Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-07-18
SOME NATIVE GEMS.
Precious Stones That Are Found in
the United States.
HOMEMADE SPARKLERs.
Nearly All the Gems Known to the World
Exist In This Countrywide Only Trouble 10
That They Are Not Big and Plentiful
Enough to Pay for Mining

Enough to Pay for Mining
ssMNING FOR PRECIOUS STONES
A.A will never become . profitable indus
| try in the United States" says Mr.. Kunz the
celebrated gem expert
Systematic search for such mineral treasures,
according to his averment, il carried on nowhere
in this country save in Maine and North Carolina.
Elsewhere they turn up accidentally or while
search IL being made for other valuable sub
stances. Sapphires are often discovered In
! Montana gold sluices; the beryl from Connec-
ticut II obtained in connection with mica min
ing; from the beds Of streams and decompos-
ing rocks Of Wyoming moss agate is gathered,
and on the beaches Of the lakes chlorastrolite
and other beautiful jewels attract the eye Of
the collector. Nearly all Of the gems secured
in such ways are either sold to tourists or are
sent in small parcels to the big cities for sale.
Nevertheless, 1t 10 true that nearly all Of the
known varieties Of precious stones are pro-
duced in this country.
More than two centuries ago the turquoise
mines Of New Mexico were industriously
worked by the Indians. There and elsewhere
the untutored aborigines made arrow and spear
points of rock crystal, smoky quartz, NJ ate,
jasper, obsidian and opslized wood. Some Of
the most beautiful Of these implements Of war
fare and the chase are now used for ornaments
by white people. few gems Of really great
price have been found from time to time in
various parts Of the Union, although most
newspaper reports Of such discoveries have
been mistaken or much exaggerated. The
blue Ridge sapphire" or Georgia marble"
a. it was called, found in 1883 in a mountain
brook, was estimated to be worth $50, 900 by
two jewelers. who examined it. Unfortunately
It proved subsequently to be merely piece of
rolled blue bottle glass, of which fact its owner
could be convinced only when he saw q plati-
mum wire coated with q portion OF 1t melted
Another wonder was q nine-ounce emerald.
piowed up near Gibsonville, n. c., which was
shown by magnifying glass to contain many
small diamonds. Its value was supposed to be
enormous. so that its finder, believing that he
possessed the largest gem Of the kind in the
world, carried it to New York, being afraid to
intrust SO great fortune to an express COM
pany. His prize proved to be greenish quartz
crystal with small liquid cavities in it. Five
dollars was about its worth. The "Wetumpka
ruby. from Efmore county. Alabama, weighed
six ounces and was appraised at a vast sum.
However, small fragment sent to New York
proved IL to be only garnet. A quartz crystal
picked up near Danbury, n. c.. was believed at
first to be genuine diamond its value being
estimated by local jewellers at 81 900.
WHERE DIAMONDS ARE FOUND.
Diamonds are found along the eastern slope
Of the Alleghanies from Virginia to Georgia
and also in northern California and in southern
Oregon. but there are not enough OF them Of
size to pay for mining. The most valuable
stone Of this description ever discovered in this
country was the well-known Dewey diamond"
which was first seen glistening in a shoveliul Of
earth dug by laborer engaged in grading a
street at Manchester, Va, in 1855. II weighed
nearly "a carats In the rough, but had large flaw
on one side. One of the most remarkable frauds
ever conceived and executed was the famous
Arizona diamond swindle Of twenty years ago
About that time fabulous stories were circulated
regarding the mineral richness of New Mexico
and Arizona, and many companies were organ.
lied to collect the diamonds. rubies, sapphres.
emeralds and other gems which were said to
abound there. In 1870 il was represented in
San Francisco that two men named Arnold and
Slack had found diamonds and other precious
stones IN great quantities in Arizona Among
some Of the objects shown in confirmation
were lS, 900 carats Of so-called rubies and a
large number OF diamonds one of los carats
weight. The gems were displayed to investors
IN scheme for exploiting the region and were
deposited in the Bank Of California for safe
keeping. Heavy capitalists became deeply in
terested. and finally a party representing the
investors and accompanied by experts Of their
own selection started out prospecting. Upon
reaching the mountain to which they were
guided every one picked up gems and enthu-
siasm arose 10 pitch corresponding. In
week 600 carats of diamonds and g. 600 carats
Of rubies were gathered. Luckily, Clarence
King, director of the geological survey, there
upon made an expedition to the fields, the re-
suit Of which was an exposure Of the affair
His Investigations proved that the whole bust
ness was humbug, that the mines had been
''salted beforehand. that the supposed rubies
were ordinary garnets and that the lOS-carat
diamond was piece Of quartz. 1t was ascer-
tanned that the swindiers had purchased large
Quantities Of rough diamonds OF small value in
London for the purpose of scattering them
about. SO well WAS the frand planned that its
promoters realized $50, GOO. At present IS
per cent Of all the diamonds produced in the
world are obtained from the Kimberley mines
in South Africa.
TURQUOISE IN LARGE QUANTITIES.
Turquoise is found in large quantities in New
Mexico. and also in Arizona Nevada and Col
orado. 1t is quarried out Of the rocks, through
which 1t runs in blue veins, with now and then
coEcretions called nuggets, which sometimes
afford stones OF value. Mount Chalchihuiti.
twenty miles from Santa Fe, il largely under
will tnIi