The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1865-10-06
Alleged Astounding Discoveries
in the Mont Gems Tunnel.
A Mine Of God and Jewels
Struck by the Workmen.
The Discovery flushed Up by the
French and Italian Gov
ernmentS.
Work in tho T1nnal Snsnnndad
Work in the Tunnel Suspended.
An Almost Incredible Story.

The New York World, of the 22d inst, con-
tains lengthy letter from ARTHUR NJ. LKARY,
an engineer. of New York, lnclosing the sworn
statement of PIERRo TAGLIARE, in reference to
the alleged discovery of mine of jewels while
boring the Mont Gents tunnel through the
Alps, between France and Italy. TAGLIARE
has been arrested by the Italian authorities,
and is confined in the Jail at susa, and it is al
legged that there are strong corroborating cir
cumstances to the truth of this statement. We
print that portion giving his account of the in
cidents of the discovery, emitting the history
of the operations in the tunnel, and of the
manner in which this affidavit found its way
to New York. 1t was given to Paris journal,
but its publication was forbidden by positive
order from the government:
Suddenly Bacco stopped the engines. Scar
pO di Dio!" he said; "three of the drills are
quite crushed; we must have been pounding
upon adamant."
Directly the frame and engines were with
drawn; we charged the perforations and ap-
piled our slow match, and fed behind the
pivot doors for protection.
In moment the deep concave trembled with
the explosion. and the place became clogged
with suttocating smoke.
StralghtWay jet OF compressed air was
spirited into the recess, and the tunnel became
fresh as an ice-house. We lighted the lamps
Immediately, and stole forward to mark the
result
A space thrice as great as single explosion
usually makes had been excavaied; q great
foundation rib of primitive rock formed the
bottom, and this was full q small plinmerinp
objects, unshattered and crystalized. which
dimly twinkled through the dust and debris. I
lifted from the rubbish . smoothly-angled lump
Of shining something and brought It toward o
lamp.
l am swearing to what 1 speak upon the
Evangels.. The crystal was . clear topaz,
golden yellow in color, and as big as pullet's
egg.
One of the workmen here came to me, hold.
ing something In his horny palm. as big as my
own great possession. l dropped the topaz
with cry. The dolt was carrying an mar
velous kemerald.
We all looked into each others faces for q
moment and then the whole four rushed to the
6ssure; the usually dark and gray debris sh0ne
keenly here and there, and saw in an instant
that there had been some strange convulsion at
this part of the mountain; all the strata lay In
this small space, crushed or bitten through with
great granitic upheaval, and the various or
ders had been lifted almost vertically; Q coarse
m,caceous sandstone, traversed by what SEEM
ed accidental veins or quartz, lay on the left,
running at its edges into hard conglomerate
which barely yielded to blow of pick, and
BY gradations of hard argillaceous slate, the re.
verse side OF the fissure, wonderful to say,
closed with solid basalt distribution 90
much at variance with nv experience was not
yet without precedents, but in the intensity of
the moment bad no time to think; pros
trate column Of basalt, half concealed in the
dust, sparkled at my feet and a. | tumbled il
towards the clear light it broke acroes its
breadth and disclosed the most beautiful sap
phire have ever seen, considering with re-
gard either to its purity or its exceeding reeu.
hrity.
At this instant one of the men who vss ex.
ploring another side of the cavern uttered q
shout: