The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1891-05-21
DIAMOND DRUMMERs.
Travelling Statesmen Who Garry
Fortunes on Their Persons.
Facts Concerning Precious Stones Cleaned
In Conversation with an East
ern Dcaicr-IIabits of the
Drummers.

] should tell you that rubics are now in
greater demand than diamonds"
''Why, that seems almost Incredible"
remarked the reporter.
''Indeed it does,' continued the mer-
chant, but nevertheless it is true. Ru-
bies are becoming very scarce, as the
mines are about worked out. Only q
few days ago Il friend of mine sold a
ruby weighing little over !; carat for
two thousand dollars. The salo took
place in Chicago, and knew both Of
the men In the transaction.
The market for diamonds Just now
Is inactive. Since the first of the year,
however, there has been an advance Of
at least twenty-five per cent. On this
account you will find that small dealers
will not invest in them to any extent
for fear the price will fall again"
where do most of the diamonds come
from?"
From n mine in South Africa, owned
by the Rothchilds-Dc Boer syndicate. It
is the only field being worked at
present, and they arc doing their best
to keep up the price of diamonds"
Are diamonds just as popular as
ever?"
Not by any means. At present there
is e great craze for colorcd stones.
Brown, blue, black, green and canary
are the favorites, but those with the
blush tinge command the highest
prices. Moonstoncs have sprung into
popularity within the past few months,
and nearly every dealer in the city has
at present good stock of them on
hand, mounted in studs, rings, buttons
and necklaces. If properly set they
make n most beautiful necklace, and al
though they are not nearly as valuable,
i think they are every bit as handsome
las pearls. The moonstone has also be-
come very fashionable stone for gen.
tlemen's wear"
SIS there much Of demand for opalsq"
asked n reporter.
well, once in awhile some one will
drop in and ask to see some, but l never
keep them. wouldn't give them safe
room. am not very superstitious
man, and don't believe any of the old
traditions, but once was foolish enough
to buy box of twenty opals because
Thought was getting them cheap.
hadn't had them in. the safe two days
before my place burned down | saved
the snfe, however, and started business
in Brooklyn. In one weeks TING was
again burned out. Other bad things
followed, and one day it occurred to
me that all my i'll luck had been
brought on by the presence of opals in
my store. l had no sooner thought of
it than sold the whole lot for less than
they cost me, and have had good luck
ever since. l wouldn't even take an
opal ring to repair it, and know doz-
ems of jewelers. who believe as I do"
What stones do you sell tho most OFF"
diamonds every time. More of them
arc imported here than of any other
stones. About one million dollars worth
are brought over here every year, and
the majority of these stones go direct
to Maiden lane and John street dealers.
They are then sent to oil parts of the
country by special statesmen. This is q
line of business that man takes ND at
very early age and remains in for the
rest of his life"
docs one man carry mnny?"
That's according to his ability and
trustworthincss. The stock of sales
man generally runs from seventy-five
thousand to one hundred and twenty-five
thousand dollars worth of diamonds,
which they carry about their persons,
never in Il case or travelling bag.
"Most of the statesmen carry these
jewels in vests made of leather, and Sc
curely bound by straps to their bodies.
This vest has a set of deep pockets with
flaps which can be snapped shut AS a
rule the salesman must be Il good
athlete. They go heavily armed, and
when they see any suspicious charac-
ters they quietly slip out of the way.
Upon reaching n hotel the first thing
they do is to deposit the stones in the
safe. Then an easy breath is taken,
probably for the first time in twenty
four or forty-cight hours Some of the
more timid statesmen, or the beginners,
Will not leave their hotel after darl,
for fear they may be followed by
crooks, who, not knowing they have rot
rid Of their diamonds, might do them
bodily injury.
THE life OF travelling diamond sales
men is not by any means pleasant.
They never make chance acuuaint-
ances, for if they did so they might
meet the same man on u series of trips
for years afterwards, and upon becom-
ing intimate the fellow could easily get
away with the vestful of diamonds
when the opportunity offered. Many a
crook would have the patience to wait
for four or five years and then think
himself fully repaid if he could get
away with a good load of diamonds, for
they come nearer to being money than
any other articles of value. Another
thing OF interest about the diamond
statesmen is that they never drink or
gamble The first time they are found
induiging in either vice their occupation