The Lafayette advertiser. [volume] (Vermilionville [i.e. Lafayette], La.) 1865-19??, 1904-10-19
THE ADVERTISER.
lie Rosen & Alpha, Publishers.
lafayette, La.
ssbseripticr. sl.(o q year payable
il advance.
FLORIDA SPONGE
70 Becoming . Great Industry ia THAI
State.

state.
Few persons not directly connecte
with the sponge industry are apt t
realize the growing importance whic|
this product has assumed at Tarp6l
Springs. but 1t is q fact, nevertheless
that from Insignificant proportions tel
years ago the business here has leape'
forward. until now it Is the leadin,
centre Of the sponge business in tn
United States and the Western Hemi
sphere.
The sponging grounds, ether thai
those Of Key West, extend from An
clote Keys. q few miles from Tarpo,
springs. to Apalachee Bay, and thu
pest sponges are secured from ten t.
thirty miles of shore, in from thirt,
TO forty feet Of water. The sponge in
austry of Tarpon Springs dates bacl
about twelve years, when the Anclott
md Rock Island Company sent out two
small vessels to the sponge grounds
Ihe business grew rapidly; other indiv
Iduals secured boats and crews to mar
them. until today more than $50 YES
sels are engaged here, giving employ
ment to probably 1000 men, who, fol-
six or eight months in the year. prac'
ttcally live on their vessels; at other
times residing at Anclote, at the
sponge kraals lei Anclote and at Tar
pom Springs. Few Of the boats are
owned by the people who handle them.
The owners Of the vessels employ the
crews. supply the rations and take as
their pay 0ne-half the product.
Some owners possess q number of yes.
sels. the business at times proving
Guite profitable. There are two prin-
ctple seasons for sponging, the spring
Or summer trip, commencing in March
and winding up in June, the fall or
winter trip dates from October to De-
oember. During the sponginS trip the
vessels are at sea six days out of the
seven, usually returning Saturday to
unload and secure more rations. The
life at best is . hard one, with very
few pleasures.
. The actual sponging is done from
towboats 6f very small vessels. the
hooker. using q three pronged rake
thirty or forty feet long. and with the
aid OF . water pail-an ordinary water
bucket with a glass bottom-readily
detects AID detaches sponges from the
bottom-so clear are the Gulf waters
and so expert do the men become. The
sponges when first obtained are far
rom what we are accustomed to see at
stores. They are full Of animal matter.
and this must be allowed to die and
then be dried and hammered out and
nnally detached-a process that re-
auires weeks.
Sponges are auctioned on to the
during the season at Tarpon
who represent northern houses.
Ind from there they r distributed
III over the country and even in Great
Britain, the Netherlands. Belgium and
France.
At the present time Tarpon Springs
PRODUCES three-Quarters Of the total
Of Florida sponges, other than
hose secured around Key West, and
probably moro than half Of the whole
Florida yield. The balance Of the
produced are sold eA Key |
West.
In 1908 Key West perhaps sold 80
Of all the sponges produced
n this country, the total Florida pro-
luc being $780, 900 pounds, with . val
lAtion Of $4S3.000. In 1896 the pro-
luct was $4,000 pounds. valued at
$4,000. In 1889 the product was $751;.
100 pounds, in 1900, 567.00 pounds.
Iincs then the yield has decreased. but
he average total value has remained
he same. The number Of pounds Of
,po0ges produced any year Il not . fair
:riterion Of the value Of the sponges
hat year ~ compared with many other
Tears.. for some sponges r worth
many times what others are worth,
ind some years are prolific Of cheaper
lass Of sponges: but on the whole.
have steadily increased in
'alue. Thus, sleeps wool (the highest
Of sponges). prices for the past
ew years were - follows:
In 1896. price per pound. $1.57; 1896.
|1.67: 1899, $1.16: 1900. $2.67; 1901.
LIST; 1907, $2.S5: and ct the present !
they are worth nearly - PEI
)ound-Tarpon Springs (F1a.). News.
General eheemanab 9enso.
At the unwilling ceremony Of the
hmou6 Bartholdi statue the clergy
nan Who offered the opening prayer
rs inclined to spin out his petition.
2nmnrnl ahArman Wa sitting ha.iAn