The DeLamar nugget. [volume] (DeLamar, Idaho) 1891-1900, 1892-12-10
Diamonds.

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port that Russ Walters, of Walters fer
ry, was out with ex. Governor Stsye-
son and party of eastern men, locating
diamond mines near Snake river. This
diamond hunting fever, as long as old
Charley S. Peck was around Silver City,
would break out periodically and we are
glad to learn that Russ Walters has pre-
served some of the microbes of the dis
ease, and that some of them have found
their way into the system of such an
other staunch old Democrat as Ex- Gov.
Stevenson. The complaint is as harm
less as the crystalized carbons are scarce,
but it serves as diversion. But, who
knows? The Statesman hints at the
cause of the first diamond excitement
here, started by Caleb Lyon, the then
Governor of Idaho and Montana, when
it was all one territory. 1t also sug-
gests that Gov. Lyon was mag nifcent
cid liar, but it does not tell the story as
tradition and Charley Peck had it in
Silver City. This story, according to old
Peck's story, ran thusly: Gov. Lyon on
trip east met on a train two miners
who told him they had been working a
placer claim about fifteen miles south
east of the Snake river (now Walters')
ferry and had not found it very rich.
One of them showed the governor some
pretty crystals he had picked up. The
governor examined them and, thinking
they might be diamonds, obtained 3 of
them. He kept track of the men, and
when they arrived in New York had the
stonos examined by anexpert who pro-
nounced them diamonds, and be after
ward sold them for 5000. He then told
the miners what he had learned, and
arranged to meet them in Boise the fol-
lowing spring. Lyon came as per ap-
pontment and the two miners got as
far as San Frsr cisco, took the steamer,
Brother Jonathan, for Portland on the
fatal trip, and were lost with all on
board. Lyon, being thus left in the
dark "a to the spot where the stones
were found, came to Silver City and let
faw men into the secret of his mission
and the search was begun. 1t became
public in day or two, and one night
200 men picked upon spot now called
Diamond Basin, some three miles west
the ground in that Basin was staked off
in claims Tin no time" But the dia-
monds failed to materialiZe and Cover
nor Lyon acquired reputation which
has since been inherited by Tom Ochil-
tree and Joe Mulbattan.
Coming down to sound reasoning, is
there not ground for believing that Lyon
told the truth, and that those two mi
ners really did find gems of purest ray
serene? Why should Lyon be to the
expense and trouble of making the long
and wearisome trip, which it then was
to get here,if he did not think he would
find what he was after? The writer
was once ON War Eagle mountain with
a gentleman who had been in he KIM
berly diamond mines in Africa, who
had never heard of Governor Lyon aad
the wild search for the stones here. who.
looking over the Snake river plains and
taking in the magnificent view before
him, remark ed that it was more nearly
like the African diamond fields than
any spot he had ever seen. Russ Wal
ters and Gov-SteveDson are long headed
and practical men. They are not the
kind of men who would start new
search and excitement just for sensa-
tIon. Perhaps they have found some
thing. Who knows?