The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1889-05-08
GiAH0R0S UNDER FIRE.
running the Gauntlet at the appraisers
Office,

49, wv GpJf ufobf y
Office.
"Hush -sh-sh Don't speak"
whispered an official of the apprais>
er's office the other day as he open
ed the door to a visitor who had
entered the big building on Second
street and was about to walk into
one of the rooms. Within the
room was a little group of men
looking 50 solemn and qriet that it
seemed as if the guillotine OF the
new administration must have fall
en- on every democratic neck il
the building. The atmosphere was
positively funeral
"Ihey are appraising some dia-
monds, you know" continued the
official in ghostIy whisper, and
the mystery was explained. There
had been no bad news from Wash>
ington, but the officials we're simp-
ly performing a very delicate duty,
which occurs quite frequently.
Millions of dollars worth of preci>
Gus stones annually enter the Uni
ted States through this port, and
every brilliant is examined with
critical care to see whether it has
not been UNDERMINED. Such an
inspection was being made when
the visitor happened upon the
solemn little group the other day.
why THEY ARE so QUIET.
fhe arrangements for such IN
examination are quite elaborate.
First Of all tie scales are tested.
These are marvels of accuracy, and
vii! readily weigh hair. An eye
brow dropped on the balance will
send the opposite side OF the scale
slowly upward. These scales are
placed upon broad table leveled
by a careful calculation, around
which stand the appraiser, his as
slstants, the experts and the i'm,
porter. They do not talk, because
a tremor of the scale and conse~
quentIy inaccurate weighing might
result from loud articulation.
After the doors have been closed
several innocent-looking wooden
boxes are placed on the table and
unsealed. Two or three boxes Of
the size that bon-bons come III may
contain $4,000 worth of sparkling
diamonds. The stones are wrap
ped up in packets of paper like
druggist powders.
These packets are uNtastcned.
and Iai3 on tie table. The invoice
is consulted, and the government
expert makes his inspection and
calculations in the presence of all
parties. His judgement is final,
and there is no appeal from his de-
cisions. If he thinks diamond is
worth 81 900 a carat, and the in>
porter has it invoiced at half that
sum, up goes the invoice to the exe
pert's figure.
WHERE FINE WORK Is REQUIRED.
1t is in the valuation Of the larg-
err stones that the finest discrlmiuas
tire power and the most thorough
knowledge Of diamonds are requir>
ed. Flaws that are absolutely in,
discoverable by the naked eve, but
which affect the value Of the stones
according to location and quality,
are discovered by the aid Of the
maguifying glass, which is indiS-
pensable to the expert. Every
gem undergoes the closest scrunity.
1t is turned in all directions ard
viewed from all points. In cons
pqrison with the number oil inper-
feet stones the real gems are very
rare.
After the entire 10 has been ex-
anined tie appraisement is made
and a duty of 10 per cent. added
to the price. There is rarely any
difference between the government
appraisers calculations and the in
voiced prices of stones. General
Snowden, the appraiser, says that
in the thousands Of diamonds, rep>
resenting enormous values in mons
ey, that have passed through the
Philadelph office, not one up,