THE SPONGE FISHERY OF FLORIDA IN" 1900, 1(3 



not like to sell at a place where there is but one buyer, as they claim 

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

 Lemon City after the spring of 1900. 



At Key West and Tarpon Springs all of the l)uyers, except two- 

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

 wholesale houses. The two independent Ixiyers market their own 

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

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

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

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

 ments, which were valued at $90,-l00, employed 67 persons, whose 

 wages amounted to $-^5,978. 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 day. At Key West very few ])uyers own drays, 

 preferring to hire them when needed. 



Burlap^ which costs about 10 cents per yard, delivered, and jute 

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

 about 7i cents, delivered, are used in baling-the sponges. Formerly 

 sisal rope was employed, l)ut as it was found that jute rope could be 

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

 latter is now used almost exclusively. 



In baling each kind is kept by itself. For the general trade sheeps- 

 wool sponges are packed in 15, 3t», and 50 pound bales. The medium- 

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

 in the 5(>-pound bale. The yellow sponges arc packed in 30, iO, 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 bales. The above w^eights 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 al)ove are also put up, but only for special 

 orders. In baling the sponges presses, very much resembling cotton 

 compresses, are used. The screw is purchased, })ut 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 

 occasionally lots of yellow and grass sponges arc also adulterated in 

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



