The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1908-02-01
SPONGES BEING
INQUIRED ABOUT
Florida Exporter Hears of the
Possibility of Working the
Island Beds.

The question of the marketable value
| of Hawaiian sponges, raised short
time ago By the Advertiser, has been
the means of interesting sponge ex-
porters on the mainland. In the last
ter of inquiry from Meindanis & AL
| lissandratos of Tarpon Springs, Flor
ida, asking for detailed information
concerning the sponge beds of Hawai-,
and evincing a willingness to investi-
gate further if the outlook promises
anything. The letter is as follows:
Tarpon Springs, Fla. Jan. Is, 1908.
Postmaster, Esq, Honolulu, Hawaii
Islands.
Hon. Sir: According to a letter from
Hawaii Islands, we are informed that
around of Hawaii Islands there exist
virgin sponge beds of the species that
we call wool-sponge and that the ma
tiyes engaged in the sponge business
they fish them with hooks, and they
don t know how to proper cure and
clean them.
We beg your pardon for the liberty,
we take to address you, sir, but as
orr firm is largely interested in the
sponge business, and we are not ac-
quainted with any person in your place,
to give us an official statement, upon
which we could rely, and not to put
us without any reason into expenses,
we take the liberty to bother you.
viii you kindly inform us if this re-
port is correct, and what area approx
mately, these sponge beds, do they
covera
In what depth of water are they To-
Gated, and how is the water around the
islands, shallow or deep?
Is it possible to forward us on our
own expenses a wool-sponge of those
waters. clean and dry, as a sample?
This will give us a definite idea of
its qualities, and permit US to decide
accordingly.
If you deem advisable to refer this
letter to the Hon. Collector of Customs,
or any other party you think that is
in position to give us true, unin-
terested and right information, we
won t have any objection, and we leave
the whole matter at your discretion and
good will
We will deeply appreciate your an
swer, and thanking you in advance,
beg to remain,
Respectfully yours,
MEINDANIS & ALISSANDRATOS.
FRESH SAMPLES WANTED.
During the past few weeks the Adj |
vertiser has received a number Of
sample sponges from different points
on the islands. sponges of excellent /
shape and texture, but with which
nothing could be done in the way of
experimenting as to softness and te-
nuity because the sponges had been
gathered from the beaches, where they
had been washed kup. These We're
filled with sand and had hardened
through their exposure without prep
aration.
The manner of preparing raw
sponges for market is a simple one
The live sponge is dredged up, wash
ed in fresh water and left to dry
When it is dry it is pounded with a
stick or some other heavy, fiat surface
until soft, and then washed again in
fresh water. 1t is then ready to ship
to the dealer, who bleaches and pre-
pares them for market.
A. w. Meyer. secretary of Chambers
Drug Company. to whom some of the
samples received We're submitted,
states that they surprised them by
their quality and texture and looked
as if they were marketable if prop
eriy prepared.
''Sponges are going up in price right
along" he said, 1.-THE result of a mo-
nopoly obtained on the Mediterranean
output. The very cheapest and coars-
est of sponges are worth at wholesale |
two dollars pound. and run from
that up to twenty. At the very least |
I should think that dollar a pound |
for raw Hawaiian sponges could be
obtained. at which price fishing for
them ought to pay Hawaiian fisher
men and divers
-s'&'s------