Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1879-10-02
CANADIAN PRECIOUS STONES.
What They Are and Where They Are
Found.
Montreal Witness


| Montreal Witness.
Near the corner of St. Lambert's Hill
On St. James street, there is small
workshop, not particularly inviting ii
appearance with few blocks of stone
in the window of no apparent value
Nine out of ten persons would pass ii
unnotlced, and yet it contains museum
of wonderful interest to the naturalist
and of much profitable interest to the
general student. The shop is the work.
shop of lapidary, Mr.. Samuel r. F;
Dick, than whom more competent
authority upon the subject of this sketch
does not exist, for the lapidary is a
practical man who gauges his jewels
by their natural as we'll their CONNER
cial value, and who sees in each some
thing worthy of note.
"Are there many precious stones
found in Canada, Mr.. Dick?' was the
first question put by our reporter.
There are a great many; but it is
surprising how little people know con-
corning them. We have in Canada as
beautiful specimens of their kind as
you will find anywhere. Now you per-
haps, do not know that there are such
stones as Quebec diamonds, which are
really rock crystals. [ have one speci-
men here, which l will show you," and
| the speaker produced a beautiful crys-
tai of intense brilliancy and whiteneSs.
"There are some which an ordinary per-
son could not tell at first from a dia-
mond. The one you now see," he con-
tinued, sis just as it was found-never
has been cut; most of them have the
same appearance"
"What other stones are there peculiar
to Canada?"
"The Ottawa district contains quite a
number of them. Here yod observe is
specimen of Laborite, so called be-
cause it was first found on the coast of
Labrador by the the Moravian mission
| aries, sixty years ago."
The sample submitted was a COM
mon-looking stone of dull grayish col
or, but when held in certain positions
exhibited beautiful opalescent lustre,
Of deep, rich blue. far superior to any
manufactured shade it is possible to
| find. At certain times all the colors of
the rainbow are reflected upon It's sur
face.
every little is known of this beauti-
full stone," observed the iapidary. II
believe the Prince of Wales had set
of jewelry made from it-so [ have been
told. 1t is strange SO little should be
known of this stone. If fashion were
to introduce it, society would be charm
ed, for, as you see, it is very lovely"
"Where are they found"
"They are generally inclosed in boul,
ders, and great care is required in TAX
ing them out as they are liable to crack.
Garnets are also found in the Ottawa
district, of very rare quality, but small
in size. Zlrcon, a stone about which
very little is known, except that 1t has
the quality of double refraction in q
high degree, is also found in this district
AS you will see, it is four-sided prism
which, when polished, gives beautiful
red surface. Next, there are green sap
phires, found in tolerably large num-
bers. They are not very valuable,
however, although exceedingly hard.
Pearls have also been found near the
Bay Cnaleur, both large in size and very
good in quality. Quite a number, [ be-
lieve, have been found near the Kestu-
rouche."
care there many agates found in the
Dominion?f
"Those are peculiar to Lake Superior,
and consist of two kinds-gray and red !;
each is similar in its character to the
onyx. We have also the chalcedony,
or red carnelian. Some of the most
delicate shades of color are contained
in them, as you can see il those samples
| have. The chlorastrolite, (from chlor,
green, astro, the heavens), very much
resembling the malachite, are also found
in Lake Superior.
There are plenty, and our native
agates are equal to any [ have seen
anywhere. About twelve months since
[ made bracelet Of Canadian agates
set in gold, and they were equal in ap-
pearance and polish to any stone used
for the same purpose. You see it only
requires fashion to set the wheel revolv-
ing, and then you would find that Ger
tain Canadian stones are ust as good
in their class-as those from other coun-
tries. The fact is we shall never know
how rich this country really is until
people begin to find out how much they
need to get out of it"