The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1888-03-08

great banker, Ralsson, who loved to be
called the financial king Of the Pacific
coast, devoted no small share of the
California bank, of which be was presi-
dent, was the exploiting'of mines in the
Pyramid range of mountains close TO the
border line which divides Arizona from
New Mexico. This was in the early
seventies, when speculation was rife, aud
the discovery of bonanzas an every day
event Among the employees of Ralston
in the Pyramid mines was one George
Arnold, man Of meager education, but
bright aud ambitious. In his shanty on
the wild mountain side he was ever
dreaming of some plan that would bring
Dame fortune TO his feet. While yet
dreaming his dream Of wealth there came
to him the bright. colored story of the
great diamond discoveries at Cape Colony,
His brain at once devisesfa scheme which
in its way, equaled Laws South Sea bub-
bic.
The soil around the Pyramid district
was rich in color and had character
enough to inaugurate any mining scheme
however wild and impracticable So
with comrade, Jim Hsgg~ty, with
whom he bad hong been associated, Ar
mold made long tours over the surround
ing country. After q few weeks of this
kind of work he resigned bis place in the
mines, with the given intention of seek
ing the fairer fields Of Mexico.
He next turned up in San Francisco in
the fall of 1871. He Immediately found
Ralston, and even astonished that bold
operator by revealing that he had discov-
cred in Arizona rich diamond fields quite
as extensive as those of Cape Colony.
From the grip sack he had brought with
him be poured forth wondrous display
of rough diamonds which had been washed
from the yielding soil of the new find.
They were many and apparently of
value.
Ralston, ever ready for a venture, es-
pecially one which promised such dazzling
results, entered at once into proposed ex
ploration of the new diamond fields He
introduced Arnald to several leading cap
italists, who at once became enthusiastic
over the new Golconda. With the rapid
action peculiar to Californians, the clique
who had been let into the secret immedi-
ately determined to visit the mines, and,
if fourd TO be all right, to purchase Ar
norid's claim and title for the sum of
$I,0OO,O0 Arnold reluctantly accepted
the offer.
On their return to San Francisco the
capitalists wished to form company. In
ten days it was accomplished. Arnold
was paid his 81, ,000,o 900 and made superin-
tendent Of the new mines. He at once
made known the location of the diamond
G.,fI ~ tn1 H..
stockholders in the company. Diamonds
were found bv each and all of them, and
al went merry as marriage bell until
Arnold skipped for the east.
1t was then thought best to call III an
expert, and Professor King, the we'll
known geologist, was selected. He first
discovered that the ground around :he
clump of trees on the bank Of the Rio
Preto had been cleverly "salted F" with
refuse diamonds, such as may be cheaply
bought in the marts of Amsterdam 1t
was also seen that the diamonds found by
the capitalists had been tried " at
Amsterdam, and, as Professor King said,
" while diamonds may exist in Arizona,
it is hardly to be expected that nature
will produce them partly cut or polish
ed"
The members of the new diamond com
pany We're both thunderstruck and indig-
nant, and steps were quickly taken to
bring Arnold to justice. He was at his
home in his native kentucky, and the
machinery of the law was brought to
bear upon him there. He was arrested,
but never taken out Of the blue grass
country for punishment. In some man.
ner he secured his release, and entered
upon a life of wild enjoyment His ex-
cesses were of short duration, and, after
FIVE years of feasting and rioting with
ill-gotten wealth, he died.-PfoUidence
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