The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1886-06-15
PRECIOUS STONES.
the Insignificant Quantity OF Gems Found
in This Country.


in This Country.
1t is remarkable circumstance that,
although this country is so rich in
its mineral resources, and the world
1raws from Us a great part of its sup
ply OF the precious metals, we have, so
far. discovered here only an insignificant
quantity of precious stones. The total
value of the gems proper mined in the
United States in 1884 was less that
s35, 900. and yet we imported during
he same year more that 81 200, 900
worth of diamonds and other precious
stones.
The subject is deliberately treated by
George +. Kunz in a recent volume on
The Mineral Resources of the United
States published by the Government,
and his paper contains an array of
facts of very great and peculiar in
terest.
Diamonds. it seems. have been found
IN various parts Of the country, but
chiefly in California and North Caro-
lima, though the largest diamond yet
discovered here was dug up by IL
borer. thirty or more years ago. in
Manchester. Va. This stone, not at
first recognized. weighed originally
23f caratS, and when reduced bv
cutting, ii ll-l6 carats, and il was
deemed so valuable that at one time
$4,000 was loaned on il, though now.
because of its undesirable color and
certain imperfections, it i not worth
more than Il twentieth part of that sum.
The California diamonds, found in
fifteen or twenty different places. the
most prolific being Cherokee Flats.
Butte County, are of all the cOlors
known in the stone. white. yellow,
straw. and rose. but they are generally
very small. ranging in value from ten
TO fifty dollars each. The largest. dis
covered At French Corral. weighed
sever and one-qUarter carats, and
many are unearthed whose value in the
rough is not less than one hundred dol
lars. Diamonds are also found in
North Carolina, in association with the
flexible sand stone. called itacOlumite.
which is peculiar to that State. where.
too, sapphires of notable brilliancy
have appeared. A sapphire found nj
jerks Mine, in Franklin County. j. onr
of the finest known specimens of the
emerald green variety. and because of
is great rarity Is probably worth one
thousand dollars.
Fine specimens OF crysOberyl. a s.on,
which sometimes is almost equal in APP
pearance TO the yellow diamond. and /,
principally obtained in Brazil and Cey-
Ion. have been found in different parts
of New England. New York, and the
Southern States. and the Spinel.
beautiful gem, which is often sold for
oriental ruby, is distributed the same
way. The best crystals of topaz come
from the Platte Mountains in Colorado
one of these. weighing one hundred ami
twenty-five caratS. being an eXtraOr-
dinariiy fine gem. Only insignificant
quantities of emeralds and beryls have
been found within our boundaries. but
garnets. which. although smaller. are
equal to the best of Africa and Cey-
Ion. are discovered on the Col
)rado river plateau. The amethyst
IS quite common in New England. and
appears in several places in the South
.rn States. One specimen. found near
Cheshire. in Connecticut, rivals in color
he best amethyst of Siberia. but the |
most remarkable native amethyst is
hat lately deposited in the National |
Museum by DR.. Lucas. Ii is a turtle
haped. prehistoric cutting. 81 inches |
n length. inches in width. and 1-2 |
inches in thickness. is transparent and |
lawlesS.
OF all the gem stones, however, the |
,reatest revenue. in 1884 ten thousand |
dollars, comes from smoky quartz. the |
inest specimens of which are found at |
Bear Creek, in Colorado. There are
lso many beautiful examples of the
esS valuable stones which are in de-
nand for cabinet collections. such as
he green feldSpar, or Amazon stone,
ound ut Pixies Peak.
But, SO far, comparatively little at
ention has been paid to the search for
precious stones i'm the United States,
hough their Use l. much more general
mong our people than among those
f other countries. Very likely if the
unit was pursued methodically and
we should not be sending
Millions abroad annually to buy dia-
nonds. sapphires, rubies. emeralds and
ther brilliant and beautiful stones for (
he adornment of our women, and to
end additional glory to the hotel clerk.
let, however great the results obtained
rom such search. the actual profit
erived from the industry would prob
bly, fail to justify and properly reward
he labor expended upon it.-N T.
san.