The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1893-05-04
New York, May 1, 1898.
North Carolina Gems.

1t has been said that every gem known
to the lapidary has been found in the
United States Certain it is that by far
the largest variety of the gems found in
this country are found in North Carolina
The discovery OF emerald and hiddenite
in Alexander county several years ago
has given rise to n new industry OF in
calcu'abIe value to the State, and the
search for gems, though limited by lack
of facilities, has already attained con
neutrality-suspicious..
4 list OF the more important gems in
cludes diamond, hiddenite, emerald,
aquamarine, ruby, sapphire, kyanite,
rock crystal, opal, agate, garnet, zircon,
amethyst and topaz. Hiddenite is an
emerald. green variety of spodumene,
found at Stony Point, Alexander county,
where it occurs in the soil and in cavities
in gneissoid rock. 1t was named after
Mr.. VIM. f. Hidden, Of New Jersey, by
Prof. j. Laurence Smith, who identified
the mineral, To the energy OF Mr.. Hid
den is due it's introduction a. a gem Of
commercial value. Specimens OF the
native crystal were, however, in the pos
session OF Mr. J. A. ID. Stevenson, OF
Statesville, n. e., for several years prior
to this tune, 0SSD.
Thirteen small diamonds have been
found in the gold bearing gravel beds OF
the State.
The ruby, sapphire, topaz, amethyst,
and aquamarine, are all corundums OF
different cOlOrs. Amethyst quartz varies
in color from very light blue to very dark
purple. When heated, it turns yellow
and muck of the yellow quart or topaz
is manufactured by heating amethysts.
Fine ueryls of varied colors and great
beauty are abundant and lovely rock
crystals of enormous size are found in
Ashe county
Tiffany & Co. utilize many North
Carolina aqua1rarines and beryls, and
in their Blue Book for 1898 is given q
list of useful and ornamental articles
which they make from rock crystal
Among these are jewel cases, banbon
nieries, vinaigretts, hand mirrors, clock
cases, and various small objects OF art
They also use gems OF lesser value fol
belt buckles and parasol handles.
Rings set with birth month stones
maintain their popularity, and, strange
enough, ten out of the twelve gems super
stitiously ascribed to the months of tn,
year are found in this State. Another
pretty cOnceit is that of having names
notices, and initials spelled in preciou.
stones.
1t is perhaps not generally known thai
the carat used in estimating the weight
OF gems is grain of Indian wheat, ant
that the people of India prefer the gen
to any other form of investment. From
their great beauty and intrinsic wortl
gems have been in all ages and times
great weakness of the human race
Beecher's passion for amethysts is wei
known. Pope Julius III. wore in his tiar;
an exquisite aquamarine two inches il
diameter The tomb of MOhammed il
crusted with jewels to the value of $40,
100000.
1t is recorded that Sultan Mahmont
selfishly exhausted the famous mines O
Golconda to enrich his own treasury; bu
it will be many years before the wealtl
of the mines of North Carolina, the Col
conda Of the South, will be appreciabl.
lessened, and then not a asingleindividual
but the whole country will profit by thei
despoilment.