The Coeur d'Alene press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1906-1907, 1907-10-08
HUNTING FOR PEARLS
Features of an Industry That 10
to Be Safeguarded.
FORTUNES MADE IN A DAY.
Nnesnnes Ond.) MusseI Digger Found
a Pearl This Season Worth $i,boO'
Plan of Pearl Dealers to Save Fish
cries Threatened With Destruction.

Plan of Pearl Dealers to Save Fish
cries Threatened With Destruction.
tt~arl dealers of the Maiden lane dis /
trict ia New York have started q
movement to save the western pearl
fisheries from the destruction that IL
Threatened because there Is now no
restriction on the work OF the fishermen |
who are taking from the rivers tons
OF mussels from which only a few
Dearls are obtained. II is also pro
POSED to restOck some OF the rivers |
eastern and western, from which me
mussels have been eXtermlnated. A
petition was recently sent 10 Washing
ton asking for an investigation OF
present conditions affecting the mus
sells in the western rivers and the fea- |
ability OF establishing hatcherles In
which the fish may be propagated, as
In the case of various kinds OF FOOD
Ash.
In view of this movement the fol-
lowing article on pearl hunting In
Indiana is Of timely interest:
Scenes along the Wabash river dur
ing the last summer rlvaled the SEN
Hatlonal days when men journeyed
70 the west by the hundreds to gain
great wealth in the gold mines. This
summer along the Wabash small for
tunes have been made in single
day, and number of mussel diggers
have picked up pearls worth 500 or
$500, says the indianapolis Star.
Encouraged by this success, pearl
-. 20 hsa nf tina
most favored Industries along the In
diana water course. The most success
full find perhaps made 80 far during
the season was that of a Vincennes
factory employee. He started out one
day to enjoy a two weeks vacation.
When he returned he carried a pearl
which il worth ST 800 and perhaps S.,
600.
During the last four or i've years
Vincennes has been the center of q
G0urishing pearl industry. The amount
VI pearl money circulating now VIII
run about $4,000 a month. When the
Wabash field FIRST attracted the atten'
tion OF the mussel diggers 1t was
thought TO be only poor one. Ex'
perts making their examination about
Eve years ago said that the mussels
would be good for the pearl button
factories only. and for awhile the &c.
ttvIty was but slight A few months
had passed when experts decided to
make closer examinations, and these
revealed hidden treasures. The news
spread rapidly, and mussel men locked
there from all parts of the country.
NfRnnUeng 10 Raa ~ tha We.
bash district, and while the industry
bas died out in the southern portions II
10 still prospecting at Vincennes. Now
there are perhaps hundred diggers
trying their luck I'm hunting for pearls
within the immediate vicinity. Some
twenty-five camps are to be found
along the banks OF the picturesque
river. while the number of ''cockcuts"
WIN perhaps reach total of fifty. The
men are busy. and the scenes are most
Interesting. as each digger is anxious
to improve every minute lest bis
ntighbOring hunter may make the hnds
Of value
While the dlggers depend largely on
their finding OF pearls for their for
tune" they also receive neat sums for
the shells. In the course OF a year
thousands of cars Of these shells are
shipped out OF Vlncennes. They are
used In the button Industry While
diggers receive not little money for
these shells, they regard that as only
secondary business and are OF course
most anxious to make the finds that
have given SO many comfortable for
fmnsEz fhA mr. Hrrn h.nA
Yineennes has enjoyed the pearl boom
mang valuable finds have been made,
and not few of the most valuable
pearls have been placed in foreign
markets.
Since the industry first opened Al
Vincennes quite few laborers have
realised small fortunes by lucky finds,
and the one man to make this seasons
biggest Is Leon Bouchner. He had
been employed at glass factory, and
when the plant closed down some few
weeks ago he decided to spend his va.
cation In digging mussels Luck seem
ed TO be with him. and few days ago
be made the biggest hnd of the season
WHOM he discovered a gem that Is worth
1850 at least and possibly 5000.
He win not place the beautiful pearl
on the Vlncehnes market, but win take
It ont of the city. where he hopes TO
realize the 5000 II possible His pearl
weighs over forty grains and Is about
an Inch In circumference 1t was found
Just below Nlnceunes In what Is known
Is a three ridge mussel. which he had
been cooking with bunch which he
regarded as valueless.
White ri1 er has also been a good field
for the pearl industry, and a number
OF good finds have been reported from
different places along this water course.
The pearls In White river are not quite
50 plentiful rs they are in the Wabash,
but those That are there are Of greater
value The pearls In White river are
almost twice rs valuable as those found
Ia raH -.