88 PEARLS AND PEARLING 



service for the Government, devoted his time to the work 

 of perpetuating the supply of the fresh-water mussels. 

 His vast experience and special talent for the work made 

 him one of the most valuable men in that department of 

 the government service. 



At the time of his death a little over a year ago at 

 Davenport, Iowa, the city of Muscatine, Iowa, paid a 

 special tribute to the pioneer button manufacturer by sus- 

 pending all business and industrial activities on the day 

 of the funeral. 



. The people who are connected with the great button 

 industry of our country are very much indebted to him 

 for the interest he manifested in the advancement of the 

 pearl button business in the United States. 



The manufacture of buttons is the main industry in a 

 number of thriving cities along the Mississippi, the Illi- 

 nois, the Ohio, the Wabash and other rivers. 



One of the latest census reports gives an idea of the 

 importance of the industry. 



It shows a total of 6,400 people employed in the button 

 business. The total wages per week were $69,000.00, 

 and the total wages for the year were $3,450,000.00. In 

 one year 25,200,000 gross of buttons were made, the 

 average price per gross being 21% cents. The amount 

 paid for shells reached a high figure. The amounts of 

 shells shipped from the various rivers were as follows : 

 Wabash River, 14,400 tons; Ohio River, 13,440 tons; 

 Arkansas River, 9,120 tons; Mississippi River, 8,640 

 tons; other rivers, 2,400 tons; making a total of 48,000 

 tons from all the rivers. The average price of shells 



