
larly wise yet stupid being, that insures the
fisher an income. These are used for making
pearl buttons, and 'the clammer." as he is
called, gets from five to twenty dollars a
ton for them. Like other commodities, the
price fluctuates with the supply and de-
mand There is also a great difference in
the value Of the various kinds of Shells
and it is safe to say that there are as many
varieties of CLAIMS as of fish in the waters
from which they are taken.
From the sale of the shells the clam
fisher averages, taking the summer
through, wage of from one to two dol
lars per day. In addition to this, there is
scarcely a day that he does not find
baroQue and seed pearls of more or less
value. The uncertainty as to these values
and the ever-present, enticing possibility
of finding pearl of price. gives to his oc-
cupation the same fascination that lures
the gambler.
This industry-for, though peculiar, 1t is
a recognized inQuStry-iS
recent origin. The story of its beginning
is that. about twelve years ago, German
who knew something of pearl button max ! !.
along the shore Of the Mississippi river in
| the vicinity of Huron island. AS he took
out the clans, he observed that the moth
er-of-pearl lining of the shells was partic-
! ularly fine in color, texture and luster In
considering this, it occurred to him that
the shells might be utilized and he sent
a few OF them to friend in Holstein, Ger
many, who was an expert pearl button
maker.
GOOD BUTTON MATERIAL.
This friend, Mr.. M. ]. Beopple, at once
recognized in them fine material for but
| tons, and decided to come to this coun-
| try for the express purpose of utilizing
| them. He arrived here in 1890 and. single
| handed and alone. began the manufacture
| of pearl buttons from Mississippi river
| for cutting the shells into neat pieces,
known as button blanks, but the grinding
| of these to the required thicknesses. the
facing, drilling and polishing, which in
factories is done by means of chemicals
and machinery, Mr.. Beopple did by hand.
| shells, raking the CLAIMS from the shallow
water along the inshore with a common
| garden rake. When he had finished a few
| gross he offered them for sale. The tariff
advanced of ri
| buttons and, as he asked less than was
paid for the same button before this ad-
vance, he had no difficulty in disposinS of
| them, and i'm few weeks was over
| whelmed with orders
No sooner had Mr.. Beopple demonstrated
| what could be done with fresh-water clam
| shells than there was rush to this new
| field Of industry. Button factories sprang
up in almost every town of any importance
on this part Of the river In Muscatine
Ia, are twelve factories cries: Large concerns
| this time had imported shells, established
| branches for the cutting OF button blanks,
which were packed and shipped to the city
| factories TO be faced and finished.
| The first clam fisher who sold shells on
| the Mississippi was Captain Fox. now one
| of the largest dealers in shells on the
| government light on Huron island, and as
/ he made his trips he gathered shells for
Mr.. Becpple, who paid him at the rate OF
| are now sold at s11 TO Sl{ per ton; but the
present methods enable the fisher to take
| more in an hour than he could at tina,
| time in q day.
| He now has a wide, flat-bottomed row.
| boat fitted with what clammers call a
| "crowfoot dredge" This consists of two
| standards fastened firmly to the sides OF
| the boat at each end. Resting in grooves
| on these standards, and extending along
4 the sides of the boat, are two hollow metal
pipes-usually a section OF gdspipe Is used
| for this purpose. On these pipes are fas-
| tened many lines, from twelve to twenty
| inches long, and on each line is one OIL
more four-pronged barbless hooks. These
are known as ''crowfoot hooks" and are
| simply pieces of heavy wire cut the re-
| quired length and bent upward. These are
| usually made by someone in the camp fond
| Of '.puttering,' who furnishes them to his
| fellows for a small sum.
| The fisher in using the outfit, when he
has reached a desirable position, turns his
| boat across the current and puts out his
| drift board, which is a sheet anchor that
| drops first one bar and then the other over
| the boats side. to which they are securely
| held by heavy lines. AS the boat drifts
| slowly down stream the many hooks dang
| ling from these bars drag along the river
| bed.
Nothing could be more uninviting thar
| the big rough, undated hooks, but they
| and fly-concealed ones that tempt the coy
| trout to rise. The clam, able to make foi
| itself habitation lined with a substance
| so fine that il is named as the material OF
| heavens gates, is OF omnivorous appetite
| He eats or tries to eat whatever comes his
| way. When NE feeds he stands on edge
! with his shell opening downward. Away.
| well out of the current, he piows as he
| moves slowly forward a narrow groove ir
the soft mud of the river bed. which may