TIIK SlM>M(iE KISIIEKY OF FLOKLDA \N l!»0(). 173 



not like to sell at :i phico wliere there is l)ut one buyer, as they claim 

 the lack of eoiupetition keeps the price down. None was sold at 

 Lemon City after the sprinj^ of 1900. 



At Key West and Tarpon Sprinj^s all of the l>uyers, except two — 

 one at each place — represent New York, Philadelphia, and St. Louis 

 Avholesale houses. The two independent buyers market their own 

 catch. Each buyer has a warehouse where the sponges are dried, 

 cleaned, and baled ready for market. Some of these ))uildinos are 

 elaborate and costly structures, and a number of persons are employed 

 at each in preparing- the product. In 1900 tlie Key West establish- 

 ments, which were valued at $90,100, employed 67 persons, whose 

 wages amounted to $25,978. At Tarpon Springs, in the same year, 

 the sponge establishments were valued at $9,332, and gave employ- 

 ment to 57 persons, whose combined wages amounted to $17,969. 

 Property is much less valuable at Tarpon Springs than at Key West, 

 which explains the great difference between the two places. The 

 employees come under three classes, viz, "clippers," who clip the 

 sponges and sort them; the "pressmen/' who bale the sponges, and the 

 draymen and common laborers. The "clippers" are paid about $1.50 

 per day, the "pressmen" about $2 per day, and the draymen and 

 laborers about $1 per da3^ At Kev West very few buyers own dra3"s, 

 preferring to hire them when needed. 



Burlap, which costs about 10 cents per 3'ard, delivered, and jute 

 rope, with diameters of one-fourth and three-eighths inch, worth 

 about 71 cents, delivered, are used in baling the sponges. Formerly 

 sisal rope was emploved, but as it was found that jute rope could be 

 secured at a much lower price, and would answer the Durpose, the 

 latter is now used almost exclusively. 



In baling each kind is kept b}^ itself. For the general trade sheeps- 

 wool sponges are packed in 15, 30, and 50 pound bales. The medium- 

 size sponges are placed in the 15 and 30 pound bales and the large ones 

 in the 50-pound bale. The yellow sponges are packed in 30, 40, and 

 50 pound bales; the medium size in the 30-pound bale, and the larger 

 sizes in the 40 and 50 pound bales. The grass sponges are generally 

 packed in 50-pound bales, while the velvet and glove sponges are 

 packed in 30 and 50 pound 1)ales. The above weights represent the 

 net weight of the sponges in each bale. The burlap, rope, and twine 

 usually adds about 2 pounds to the net weight of each bale. Bales 

 weighing differently from the above are a:lso put up, but onh^ for special 

 orders. In l)aling the sponges presses, verv much resembling cotton 

 compresses, are used. The screw is purchased, but the framework is 

 erected and the screw adjusted at the warehouse. 



The great evil in the sponge business at the present time is the 

 loading of sponges. Sheepswool sponges are nearly all loaded, while 

 occasional! v lots of j^ellow and grass sponges are also adulterated in 

 this wav. The loading is done for the purpose of increasing the 



