, 1890-09-18
0PALS NEAR MOSCOW.
Full Pa rticulars of an Inter
esting Discovery.
MANY CLAIMS have BEEN TAKEN
How the Discovery Was Made
Beautiful Stones Already
Taken Out.

PULLMAN, WASH, Sept. 15.-Hearing
that there was great excitement caused
by the discovery of deposit of opal
about five miles from Pullman, and that
many claims had been located by people
Of Moscow yesterday, your correspond
ent drove to the scene of the alleged find
to-day. On arriving at the farm of w.
ii. Leasure, which lies close TO the Idaho
line In Whitman county, several teams
were seen driving leisurely up and down
the dusty road and several more hitched
to the fences in the vicinity of MIR. Leas-
ure's buildings, while around an old
we'll having an unromantic and weather
beaten looking curb, standing In the
barnyard were perhaps dozen men,
most OF them on their knees or squattina
on their launches, poking in the dirt
with sticks and occasionally picking up
something and rinsing II Oft IN the water
ing trough, which thoy would present to
the crowd for inspection.
The first specimen seen by this writer
was picked out of the dirt while we were
looking at the finder. 1t was q stone
perhaps u quarter Of an inch long by
nearly an eighth in thickness, showing
the usual changesble luster of the opal,
but having degree of delicacy and
briiliancy Of tint never seen in the con-
fessedly limited experience of the writer
with opals; but certainly very beauti.
ful stone. 1t was examined through d
glass by Mr.. Allen, jeweler OF Moscow,
who was first to discover the value of the
discovery and locate claim, and who
has for twenty years been cutting and
setting opals In New York city. 1t was
pronounced by him to be rare
beauty" worth as it was about SIS.
Only dozen or so invaluable stones
were found to-day, the small amount OF
dirt having been turned over several
times yesterday by treasure e-seekers, b ut
enough trustworthy samples were taken
by the writer and before his eyes, to
convince him that Whitman county,
Washington has the first discovery OF
an opal mine in the United States.
The discovery came about in the fol-
lowing manner: Mr.. Leasure's boy had
been finding some pretty stones about
this well, and had taken one or two to
Moscow to see If he could sell them for
sets, and, until seen by Mr.. Allen, no
one had considered the stones OF any
particular value. Mr.. Allen was offered
the stone presented to him for 81. and,
OF course, bought IL, and suddenly took
notion to go hunting, following the
boy home and seeing the well and the
indications. He returned to Moscow,
where he employed an attorney to look
up and give him complete and careful
instructions how to proceed to secure the
claim. This done he drove his stakes
and sold interests to ]. NJ. Shields and
William Webber, OF Moscow, who were
very eager takers on seeing the speci-
mems and getting Mr. Aliens views OF
the product.
There has now been stock com pany
formed and Tomorrow q regular min
ing outfit will be on the ground and de-
velopments begun.
1t soon transpired that good speci-
mems of the same stuff" had been
found years ago in well about half q
mile below Mr.. Leasnre's, and that
claim was soon taken, and already the
whole valley for over three miles in
length has been staked. New claims
were being taken at 90 cents tonight
The well at Mr.. Leasure's is about
through the dirt and twelve feet in rock.
The rock seems to be common basalt,
and is porous, but quite hard.
| Fully mile below the Leasure place,
at an old well where rock had been
thrown out, were found specimens OF
the common, or white opal, such as
Masonic keystone emblems are made of.
This Is found in the Leasure well also in
moreplentiful quantities than the better
qualify, the lire opal.
The fire opal Is found chiefly in
Mexico, but occurs also in the Farce ISL
ands in Hungary, Honduras and Guate-
mala. As the opal mines producing this
opal are worked to their utmost, and the
product commands foremost place in
the jewelers. art, it may be found i'm a
few days that Mr. Leasures well 10 too
rich g place for common stock to water,