The next outbreak of pearling excitement was in Arkansas, in the region referred to by Daniel Coxe two centuries ago as the location of great pearl resources.[[322]] Although in recent times little had been heard of pearls in Arkansas previous to 1895, they were not unknown in that State. For years they had been picked up by the fishermen, and used as lucky stones or given to the children for playthings. Some had come into the possession of persons acquainted with their value. About 1875, a few pearls were collected by a party of men engaged in cutting cedar poles on White River; in 1888, a brilliant pear-shaped pink pearl of twenty-seven grains was secured from the same river, and sold to a prominent resident. Little had been said about these finds, and in general the people of Arkansas had slight idea of the occurrence or the value of pearls in those waters.
In 1895, a surveying party on White River found pearls in the Unios of that stream, and collected them to the value of about $5000. News of this discovery attracted attention to the resource, and other persons sought for the gems in the White River and its tributaries, in the St. Francis and the Arkansas rivers. The unusually low water in 1896 facilitated the fishery, and resulted in the discovery of many large and valuable gems. The interest developed rapidly, and within twelve months nearly every stream of water in Arkansas yielded pearls, with the finds most extensive and valuable in White River and its tributary the Black River, which has proved to be the richest pearling region in America. The industry centered at Black Rock, more than a thousand persons fishing within twenty miles of that place. It is estimated that within three years following the development of this fishery, this State yielded pearls to the value of more than $500,000.
When the Arkansas fishery was at its height, it was reported that ten thousand persons were employed therein. The fishermen were from nearly every class and condition in the State. Women were not absent; even children participated in the industry, and some proved more fortunate than the older hunters. It was not uncommon to see several hundred persons congregated at one bar or in one stretch of the river, all intent on making a fortune, and all occupied in fishing or in opening the shells. So complete was the absorption of the people in this pursuit, and so many of the farm-hands were occupied in the eager search for anticipated fortunes, that the local papers reported much apprehension and difficulty in harvesting the cotton and other crops.
Within the main channel of the Mississippi, the relative scarcity of pearls in the Unios, and the greater preparation required for collecting the mollusks in the deep waters, retarded the fishery until the establishment of button manufacture afforded a market for the shells, this originating in 1891. The industry developed rapidly, and for several years has consumed about 35,000 tons of shells annually, obtained principally in the Mississippi between Quincy and La Crosse, and to a much less extent in other streams in this valley. This is more than twice the total product of mother-of-pearl shell in all parts of the world. However, the value per ton is very much less than that of the best grade of mother-of-pearl; that from Australia, for instance, commonly selling for $1200 per ton, whereas the Mississippi shell usually sells for less than $20, although the very choicest may bring upward of $50 per ton.
The gathering of shells for manufacture has extended to many of the large tributaries of the Mississippi, especially the Arkansas, the White, the St. Francis, the Ohio and the Illinois rivers, and this industry has added largely to the pearl yield in these waters.
In the last three years, the scenes of greatest activity have been the Wabash River and its tributaries, where shell-collecting developed in 1903, and the Illinois River, where the industry was of little importance previous to 1906. On the Wabash, camps were established at almost every town, from the mouth up to St. Francis, Illinois, and about one thousand persons found employment. Some of the most beautiful American gems have come from this river. They are usually silvery white in color and of the sweetest luster. A single pearl weighing only ten grains has been sold at the river for $1000; but it is frequently the case that a fine gem will sell for more at the place where found than in the great markets. During the spring of 1907, three pearls were found in the Wabash near Vincennes, which weighed forty-one, fifty-one, and fifty-three grains respectively. One of these was white, one faint pink, and the third was yellow. The finest pearls have been reported from the vicinity of Mount Carmel near the lower end of the river. Very large quantities of baroques or slugs are found in the Wabash and the Illinois; 30,000 ounces were reported from those rivers and their tributaries in 1907, for which the fishermen received a total of $50,000. A large symmetrical pearl found during 1907 weighed a trifle under 150 grains, and a slug was found which weighed fully one ounce, or 606 grains.
The pearl-hunting excitement has been felt even on the Atlantic seaboard, as a result of the publication of the discoveries in the Mississippi Valley. In Maine many pearls have been reported, especially in the vicinity of Moosehead Lake. In 1901 over one hundred were found in that vicinity; most of them were of little value, but more than a dozen were worth $10 or $15 each. Three found by Kineo guides were sold for an aggregate of $300. The choicest one reported in that year weighed twelve and one half grains and sold for $150; had it been perfect in form and luster its value would have been several times that amount. Most of these pearls were found by Moosehead guides, who found purchasers among the visiting fishermen and hunters.
Since 1901 many farm-boys as well as guides have devoted much attention to the business, some of them deriving as large a revenue therefrom as from the use of the rifle. Good finds have been made, during the last year or two especially. In 1906, one choice pearl sold for $700, and many have sold for $10 to $75 each. The search has proven so alluring that returning visitors have complained that some of the guides care to do little more than search every rill, brook, and creek they come across looking for the mollusks. Just at present the principal attention seems to be directed to the streams in the western part of Maine, where the river-beds are more sandy and the shell-fish more abundant than in the northern and eastern part of the State.
In Massachusetts pearls have been collected from many of the ponds and brooks. In Nonesuch Pond in Weston, the Unio complanata has yielded many small ones of attractive appearance, but not of sufficient size or luster to sell for more than $10 each. Ponds in the town of Greenwich and also in Pelham in Hampshire County are among the best in Massachusetts for pearls. The Sudbury River above Concord also yields many. Relatively few of the Unios contain pearls, and the gem-bearing individuals seem to be grouped in special localities. Outside of these places, thousands of mussels may be opened without revealing a single gem. A collection of small Massachusetts pearls was brought together a few years ago by Mr. Sherman F. Denton of Wellesley Farms, who has devoted much time to exploring the inland waters of Massachusetts.
Connecticut also has had a slight touch of the pearl fever. In 1897, Mr. C. S. Carwell of Ledyard, explored the headwaters of Mystic River, and in a few weeks collected a number of pearls, one of which he is reported as having sold for $500, and two others were estimated at $400 each. And from the other end of the State, along the Shepaug River, is reported a similar account of the success of Mr. Arlo Kinney of Steep Rock. Attracted by these reports, crowds of seekers have proceeded in the usual reckless manner to make wholesale destruction of the mollusks. The finds have been especially large and valuable in the lakes and streams of Litchfield County, particularly in Bantam Lake.