. Report of the Commissioner for the year ending June 30, 1902. ^ by the spongers or sold to the merchantsin Key West, who sell them to tourists. The two following tables show the condition of the sponge-buyingbusiness during 1900, and the rapid increase in the quantit3^of spongesbought at Tarpon Springs. In 1895 there were three buyers at thisplace and the total value of the sponges purchased amounted to160,000. In 1900 there were six buyers and their combined purchasesamounted to |278,550, an increase of three buyers and $218,550 invalue. In 1895 Key West had nine buyers, who purchased $312,
. Report of the Commissioner for the year ending June 30, 1902. ^ by the spongers or sold to the merchantsin Key West, who sell them to tourists. The two following tables show the condition of the sponge-buyingbusiness during 1900, and the rapid increase in the quantit3^of spongesbought at Tarpon Springs. In 1895 there were three buyers at thisplace and the total value of the sponges purchased amounted to160,000. In 1900 there were six buyers and their combined purchasesamounted to |278,550, an increase of three buyers and $218,550 invalue. In 1895 Key West had nine buyers, who purchased $312,020worth of sponges, while in 1900 there were eleven buyers, an increaseof two, and the combined purchases amounted to $289,135 in value, adecrease of $31,865 in value. The decrease at Key West would Report U. S. F. C. 1902. Plate THE SPONGE EISHEKY OF FLORIDA IN 1900. 175 imdoiibtedly Iuiac been gretiter litid it not ]jeen for the exceptionallygood catehes on the key grounds during 1900. Ail the keysi)ong(\s are sold at Key West and will iil^ely continue so to be sold, asTarpon Springs is too inaccessible for the key boats, but it is prob-able that in time most, if not all, of the sponges from the bayoTounds will be marketed at Tarpon Springs. Over two-thirds ofthem were so disposed of in 1900. All of the data in the first table,except wages and buyings, have alreadj^ been shown in the regularfishery tables. Table sliowim/ the extent of the sponge-buying business in 1900. Items Key West. Tarpon Springs. Total. No. Value. No. Value. No. Value. 11 67 657 17124 Employees Wages $25,97890,400 $17,9699,332 $43,947 Property 99,732 Total 116,378 27,301 143,679 * Kinds. Lbs. Value. Lbs. Value. Lbs. Value. 95,49049,13581,05512,4286,808 $229,433 31, 975 20,613 1,794 5,320 85,82124,12963, 259 $253,83012,07012, 650 181,311
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Keywords: ., bookauthorunitedst, bookcentury1900, bookdecade1900, bookyear1904
