Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-03-04
IDAHO'S GEM FIELDS.
Tho People Insist That the Precious Stones
Are There.

Tho People Insist That the Precious Stones
Are There.
A Boise City correspondent Of the New
York Times says: Whatever may be the result
Of the search for diamonds on the Snake
river nobody can truthfully deny the exist
ence Of sapphires and opals. They are picked
up in the form of pebbles or found in place in
species of volcanic rock. When found upon
the bars Of g river they are incased in what are
called shells. which seemed to be petrifac ton
surrounding the gem.
When first discovered these shells we're
broken, which in many cases spoiled the in
cased sapphire or opal. Now they are placed
upon a grindstone until the gem is reached, il
there be one. 1t may be that fifty Of the shells
will be thus manipulated before anything OF
value will be found. The shells vary in size
from that Of a bean to the weight Of ten pounds
or more.
There are many opals as well "a sapphires
that are Of no value because Of imperfections,
and 1t is only the best that have market value.
Two stones were found on the banks Of Snake
river about Christmas by a man living in
Nampa. He forwarded them to Helena. Mon.
to be cnt. The lapidsry to whom he sent them
cut the sapphire, but sent the other east. 1t
proved to be straw-coiored diamond. Both
are now on exhibition at a druggists in this
city. In the windows Of the same shop are
large numbers Of shells not vet ground down,
as it is impossible to say what they contain.
The report has reached this city that lapi-
parties have pronounced the specimens first sent
TO New York city to have been quartz crystals
No doubt they were right and those who sent
them were told SO before they were ever placed
in the express Office. They would not believe it.
When the fields were first rediscovered last
fall everything crystallized was believed to be
diamond and if piece Of melted glass
had been picked up it would have stood Q very
good chance OF making a trip across the plains.
When the silver mines OF Argentine and George.
town in Colorado were first being opened in
1865 the poorest specimens were shipped to
New York city and the best left upon the dump.
The miners knew as little about silver ore as
the people here now do of gems.
IL Is reported tina. Kimberley bortz, an i'm
perfect capitalization of the diamond, has been
found among tho specimens forwarded. This
| is not at all improbable. 1t is asserted here
| that it was bought in New York and there
mixed with the specimens forwarded. The
fields are too extensive to salt" 1t would re-
Quire all the bortZ taken out in Africa.
There have been no sales of claims or offerS
to sell Nobody here would buy until they
| have been more thoroughly tested and 1t il no,
| at all probable that any sane eastern men would
do so, after the experience they have had in
| gold and silver investments. until a thorough
examination was made by experts whom they
could trust There has been no prospecting
of the grounds within the last three months
| They were only rediscovered late in the fall
While it NAV be warm and pleasant in this
| city. the thermometer not having been down
TO zero within the last three years, wintry
| winds are sweeping up the Snake river, thirty
| miles distant The entire state is sue
cession Of valleys and mountains. and the eli
mate varies remarkably with locality. The
| earth upon the bars o. the Snake river has beer
| frozen and covered with snow for the las: three
months, and there has been water in the
| beds of the small streams suitable for washing
| the sand from the pebbles. nor will there be
until the snow melts in the mountains.
| The chances are that there are diamonds or
the bars OF the Snake river, but they are not to
| be picked mp like pebbles. But little moro il
| known now than when the winter put stop Il
the work Of prospecting.