The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1936-07-09
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How a Macaroni Makers Son
Became the Pearl King

" start like a fable, and even
read like one, but it is all truth.
Once upon a time there lived in
Tobamachi a macaroni manufac-
turer by the name of Moto Mkt
motto, who was blessed with nine
children, three daughters and six
sons. The eldest, Kokichi, a boy,
achieved distinction by doubling
the output of a stone mortar IN
which he ground wheat -four.
He did not care for the macaroni
business, however, and kept his eyes
open for something more profitable.
In 1875 two British warships
dropped anchor in Toba and re-
manned several days. Kokichi, now
in his eighteenth year, cornering all
the chickens, eggs and vegetables
in the village, hired feet of bum
boats, swooped down upon the Eng
lish navy, such as it was, and
cleaned up a snug surplus. Busi-
ness stunts much appealed to the
young man.
At twenty-one he shook Toba,
came to Tokyo, married and set
himself up as dealer in mother
of-pearl, expanding through the en-
pire, and trading abroad as well.
Makes AudaciOus Move.
At Japan's third industrial exposi-
ton in Tokyo, 1900, DR.. Kakichi Nit
sukuri, noted zoologist, delivered
a lecture on the possibilities of pro-
ducing cultivated pearls. Mikimoto
was among those who attended.
What he heard that evening made
such a profound impression upon
the son of the macaroni maker,
that he then and there closed out
all his business connections, turned
his efforts into cash and retired
to the island of Tatokujima IN Ago
bay, Miye Prefecture. There he un-
dertook In earnest, win or lose, those
experiments with oysters that with
in a few short years, to the great
disgust of natural pearl dealers
throughout Christendom, gave Mkt
moto the title of pearl King"
Though scoffed at by the gem
dealers, laughed at by the toilers Of
the sea who had watched him In his
efforts to rend profit from the shells
of the bivalves with which he la
bored, Mikimoto, regarded as q
visionary by all save his wife, stood
at his task undaunted.
With the first news that he had
succeeded in his audacious raid upon
the customary habits of oysters by
forcing them to make pearls for him
in unlimited quantities, pearls that
could not be distinguished from the
so-called natural gems, European
jewelers., fearing a depression in
the natural pearl market which
might throw, upon the necks of
Continental beauties pearls less
costly but equally beautiful, brought
action in the French courts against
pearls forced to perfection by culti-
walton, alleging that they were mere
limitations.
Scientists Stand by Him
Prominent biological scientists
from America, England, France,
Germany and Japan, summoned to
discuss the issue, found for the de-
fendant. DR.. David Starr Jordan,
president of Stanford university, and
a BIOLOGIST of international fame,
said: ''As they are exactly of the
same substance and color as the
natural, or 'uncultivated pearl,
there is no real reason why they
should not have the same value"
The former macaroni maker,
whose tomb, already planned, has
for its base four-grinding mortar,
surmounted by a colossal granite
pearl, has the satisfaction of know
ing that his cultivated and tanned
oysters are equally dependable in
their offspring with the progeny of
wild oysters.
Today, Mikimoto has IL pearl
cultivating plants in japanese wa
tiers and one at Palu island in the
South Pacific, totaling over 10000
acres, where 5000, 900 pearl oysters
are cultivated each year. Seventeen
patents held by Mikimoto for pearl
cultivation have given him the lead
against numerous rivals now spring
ing up In japanese waters.
The principle upon which he con-
Quoted his experiments finds justifi-
cation in the fact that the mantle of
the pearl oyster secretes the pearl
substance (nacre) which forms a
coating around any foreign sub
stance, like grain of sand, piece
of shell, ETC., that might find lodg-
ment IN the oyster.
Now Fabulously Wealthy
Mikimoto solved the secret of how,
through delicate operation. GER
tain foreign substances Of certain
shapes and characters, could be de-
posted in the oyster with reason
able certainty that at least five per
cent of the oysters so treated would
produce marketable pearl within
from four to six years.
The Pearl King of the World, now
a multi-millionaire, possessing es-
tates, villas, yachts and Injuries
beyond classification, is the SIM
plest of men, free from glamour,
unspoiled by prosperity, and in his
attitude toward life still the maca-
roni-maker's son. He is now In his
seyenty-ninth year, surrounded by
Is grandchildren and Ii great
grandchildren.
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