“Mussel shell gatherers have commenced the season’s work in this vicinity. Quite an army of them are dragging the river just below the cottonwoods. The men have adopted a new method of gathering the shells. they use two long poles to which are attached a row of lines and hooks. The poles are carried on the side of the boats, while the man at the stern wields an old iron pipe to stir up the shell. Up and down the river the boat drags along and hundreds of shells are brought to the surface in this manner.”1
