The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1872-08-24
The Alleged Diamond Discoveries in
Arizona.

Notwithstanding all that has been said
and published relative to the discovery Of
diamonds and other rich stones in Arizo.
ma, there are many doubters, and these are
steadily bringing to light facts which tend
to strengthen those doubts. The Journal
Of Commerce says "no ruby or sapphire
worth wearing has ever been found in
America, unless Arizona now supplies the
exception, and desires to be excused for
Withholding full belief from the reports Of
true rubles and sapphires produced by the
pint from the soil of Arizona" For the
diamond stories it says there is a better
apparent foundation. Thinks it strange
il auriferous Arizona did not yield dia-
monds. The Journal inclines to favor the
truth Of reports that diamonds have been
found there, but not by the pint. The Ter
ritorial EnterpriSe, published at Nevada,
gives the substance OF q conversationheld
on the I'd instant with Mr.. ]. Moore vii.
liams, the "original diamond hunter" OF
Arizona, who claims to know all about
one kind OF diamonds in Arizona. They
will cut glass, he says, and have the out.
ward aspect Of real gems to heuninstruc-
ted eye. He obtained tifty.two Of them
$ on the banks Of the ella, and sent
them TO San Francisco for examination by
lapidary. The skilled man saw at once
that they were not diamonds, and were
"stones Of little value" Il might DO in.
teresting to know what they were; but
Williams forgot to find out or does not
tell the Nevada editor. But the one i'm
portant TACT is to learn that they were not
diamondsa- All explorers in diamondife.
rous countries are apt honestly to con.
found bits of crystal quarts or other
stones OF no value with diamonds. The
same mistake is no doubt at the bottom
OF the Arizona Juror. Our contemporary
concludes that proof Of the diamond
wealth and the ruby riches OF Arizona
isinsuficient; and cautions people against
going out there as sgem hunters and
against putting money into schemes to buy
or work diamond mines. II Arizona has
tracts of thousands of acres, stuck full of
O. kSL4o1 tuV OWuCle Va llhl lllVptI Wy Will D6
thankful for our leaving its inculculable
wealth to their own private enjoyment If
the diamonds aredelusiens or frauds, then
is benefit conferred on the public by
discouraging investments in such enter
prises. The latest report is that party
which thoroughly explored the so.called
diamond region found an abundance of
rubies, sapphires, and crystals which re.
sembled diamonds, but which were slmp-
ly quartz. II the diamonds have already
turnedi into worthless quartz, twill hard
ly do for those who have taken stock in
the diamond mining companies to console
themselves by faith in the rubies and sap.
phires There is no security that the lat
ter will not turn into cheap agates and
cornelias, and the whole story of the
priceless gems OF Arizona prove TO be the
result Of ignorance and fraud. No one
has yet explained why men who can pick
up diamonds without number should con.
tent themselves with securing samples of
the precious gems, and then proceed to
form stock companies with the view OF
selling their invaluable possessions at a
rate very far below the market price of q
half dozen Of their best gems.