Evening star., 1925-03-20
S1,O)O,0lD Income
YEARLY IN SP0NGES
florida Derives Very Heavy
Profits Through Rapid
Growth of Industry.
BY j. C. ROYLE.

Special Dispatch 10 The Star.
TARPON SPRINGS, Fla, March
2o.-The sponge fleet began coming
IL to harbor here today from the first
of its three month trips this year
with approximately $4,000 worth of
sponges piled on the decks and in
the holds. This industry alone brings
into Florida over 100000 OF new
wealth each year.
The great majority OF the thousands
Of sponges brought in and marketed
here are torn from the coral rocks OF
the Gulf of Mexico by deep-se divers.
and the fishing end Of the industry Is
entirely In the hands Of Greek divers
and boatmen. AS a result there is
large and prosperous Greek colony in
Tarpon Springs, which has become
the center OF the sponge industry.
The port. achieved that pre-eminence
az result OF the exisencies OF war.
How Industry Started.
The industry was first put on a
commercial basis in the early sos as
the result OF the efforts of John l..
Cheney. Al that time Key West was
sponge center, he said today, and
all hshing was done with poles equip
ped with three-pronged hook.
As the sponge supply became ex-
hausted in shallow water, this meth
Cd became impossible, since no man
could handle a pole more than so
feet long. Mr.. Cheney, induced the
Greeks to come here and hsh outside
the nine-mile limit in diving suits.
Feared Spanish Fleet.
At the time OF the Spanish-AmerI-
can war the spongers OF the Florida
keys, who made Key West head
quarters, were afraid to run back TO
that port for fear some wandering e
unit OF Cervera's fleet would cut
them off.
They brought their cargoes TO Tar
pom Springs. far from the track of
the Spanish ships, and the brokers
and packers followed them. Many of
the packers remained after the war.
and while Key West still reaps a
bounteous harvest from the key hsh-
cries, It has ceased to be the center OF
the industry. s.
Big Fleet Engaged.
Today there are a3 vessels in the
Tarpon Springs deep-water heet,
which makes four trips q year Each
is manned with a crew of Ave TO nine
men according to the depth of water
In which they expect to work. The
finest sponSes come from the deepest
| water and many are taken in depths
of 1s0 to 130 feet.
1t is Lot unusual for a boat ia
bring in cargo from one trip valued
at from $4,000 to $4,000, accordin &
| to Theodore PetzoId. manager OF the
Sponge Exchange. The sponges are
rotted and cleaned on board and de-
posted in the iron-barred warehouse
which surrounds the Sponge Ex-
! change. There they are examined
and bought by the sponge brokers
and packed for distribution to the
markets OF the world.
PROFITS Depend on weather.
The size Of the catches and the
profits OF the season depend largely
on weather conditions. In shoal wa
ter = stih breeze soon makes diving
impossible through rolling OF the
| water. but the fishermen frequently
60 down In 100-foot depths in 4 breeze
which would send many a vessel
seurrying for harbor.
Tarpon Springs also is a center oi
| the food FISH industry, and tht total
| value OF the fsh caught annually fan
| surpasses that OF the sponge catch
1t Is anticipated that there will be
at least 100000 pounds of fist
| caught on the west coast alone thi:
year