Sierra County advocate. [volume] (Kingston, N.M.) 1884-1960, 1894-11-23

tle adjoining Ofang| nee stHt'
wherever the formation exists I'll
diamonds occur in what is terme
blue ground" which on the sul
face has been oxidized and de
comp lsed, forming what the die
gers term yellow This latte
often extends to a depth of 70 feet
but the source of origin is simila
to the blue, and would seem to b
a mud gevser or volcano, or
series OF them scattered over th
plains. They are numerous an,
vary in diameter from few fee
to several hundred. They e.
down between surrounding masses
o. basalt, malaphals, quart2ite anc
karoo shales, widening out as they
descend.
THIS Is "RIcH DIRT"
The surface yellow stuff is soft
and friable, and easily decomposed
and washed, where the "blue''
proper is, on extraction from the
mine. hard, compact rock Of
seml-crystalIue appearance; gray.
ish blue in color and holding the
diamond firmly imbedded. 1t s
in reality fine conglomerate, the
cementlng matter being what may
he called, for brevity, volcanic mud
which binds the pebbles OF heavy
gravel, rarely larger than beans.
This compact blue is blasted from
the mine and spread out on "floors"
for a period of four or six months,
exposed to the oxldiziug influence
of the weather, and aided in ripen-
ing by occasional watering and
narrowing" SO as to expose fresh
surface: This is called the
"weathering process" and seems
to answer well, but necesstates the
clock up" of large amount of
capital, and permits of thefts of
the larger stones by the Katfirs, to
the extent Of over $1,000,000 a
year, The weathered blue is next
taken to the rotating washing
and reduced to pulp
then, by careful pulsating, sizing
and concentration, the resulting
gravel is obtained clean spread oct
on tables where the diamonds are
picked out by hand.
Here again is theft, and although
the work is done mostly by con
victs lent by government, and
kept under strict prison eurvell-
lance by white overseers, it is
found that many of the best stones
are swallowed by the Kaflires, to
be subsequently, sold through ac
to eontraband dealers. |
Many are detected IN the act Of
'wallowing the stones and are at
,nee relegated to a spec ial' de
lartment OF the works under the
direction of an experienced doctor,
veil versed Ia the science Of
.athartics. Here they are dosed
md placed on an elevated ''chaise
,ecree," with a result that in o
ew hours the stones are dijested /
nd find their way into the
,eneral stock yard in the strong
Dom while the thief is punished
" bread and water diet and de
,riyed of certain Injuries.
COSTLY DIAMOND DIGGING.
In the first year OF diamond
Iigging the system of working the
deposits was naturally primitive
nd costly. Open cuttings from
be surface yielded for the time
icing all the ore required, aud the
mines were divided up into many
OF claims, each of 9el
quare feet, worked hy numerous
and individuals.
This went Oh antil a depth Of
90 feet was reached when heavy
ocks slips or fallen reef matter
stopped all profitable
xtraoiion of diamonds. Then it /,
fas that some enterprising capital.
ste, advised by daring engineers, v
tsrted to sink commodlous verti- {
al shafts in the barren rock al. {
lining the "pay chute" When =
hese reached certain depth, h
ross cuts or tunnels we're driven 4
irto tho blue far