The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-12-24
AFTER IDAHO DIAMONDS.
A Helena Syndicate Has Secured
1900 Acres in the New
Eldorado.
Some Say the Stones Are Genuine
While Others Say They
Are Bortz.
About 900 Carats Received in Helena Yes-
terday-Intsnse Excitement Near
the Fields.

II there ID anything in the shape OF a
mining deal that gives promise Of proving
profitable in the northwest that Helena men
are not interested In, u is because they
have not heard Of IL. They are developing
tho Kaslo-Slocan %conntry. opening Goa
mines in Washington, mines Of gold. silver,
/. copper and lead in Idaho and Arizona.
Several days ago TIE INDEPENDENT pub
lished 1 story telling Of the discovery Of
what was alleged TO be diamond fields IN
Ada county, Idaho. A party OF eight Mon
tanians started ont TO look into the matter.
and yesterday they returned, having either
located or secured options on 1,900 acres OF
land In She So called diamond fields. They
alao brought with them 0 200 carats OF
ths Idaho diamonds. Among those in the
party were Lucas r.. Ruccaw. the mineral
ooist, Albert Zeigler and VIM. III. Mackey.
None Of tho party were inclined to
talk for publication. but 1t has been
been ascertained that a strong Helena syn
dictate has been organized in behalf OF tho
enterprise, some Of those connected with ~
being John Stsinmetz. A. j. Seligman and
II. b. Kleinschmidt. Some who have seen
the stones allegs that they are not dia-
monds, but bortz; others say they are the
genuine article. To determine 1t. samples
have been sent east for q test. That she
stones are harder than q Montana sapphire
has been proven because the Idaho stones
will out the Montana product.
If s. Kunz. the Tiffany, expertis correctly
quoted, the holdings of the Helena men in
Idaho are worth a great deal of money. In
- &c., lasd nr,n hA GnIIs ~
have lust returned from a trip to the dia-
mond basin. There is NO doubt about it
being a genuine field. I secured three very
fine diamonds of about 80 kSrats EACH"
Mr.. Kunn is the representative OF the dia-
mond house OF Van Amsringen d Co., OF
Amsterdam.
At Nampa, the closest city to tho fields.
there is great excitement. Parties are ieay-
ing there every day for the fields. which
are known as Diamond basin. None Of
those who return will tell whore their
claims are located, but each one exhibits
specimens of stone that contain all the
colors of the rainbow. The formation 10 Q
kind Of clayey sand which can be crushed
with the fingers and contains flakes OF all
colors. 1t is believed that the long lost
diamond fields of the country called "Dia-
mond basin'' has been found.
Charles Van Dorm. who ia one of the
original discoverers of the diamond fields.
located somewhere in the vicinity OF Dla-
mond basin, says that it is the intention Of
the parties interested to survey a section OF
land where the diamond fields have been
found and have it plated as q TOWNSHIP.
He anticipates a real estate boom in that
direction right away.
John e. Stearns, of Nampa, says that
John w. Gilmore. of Sinker creek, and
Frank L. Given and himself had located
three claims in Diamond basin, which MIR.
(Iilmora who wag in shat section during
She diamond excitement of 1865. says moe
belonged to Caleb Lyon. of Lyonsdale. who
was at that time governor of Idaho terri
tOrv. Ii