Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1869-09-16

'ncv occur IN transparent and we'll de-
fined crystals of six sided prisms and
also IN the amorphous form i'm the
alluvial sand. together with native gold.
Crystals Of several carats weight have
been picked up ont Of the pan, where
they have settled down in consequence
of their gravity during the process of
washing the gravel for gold. Sapphires
of almost all colors have been found
there. the red. green. blue. yellow and
white. and some of them are of con-
siderable value. They resist the action
Of the fire and do not change color
when exposed To the strongest heat OF
the forge No systematic search has
been made for these precious stones at
this locality. although they seem to oc-
cur in abundance. The gold washings
OF this Bar are now abandoned.
The heryl-thc subspccies Of the
emera!d-occurs IN many parts OF the
| nited States. II has been found In
great perfection in the granite hills of
Oxford County, in the State of Name.
and more especially in the :eigc at
Royalston and Fitchburg. in Massa-
ehusctts. In cash veins of quartz. oc-
curing in granite in North and South
Royalston, beautiful CRYSTALS Of this
gem have been discovered. some of
them exhibiting the longitudinal striae
and the alteration OF colors which dis
tinguish the remarkable heryls Of the
Altai Mountains in Siberia Lively
sea. and grass green. light and deep
yellow; also blue crystals uf various
shades have been found at this locality.
Al the quarries at Fitchburg beryi of
rich golden hue. approaching the
chrysoberyl and topaz in color AMI
hardness. and closely resembling the
yellow diamond. have been blasted out.
All deposits where the beryl occurs
seem 10 be very superficial and At
Royalston aud Fitchburg the crystals
appear 10 rise from the felspar, becom-
lng clearer and more perfect n they
penetrate III, quartz. All Of the crys-
tails found during my explorations At
these localities were thus connected
with the fclspar. This rule, however.
was not observed at Mount Mica. where
all the beryls were generally cnyeloped
IN quartz or albiic. aud unattached un-
less It was 10 crystals Of muscoviie
Tourmalines Of great perfection and
variety of colors have been found at
ut. Mica in .hr State Of Maine This
little hill-whlch Is perhaps one of the
most remarkable mineral localities on
! the globe. since nearly forty varieties
have been found there within an area
oi thirty feet sqnarc--i, one of northern
| spurs of streaked mountain ia the il.xs~-
| of Paris. in OXFORD County. Tho min-
eral deposit was discovered ia lN2o hN
/ Hon. T.. L. hanlin aud Dr. Ezekiel
/ Holmes when students, ant whist
/ searching for minerals. ~ that time
about forty crystals oft'.'fmA'ne' some
of which were quite/efie'' IA form, OF
fine color and li~fdI,y' were picked
up on top Of Il. ied5e or iouni "a tAe
earth whlcirai accumulated around
H. h,.. .nlce this period the place
has h,.,/yisIted by mlueralogists from
,if, % time and the entire deposit bias
ed out.
Some magnificent crystals of rare
perfection Of form ard OF beautiful col
ors have been found there. Some OF
these crystals were several ounces IN
weight, several inches In length and
more than an inch ia diameter Some
were red at one extremity and green
al the other. Others were red within
and green nj the circumference. superb
stones of this description aud arrange
ment of colors. but of less size, have
also been discovered there, and they
called forth the remark from the Elder
Sllliman that they were incomp lrably
fine and without a parallel in the world.
Nearly all the varieties OF this remarka-
bic gem have been found at Nj. Mica
the clear light green, like those ffom
the dOloinltes OF ~. G1thari, the PINK
of Elba. the white and yellow OF Cey-
Ion. the dark SMOKY green and blue OF
Brazil. the lighter blue Of Sweden, and
the fine red and green of Siberia In
some Of the crystals the red passes in
10 blue, and the blue into black or into
green III others the white changes in
To red, green or blue, exhibiting many
intermediate shades. Generally the
transitions aud gradations of color are
imperceptible a. they pass from one in
10 the other. but in some crystals the
line OF dcmarkation is well defined
The tour,nalines of Mt Mica occur
in Il coarse granite resting upon mica
schist, and were probably deposited
flpm above and from solution The
granite appears in layers, and the tour
maline streak penetrates across and
through them without any reference to
seam. Coarse and opaque crystals of
several inches in diameter, and nearly
a foot in length. are found in the albite
and masses of quartz, but all the fine
and transparent prisms have been found
IN cavities whose walls were composed
of smoky quartz and albite. In those
cavities which have been found of size
varying from few inches to several feet
in length. The tourmalines appear Ell
ther loose in the disintegrated cookeit-
or arising from the interior walls and
sometimes penetrating crystals of the
matrix. A few feet below the surface
the tourmaIine streak disappears and
the walls show quartz, albite or gran
ite destitute Of other minerals. Tns
superficial degree of deposits not con
fined to the tourmaline alone but is
noticed with most of the other gems.
The sapphire, diamond and emerald
are found near the urtace and this
rule is well exemplified in the occur
renee of the ainethys: in the mines
along the Rocky Mountain slope, where
it vanishes at the depth of ten to twen-
ty feet, although the qua-tz crystallizes
in a colorless state even at the great