--- title: Improvement Era description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930. authors: - Palmer, Alice B. collections: - periodicals tags: - magazine - improvement-era periodical: Improvement Era volume: 30 number: 10 published: 1927-08 publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations publisher_place: Salt Lake City language: en type: magazine reference: "Alice B. Palmer, “Clam Fishing,” *Improvement Era* 30, no. 10 (August 1927): 908–910." source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera30010unse transcription: Transcribed from the Internet Archive scan of each issue (the item for each issue is named in the issue's own source); unnumbered advertising leaves are omitted, printed page numbers are kept as page markers. identifier: improvementera30010unse start_page: 908 end_page: 910 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1927-08) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera30010unse publication_year: 1927 note: The Internet Archive item metadata carries a blanket "© Copyright by Intellectual Reserve, Inc." notice. The library owner judged it inapplicable because this issue was published in 1927, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright. --- # Clam Fishing HEAPS OF PEARL-PRODUCING CLAM SHELLS CLAM FISHING The New American Industry By Alice B. Palmer The enormity and wonder of the fresh-water clam situation in this country is little realized as yet. Several years ago, this new industry, called Clam Fishing, sprang up in the United States and has made rapid progress with the last ten years. The fresh-water clam was scarcely known in this country, while the well known ocean clam held full sway. . The discovery was made by some fishermen along the Mississippi River. They not only located the dams, but la CLAM FISHING 909 been known to take out a ton a day; but on used streams the average is three to four tons a week. In the spring of the year, when the rivers are high, flat-bottom clam boats are used which are manipulated by aid of long ten-foot poles instead of oars. To these boats are attached what is known as drags. They are twelve-foot iron rods with two-foot lengths of manila rope attached two inches apart. Upon the end of each rope is a six-inch iron hook having four prongs. This drag is fastened to the side of the boat, lengthwise; but when in use it is lowered into the water, from the end of the boat, and left from fifteen t6 twenty minutes. Then it is raised and contains from one shell to a hundred, according to the clam bed. Clams lie in beds of sand or gravel known as pockets to the clammer; and when one of these is struck, he calls it a gold mine, for it takes several days to take them all out. Then in July and August comes what they call, "Picking." The river becomes shallow and it is possible to wade about, gather the clams as you would pebbles and fill a boat in a very short time. Now there is a process to prepare them for shipping. Large steam cookers are made from sheet steel and set over a hollow dug in the ground. This is filled with clams and covered with water. Then after steaming for ten minutes, they are forked out on a long table where the meats drop out leaving the shells clean, which are then thrown into a heap upon the ground. Now the meats left upon the table, which have been separated from their shells, are examined for pearls, slugs and barnques. The pearls lie within the lip of the clam, having a protection of only a thin outer skin. By running the fingers over this portion one is able to feel a hard substance if there is a pearl; and when this skin is removed, the lustrous king of jewels is revealed. The slugs and barnques are the mis-shaped, off-size, undeveloped pearls which are to be found on the opposite side of the clam meat. These are more plentiful and are sold at from $4 to $10 an ounce. Several marvelous pearls have been found in this country within the past ten years which have been sold at fabulous prices to the Royalty of Europe. Then there have been many which have been sold in the United States for thousands of dollars. A merchant from Chicago, while camping for recreation along the Fox River of Illinois, became interested in the great enterprise. He sold out his business in the city and entered into this branch of business exclusively. After five years he was able to retire. It seems, he struck one of those virgin rivers in the state of Michigan when the market price on shell had reached its height of $100 a ton. He took out six car loads in one season, besides finding several valuable ball pearls and one hundred ounces of slugs. Think of the possibilities in this field of industry, which is yet practically in its infancy. It is really surprising how few people in 910 IMPROVEMENT ERA the United States realize the true, inner facts concerning this great American discovery; yet it has been open to all who care to investigate. Elgin, III. A Wonderful Snowstorm By Joseph C. Bentley, President Juarez Stake This last Winter, in the Mexican colonies, was unusually void of storm and moisture, so much so that as Spring and early Summer (the dry seasons of the year) approached, prospects for crops were very discouraging. An unusually large acreage of grain had been certain. There had been no rain or snow fall in the mountains to speak of, water in the rivers was very low, and crops already needing irrigation, which was out of the question without rain or snow. This was the condition of the people of Colonia Dublan, when Bishop Anson B. Call told the people, the Sunday before, that the regular Fast Day in March would be set apart for special fasting and prayer for rain and moisture. He told the people of the ward that if anyone had aught against his neighbors, to settle during the week — make special mention in their family prayers for rain, bathe their bodies, put on clean ^lothes, and come to Sacrament meeting Sunday afternoon, united and fasting. He asked the people to pray for the man who had been appointed to take the lead in prayer on Fast Day, and bore his testimony that the Lord would hear and answer their prayers. The people accepted the instructions and all seemed united in carrying out the wishes of the bishop. Sunday morning, March 6, was a clear, beautiful morning, not a cloud to be seen. The Spirit of the Lord was poured out on the people, and earnestly they fasted and prayed for moisture, so much needed. Sunday night the clouds began to appear, and Monday morn- ing it was slightly raining. At night everything was clear and calm. Tuesday and Wednesday the sky was also clear, but Thursday the wind began to blow and during the night it commenced to snow so that by Friday morning there were about eight inches of snow in the valley and from sixteen to twenty-two inches in the mountains. Travel in the mountains was entirely stopped for a few days and it was re- ported that in some of the canyons the snow had drifted ten to twelve feet deep. Friday afternoon the storm cleared up, and while the nights following were very cold, the days were warm; because of everything being so wet, no serious damage was done to the fruit, though some of the early fruit was killed. About a week after the storm the water began to increase in the rivers, and while there have been no floods, there is abundance of water for everyone. The following Sunday the people of the colonies expressed their thanks to the Lord for the splendid storm in answer to their prayers. On other occasions the people of the colonies have had unusual storms come out of season, in answer to their prayers. Colonia Juarez, Chihuahua, Mexico.