The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-07-07
GUARDING The PEARL MUSSEL
A MISSISSIPPI RIVER INDUSTRY
IN DANGER.

Scientists Take Up the Question OF Artinclsi
PrOpag ati0n Excitement Caused Ivy
Lucky FINDS Pearl Hunting Parties
-Artincial Propagation Of Musseis.
One OF the tasks the Government has set
for itself this summer Ii to find out why the
pearl bearing mussels Of the rivers OF the
Mississippi River are disappearing. and to
try to propagate them. A commission
headed by Prof. Paul Bartsch OF Burling-
ton has just begun a thorough search Of
the Mississippi and Its tributaries TO find
out all about the mussel.
The mussel is highly regarded in that
section Of the country. Not only hae II
been the basis Of a very. profitable industry
in the way Of furnishing raw material for
button making but IL has enriched a great
many who nave merely taken up the hunt
In the hope OF finding valuable pearls.
Mussels have been found in large quanti-
ties along the upper Mississippi. but pearls
are few and far between, due possibly 70
the fact that the temperature OF the water
is not 40 favorable to the propagation of
the slug. the technical name for the
pearl bearing se%cretions. Down along the
White and Arkansas rivers hundreds OF
thousands OF dollars worth Of pearls have
been found in the last five years. In Arksn-
sas more than a million dollars worth Of
them nave been unearthed In that time.
The pearl bearing mussel has been found
nov and then for years in the Arkansas
rivers by fishermen who use IL as q bait for
the drum and the red horse. varieties Of the
sucker family OF fish. Several lucky finds
Of this character on the Black River started
everybody hunting.
1t was all a gamble. Only now and than
a mussel with the precious stone attached
would be found, but when once discovered
It was wen worth the time employed. Those
who " ould not wade loafed around on the
banks and bid against one another for the
untouched shells brought in by the dsher-
men. Bathing parties and Picnics at which
the interest centred In pearl fishing were
common.
Many stories are told OF lucky finds. A
trio of tramps one day tried to induce a
ferryman to carry them across the river.
He gruffiy, refused. telling them TO GO to
took his advice. and In about three hours
had gathered several bushels OF shells.
Sitting down to open them. they discovered
in the fifth shell a pearl that sold for more
than enough to buy all the earthly posses
sions OF the ferryman.
A lad playing about q boat used for pearl
fishing discovered something shiny. on the
bottom. He showed It to a man whom he
met o. the street. and cheerfully accepted
SO for the pearl. The man disposed Of IL
times that sum to q professional buyer;
who Ii reported to have received several
thousand dollers for II.
A business man who was on the verge
Of bankruptcy went down to the river
TO put in a few days fishing while he con-
triv0d tn think ANNA WAv ont nj hia DIM
cultiee. On the first day he found three
pearls that he disposed OF for sufficient TO
pay all Of his debts.
Pearls worth $500 were found one after.
had accepted an invitation from a Southern
hostess TO join a bathing party with u
pearl fshing attachment. The proper
dress for these functions. by the way,
was the ordinary bathing dress and broad
brimmed straw hats.
Although the industry has waned greatly
the last year. there are still numerous
camps OF fishermen TO be seen dotting
the river banks. The shadows were. ~
course. fret looted. and nowadays most OF
the work issdone in the deepe. For this
purpose oyster tongs are used. and the
work ia kept up most OF the year.
Dredging for pearls is very largely a
cuisines matter these days. Dredges are
used on the deep places and OF the bars the
sells brought in scows and opened. The
shells are saved and sold TO the button
factories that nave sprung up at every
town and village. These shells more than
pay the expenses Of the work. and the
pearls found are clear profit. Several
comfortable fortunes have been built up
In this way.
There are hundreds OF button factories
all along the upper Mississippi. Wherever
there are sandbars and shallow places the
work OF dredging for mussels sose on
The SUNNY Ia 0aftinO ahnrfar auary wear.
and to preserve the sources and propagate
the mussel the last Congress was induced
TO make a liberal appropriation.
Shells by the carload are shipped n the
factories and there they are made into
blanks and buttons. A big business in ship
ping the blanks to Germany has been built
up In the last few years.
, Inc expedition 10 TO examine into the
habits and conditions Of the mussel and 10
determine what can DO lone TO save this
lucrative industry. II is intended to visit
in a launch every a anil and slough,
every bayou n tributary from 81. Paul
Bartsch says:
The difficulties of artificial propagation
OF the mussel are many. These may be
sufficient Of the mussel and it's habits 70 he
able to form a definite opinion. II is n very
simple thing to turn millions Of eggs INTO
nsh, but the G OF the mussel passes
through another stage before it becomes
mussel; After being Matched 1t il a ara
while one mussel may produce 10000 eggs,
but a very small number OF these will ne
Matched. That 10 one Of the thing he
expedition will learn something about II
artificial pr~Spagation shall not prov "rnci
the mussels and having a closed season
when mussels must not he disturbcj n
DESIRED results may be attained"