The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1915-11-08
Are Just as Picturesque as
Those Of the Orient.
ONE OPERATOR EARNS MUCH
Sheriff of One of White River Counties
Has Made Perhaps More Than Any
Other One Man-Wife Has Necklace
of the Small Gems, and Its Value Is
Placed at $4,000.


Newport, Ark.-On account OF con
tinued high water this years output
of the White river pearl fisheries has
not been nearly so large as that of last
year. with one exception.
During the dry season. when many
bars are uncovered and musSel beds
underlying the shallow water for more
than 500 miles are exposed to view, 1t
il impossible TO loo either up or down
the stream and not see as many as a
dozen pearl fishers at work. Under
every cool, cedar clad bluff there are
always from one to a dozen camps.
The fresh water clam, once good only
for fish bait, has In recent years be
come a big commercial commodity, and
the principal industry of its kind in
this country is that of the White river
fisheries.
Jesse |. Wilson. former sheriff of
of the White River counties and now
known as the pearl king" has earned
perhaps more than any other II man
from the waters OF White river. Three
years ago. with his wife. he made his
first attempt at pearl fishing.
Last year. a dry season.. Wilson had
several helpers and he cleaned up
about $1,000. in addition to nearly 200
small but very beautiful pearls turned
into the growing collection of his wife.
This year things looked rather
gloomy for awhile. A few miles from
Newport, where lies M of the finest
mussel beds In the river. Wilson con
structed a sort Of wharf. upon which
he laid a miniature railroad track from
the high bank to a rocky islet near
the middle OF the stream On this
track he placed a dump car. The small
steamers belonging TO he button fac
tories could LAY up to the end of this
wharf. no matter at what stage the
water was. and the shells could be
dumped into them easily.
Having disposed of the problem of
loading the shells. Wilson then put
into operation his plan of securing the
mussels from beneath the deep water.
On account of the depth the tongs
were no longer feasible. SO he con
structed several RATS and two boats
resembling Chinese sampans. Then he
hired twenty or thirty negroes. mostly
boys, as divers. aud operations began.
are regular water rats" and are al
home ever In the swiftest current.
Wilson treated his men and boy div.
ers well. paid them good wages and
saw that they had every comfort. In
addition he allowed them ) per CEN
Of the proceeds of the shells.
Ropes were attached to all RATS. and
when one was loaded 1t was drawn to
the shore. the mussels were carried tC
the cooking vat. the meat was extract
ed and carefully examined for pearls
and the shells were piled near or dump
ed into a car ready for loading into
steamer.
Wilson's success this year is the tall
of the river folk. He had a ~practica
monopoly of the shell industry, as the
high water prevented all others from
earning more than a bare living. He
sold nearly 1000 worth of shells ant
$4,000 worth of pearls, In addition t.
ing 1875 grains. for which he received
So, 70O.
Besides all this. Mrs. Wilson secured
enough medium. sized gems to com
plete her necklace. which she is o
wearing. 1t is valued at $4,000. 1t Il
comprised of 500 pearls, in sever
strands, and ranging from little large
-. 1870
gems OF forty grains each.
{ incidentally, the ex-sheriff a shor
time ago captured an escaping ban
9 robber from Oklahoma. who had wan
Y dered into the White river fisheries
and got $1,000 reward for II.