Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1910-06-23
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but 10 to Is minutes, while in SO feet of water
he might be seen moving about on the bottom
for several hours,
The pearl shells from these waters are not
as large as those of Ceylon, but run from 5000
to 1000 to the ton. The true pearl oyster, the
Meleagrina Of the Indian and south Pacific
oceans, varies in diameter from two to eight
inches, according to age, six inches being the
average. One diver working with helmet and
air pump can secure as many as $4,000 oysters
in a season. The greater part Of the shell from
the La Paz fisheries is shipped to San Fran
cisco, while most of the pearls go to Mexico City
and Paris. In 1908 the production Of these fish
cries was valued at $4,000, 900, the pearls repre-
senting SO, 100000 and the mother-of-pearl shell
the balance.
According to DR.. George F. Kunz, one of the
worlds greatest authorities on pearls, a pearl
Of the first water should possess a perfect skin,
fine orient or delicate texture, be free from
specks or flaws, and be of a translucent white
color, with a subdued iridescent sheen. 1t
should also be perfectly spherical, or, If not, Of
symmetrical pear shape. White or pink pearls
are the finest, owing to their delicate sheen.
Sometimes the outer layer can be removed, the
subjacent surface revealing a finer skin than
the outer one. and In this way a pearl may be
improved.
The Lower California pearls are Of a great
variety of shapes and color. round, pear shaped.
button pearl or flat on one side, barouue, or
pearl of irregular shape, and in color ranging
from white and pink to blue, green, brown and
black. Some very famous pearls of history have
been taken from these waters.
With hardly an exception there are American
pearls among the crown jewels of every ruler Of
Europe. In 1883, at the worlds fair in Paris
there was exhibited a set Of seven black pearls
from thoea Mnyinap Aohocioc. ,,oI,,oI - n m,
at that time, and today worth much more. One
Of the largest pearls ever found here was sold
in Paris to the emperor Of Austria for $4,000
and the Spanish government presented Napo
leon III. with a black Mexican pearl valued al
$4,000.
In Venezuela the principal oyster beds ar,
located around the island of Margarita, which
word in Spanish means pearl, and at Cubagua
Ell Tirano, Gulf of Paria and Coro, Porlamar
Maracapana and Macanao, so that this part O
Venezuela became known to the early Span
iards as the Pearl coast.
OF the Pearl islands of Panama bay. Re,
island is the largest Of the group. The onl
village of any size among these islands is Sal
Miguel, as old as the fisheries themselves, TIL
tower of its little masonry church being thickl
inlaid with beautiful n~acreous shells from tn
fishing grounds on all sides.
From the United States and Canada com
the fresh-water pearls, which are produced prir
cipally by the Unto, a species of mussel con
mon to all the mountain streams throughou
the country, although a pearl may be found |
any mollusk having a nacreous interior linin,
Pearls have been brought to the New Yor
market from almost every state in the Union an
Canada, principally from Ohio, Indiana, Illinoi
Kentucky, Missouri, Arkansas, Michigan, MINI
sofa, Tennessee and Mississippi.