The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1872-08-21
THE ARIZONA ADIAMoND MINES,
The Original Discoyerer IptervIewea.

ST. LOUIS, August 20.-The Fort Lara.
mie Sentinel Of the 10th inst, publishes a
report Of an interview with T. E. Arnold
the reputsd original dlscoverer OF the Ari.
zona diamond mines, in which Arnold
gives what It purports to be the tirsl
truthful account Of the mines that has
yet been made public, but which far out
strips any possible fiction that NAV have
been told before. o.. E..- -
Mr.. Arnold says his first visit TO the
fields was in July, 1859. l was prospects
ing, he says, in the Pima Indian country
for gold one day, when an Indian came Ia
me bringing about pint OF bright and ne.
culiar shaped stones. The Indian assured
me they were diamonds, and that the To-
cality where they were to be found had
been known to his tribe for many wears,
Alter making him some presents with
vast amount Of persuasion he con-
sented to accompany me to tho desired
ground. 1t was a three days Jour
ney, and we started Immediately. 1
found the fields located on the slope OF a
mountain Of sandstone formation and so
plenty were the gems TO be found that l
picked up a quart or more in few min.
utes and started next day with fear and
hope for San Francisco. On nv arri.
val there ! carried the stones to j. A.
Tucker, jeweler on Montgomery St., who
pronounced Them worthless. I was NOT
satisfied. / heard of a French lapidary
in the city who had worked at Amstef.
dam, Holland, the great diamond cutting
mart Of the world, and to him l repaired
for his opinion. Hepronounced them dia.
monds of the first water. My friends in
some manner got hold Of the matter and
1t was creating some excitement. When
questioned l referred TO Tutker. this
satisfied them and threw them off. To
make assurance doubly sure, sent one of
the stones to Fosss, Morris & Co, of Bos.
ton, and had it cut. This relieved my
mind Of all doubt. Invent back that sea.
son and brought out with me about $780,
600 worth. l made two trips in 1870,
two in 1871 and one this year. In COM
pany with Dodge, Rewbery and Henry
Janier, who were sent to verify my state
ment TO the company which was then
about forming on this occasion, in wash
ing about a ton and half Of dirt we
found about $4,000 worth Of brilliants.
The publishing of this report Of Janler's
was the greatest mistake we have
made, for it set all the old miners
upon US. Janier and Dodge he
pronounces frauds. The latter, he says,
is too well fixed to mine; and in proof he
asserts that, after being on the ground q
few hours, he positively refused to pick
up the diamonds when they were under
hIs very nose.
Arnold says he shall start for Canon
City, Colorado, with one hundred picked
men and experienced miners; that their
claims are alright. They are protected
by the Government in the matter, and
will go ahead boldly from Canon City.
Their route will go southwest through
st. Louis Valley 800 miles and south OF
AIoquis Village, nesr Flax river lie
says about $2,S00,000 worth of brilliants
have been gathered up to this date, figured
at low estimate. took out one weigh
ing four hundred and eight carats on my
first visit. could pick them up on the
slope OF the mountain without trouble,
as the rains had washed the surface dirt
off and exposed them to view. have
denied upon all occasions any knowledge
of the diamond district except 10 my
company. have been obliged to do SO
TO protect the interests of my friends and
myself. You are the first outsider who
has obtained any accurate account OF
this affair. Humboldt speaks Of this as
region where diamonds should be found,
and Lieutenant Ives, who passed through
that section in 1857 with surveying
party. He describes the rubies and en-.
eralds found there, and speaks of finding
stones resembling diamonds, none Of
which were tested by competent Judges.
We believe that the gravel in which the
gems are found occupies an area Of some
100000 acres. The tract is on govern
ment land and the government has issued
its patent for the entire area, The pres.
ent owners have, therefore, the power of
the United States to protect them in the
possession and enjoyment of their proper.
ty. The Sentinel appends to Arnold's
statement good notice of the company
with which Arnold is connected.