El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1912-12-02


States yield millions of dollars Of an
nuaI revenue for commercial products
which have no reference TO the food
supply. The Oldest of these is the
whaling industry which while not so
important as in former years because of
the development of substitutes for
some Of its products. IS yet important
enough to merit consideration There
are three products from the whale
which make it valuable to the world
The first is the oil which amounts to
nearly 100000 annually to American
fishermen. The Whalebone is also a
valuable product which according to
I the last published report, yielded $685.
AL to commerce The third is amber
girls This is a rare and peculiar sub
stance found occasionally in whales in
large masses Weighing from one to two
hundred pounds. It has been known
/ from the ancient times and was eS-
teemed as a remedy for fevers and
nervous troubles. 1t is now used Occa-
| sionally in incense, but its greatest
1 value is in the manufacture OF per
fumes because 1t makes the Other eSOrs
stronger and more lasting. The annual
| yield Of ambergris in this country ap-
l proximates $4,000 in value
Want Closed Season for Whales.
The decrease in the number Of whales
I in north Pacific waters is becoming so
marked that the commissioner of fish
/ cries Of the state Of Washington is ad-
/ vocating closed season for them
The report OF an abundance Of whales
/ off the coast Of Brazil is likely to lead
/ to greater activities in the southern
waters. The first whaling steamer
! ever seen in these waters was last year
I and 1t secured more than 100 whales in
J a single season A recently organized
Norwegian company viii this year have
/ at least two large steamers IN the VI
I cinity OF Bahia, Brazil, and as the num-
I Der OF whales killed in q radius Of 10
/ miles Of that city last year was some
/ thing over zoe half of which were
( taken by local sail boats. it is expected
( that this year will be remarkable one
| in that locality
It is claimed that the war upon the
whale in the northern hemisphere IS
threatening their extinction and that
( the Greenland whale has already prac-
ucally Succumbed, because alone OF all
| the large whales its range was restrict
ed to the Arctic Ocean. Until 20 years
ago this animal was practically immune
from human persecution because OF its
formidable strength, but after the in
ventiOn OF the bomb harpOOn which
can be fired from a gun and exploded IN
the beasts vital parts, it has been able
to make little defence. Steam whalers
with explosives are likely to make
short work even Of the greatest mon
sters that can be found in the sea In
the year 1911 according to a British re-
port. the total number Of whales killed
in the world was 1880. They yielded
/ $4,000 barrels Of oil valued at $l2,5O0,-
OOO. It is expected that this years
trade will far exceed this.
Fishing for SPOnEes-
One Of the fishing Industries OF this
country about which comparatively lit
tie is known is that Of sponge taking.
which is so far confined to the coast OF
Florida. Sponge fishing is one Of the
most interesting Of the fishing 'actIvi-
ties although it calls for a social class
of fishers. The sponge beds Of the
Mediterranean have become so nearly
raf
fishers have come to Florida to con-
tinue their occupation. It is these
Greeks who inaugurated the taking OF
spOngeS by diving. Before that, all
of the Florida spOnges were secured
by hooking from boats In the hook
ing operations the vessels were fitted
out by the men who own them and let
on shares to the operating crews which
consist of six or eight men, The YES
sci claims a third Of the sponges and
the rest are divided among the crew
a sponge fishing vessel consists OF
a boat for every two men, equipped
with two or three sponge hooks. a ma
rine spy glass and an oar for each man
| The spy glasses are bucket-li1e affairs
with glass for the bottom. The man
using It places It upon the water, puts
his head in the top. thus shutting out
the light. and scans the bottom of the
sponge bed. He is able to see through
80 feet of water When he sees the
sponge he wants he drops his hook
into the water and brings it to the sur
face BY diving it is possible to Sc
cure sponges from beds that could not
be reached by hooking.
The sponge is not. as some suppose,
merely the skeleton Of a marine ami
mails, one leading in and the other out
, them so tiny that they can hardly be
recognized. Each sponge has two ca
nails. one leading in and the other cut
Through their incoming channel the
water is passed. from which these tiny
I creatures take their nOurishment. after
t. - 1rrA HHnrrr oh "a
other After the spOnges are taken
from the water, these tiny animals die
and the sponges become most offensive
to handle. Cleansing them for the mar
ket is an important part Of the indus
try and a most unpleasant one
Pearl Button Trade.
Perhaps the other most important
/ commercial product Of the Hsherles'
aside from oil and fertilizer, is the
pearl button trade which draws its ma
terial from the fresh water mussels
which were formerly so plentiful in the
Ohio and several other interior rivers.
The value Of this industry amounts to
about $4,000, 900 dollars annually and at
least S6.OOO.OO0 are invested in the
! equipment for gathering the mussels
and the factories for manufacturing the
buttons.
Another commercial product of fish
/ is large percentage Of the CLUES and
I cements which are now on the market
IN New England the manufacture Of
/ liquid glue is an important industry in
a number of fishing towns fine
quality of ising-glass is also made from
fish sinews while the fins Of certain
varieties are utilized in making gela-
tine. The value Of cod liver oil as
medicine is widely known and one of
the newest preparations is sort Of
candy CONNECTION known as cod liver oil
cough drops.
Gems for Jewellers.
The fish industry adds materially to
! the jewelers. supplies. Along the west
ern coast are found the abalone shells
which are so beautiful in themselves
that they are being utilized in many
ways, both alone and in combination
with silver and gold and the semi-pre-
cious stones. This shell now yields
325,000 income to the state of Califor-
MIA and its value is Increasing The
Z pearls found in the United states also
have q considerable value Twenty
years ago there was great pearl
craze started in Wisconsin because
someone had found pearl in a musseL
Previous to 1895 as many as $1,000
worth of pearls were found IN that
state alone. Sugar River had the great
est yield but was soon exhausted
Mills were shut down in order that the
water might be drawn off so that peo-
pie could secure the she'll more easily.
While the value of these fresh water
] Sc IN n