The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-12-06
AMERICAN PEARLS SCARCE.
Mississippi River Once Produced Mil
lions Worth Annually.

Chicago Journal.
Several weeks ago an American pearl
dealer sold lot of domestic pearls to a
Frenchman in Paris. The Partisan did not
even take the trouble to ship them on to
India, but after drilling them in the French
capital, fnvoiced them to a firm of Ameri-
can jewelers. as Oriental pearls.
When the man who sold them to the
Frenchman returned to New York few
days ago he found the gems on exhibition
in a New York showcase. He recognized
them Immediately, and for the fun of the
thing thought he would inquire about the
price.
I'VE are asking $4,000 for Them" replied
the jeweler. They are genuine Orientals,
and we ought to get a little more, seeing
that the price of pearls is going up
wait a minute" said the expert. please
turn that pearl oyer. Now look. Just at
the edge of the hole where the gem is
drilled you Will find dark-colored spot.
See it? Looks as If the skin had been
bruised and had healed"
The jeweler looked screwing his loupe up
to his eye and taking a careful squirt
That's right" he said finally. Then he
dealer Say" he asked. looking at the
expert sharply and hugging the pearl tight.
who are you?"
Tell you later: let's talk about those
pearls. They are interesting to me. l
used to own them once. / bought them
out in Newport, Ark. when they hadn't
been out OF the water more than fifteen
minutes.
They cost me less than $4,000 / sold
them in Paris for $4,000 They cost you
about 10000 1 could have sold them to
Now. here's my name; here are some
pearls-domestic ones like yours Want to
buy?'
The jeweler almost fell over at the first
revelation. but the second rallied him.
No" he said rigidly 1--WE don't want
to handle any domestic pearls. 1t would
spoil our trade and reputation"
1t is doubtful whether this or apy other
jeweler will be able much longer to handle
domestic pearls as Oriental Jewels and
thereby secure big profits for the simple
reason that the pearl-bearing CLAIMS are
disappearing from the bottom of the Mis-
sissippi river and its tributaries at a rate
that threatens total extinction OF the
species in a very short time.
Many OF the most productive pearl rivers
have been swept clean of the pearl makers
and unless something s done soon a bust.
ness that Is worth hundreds of thousa nds
OF dollars annually to the people of those
regions will pass away as quickly as II
came. Here IL Is interesting to note thai
the pearl oysters of Ceylon are now 50
scarce that the government is soon to pu,
fishing for five years.
Within the past three years more thar
| 100000 worth of pearls have been taker
from the waters of the Mississippi valley
At least three-fourths Of the pearls hay.
come from the Black and White rivers OF
Arkansas.
In 1901 about 81, SOC. 600 worth of the gem,
were taken from the Black river alone
most of which came from n section no.
| twenty miles long, with Newport as II.
center. Last year less than 81, 000, 600 worth
were taken. and this season the output ha.
fallen Off more than so per cent
The Black river has been entirely cleaned
out and the swarm Of fortune hunters ha,