Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-06-21
DRAGGING FOR MUSSELS
INDUSTRY CARRIED ON IN THE
ILLINOIS RIVER.
Men Drawn From Work on the
Farm by the Lure of the Val
liable Pearl Sometimes Found.

Arba y. Tindall, formerly of Washing
ton, now of Seattle, has written a series
of letters of his latest transcontinental
trip TO his father, DR.. William Tin
dali, secretary of the board of Commits
sioners. The latest one is a description
of mussel fishing in the Illinois river.
Il meant to tell you while writing about
the trips up the river that the Illinois
river is literally covered with shell fish
ers. who gather mussels off the river
bottom and sell them TO button and knife
manufacturers for the pearl which lines
Them" he says. They drag along the
bottom "a piece CT pipe, 10 which Is
fastened a number OF cords with wire
hooks attached. When the muscles feel
the hooks pass over them they seize them
and will not let go until forcibly removed
by the fisherman. When the latter have
gathered boat load of mussels they row
ashore, where the women and children
steam the mussels and remove the meat,
keeping Il sharp lockout for pearls, Wnlcn
are sometimes hidden among the meat,
and some of which are very valuable.
Pearl Sold for $1,000.
THE day we came back down the river
a man got a pearl which he sold imme-
diately to a pearl buyer for 81. 900. The
pearl BUYERS are constantly running up
and down the river in motor boats of
great speed and visit the thousands of
pearl camps which line the banks.
THE shells are sold by the ton, and
at this time bring about SO per ton. The
men average about 500 pounds per day
during the season, which Is limited TO
three months. The farmers everywhere in
the country adjacent to the riverare COM
planning that this comparatively new in
dustry in this locality is making IL inn
possible for them to get the labor they
need on the farms. | suppose the fishing
is easier work. and then there is the
fascination arising out of the possibility
of running across "A valuable pearl which
will enable ii man to so off on a pro-
longer spree.
Camping on the Banks.
1t is food for thought to behold these
thousands of families squatting along the
river banks with the children getting no
education and none of the influence that
would make of them useful and desirable
citizens. Indeed. my heart ached for
these little souls, who must get some
realization of the things they are miss
ing by seeing the excursion steamers
with nicely dressed children aboard and
also from the yachts which constantly
pass.
"A show boat was going up the river
stopping at the little towns where the
fishermen and families gather to see the
performance. which is given right aboard
the steamer. We anchored the first night
in a little slough. and there must have
been fifty families, which passed us in
their fatboats propelled by gasoline en-
gines, most of which skim over the water
at a merry clip. 1t was raining, but
that did not deter the unsheltered pleas
ure-seekers nor even ldampen their en-
thusiasm. These people thought it was
funny that we were not going to the
show, and one party asked If We were
aground, evidently believing that only
such a calamity could prevent US from
attending the performances"