The Montgomery advertiser. [volume] (Montgomery, Ala.) 1885-1982, 1905-11-08
Natives Know the vaiae Of rvery:

Natives Know the vaIue OF ivory.
1T ID curious fact that notwith-
standing the marked advance in the
price or Ivory in recent years the vol
ume Of sales has not diminished. but
has actually Increased. Tusks have
been selling in the markets OF Lon
don and Antwerp at an advance OF 30
per cent. over the prices charged a
few years ago.
The causes which have led to this ad-
vance. In price are interesting. It IN
not due to any artificial manipulation
Of The markets In the great centers,
nor Is II due to increased demand or
scarcity OF elephants. For the cause
the inquirer must look to the heart OF
Africa, where a spirit Of genuine COM
fnerniallsm Is manifestins itself among
1.-THE natives.
Their wealth Is in ivory and they
have learned to value 1t az such. In
deed, the wealth OF leading men among
4 the natives was once commonly counted
IN tusks They would say Of dushy
worth 50 many tusks. Just as ono In
this q1dntry would say that man is
worthYso many dollars.
OF course. that was a natural phase
In the development of a primitive peo-
plye.. The red man estimated HIS riches
In wafnpunn. and the Laplander In furs.
They often would part with their pos
sessions for a few beads or trinkets
They did not know the value OF dol
lar. Certainly IL can no longer be said
OF the natives OF Africa that they do
not knew the value of money They
have learned. Thus It cones that the
.'hesthen in mis- blindness IL not 50
blind as has been supposed.
Increased transportation facllities
and tefegraphic communication have
brought Africa into closer touch with
the rest OF the world. II is said that a
native may be WORKING 1000 miles In
the Interior and vet he can quote you
or London market.
or course, II Is a far cry from Africa
to- the United States, and vet there IL
q good market for ivory In this coun-
try Alert and enterprising buyers are
always on the lookout for opportunities
TO pick up good tusks II Bostock or
Barnum a Bailey ever chance to have
an elephant die on their hands in this
country 1t IL not a dead loss to them
by any means. IT Is likely that an en-
ergetic buyer of ivory will be bidding
for II before the carcass is cold.
American manufacturers confine
themselves mainly, though not exclu-
sively to such workings of ivory as are
appropriate for toilet goods. The pro-
cess OF manufacture Is a delicate one,
requiring considerable skill. A tusk
weighing, say, from seventy-five to 1875
pounds. Is boited to a moving table. on
which 1t Is sawed into plates. During
this stage the tusk has 60 be kept
thoroughly wet down to prevent burn
Ing. as ivory Is very hard and good
deal of heat IS generated by the fric-
ton.
From this plate or fiat pieces various
rough 81 apes are sawed out. according
to the forms or designs which are to be
perfected later on. In saving out these
shapes care has to be taken to avoid
spots or blemishes In the ivory, and at
the same time guard against wasting
good Judgment and discrimination Is
one test Of a good workman In ivory,
and the number OF men who are coupe-
tent to DO this kind of work is very
limited. Indeed. ivory working seems
to be a Select sort oGScraft, into which
but few are initiated