The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1894-02-02
Polishins the Facets.


to dwell at length on metallurgical
and meteorological details with respect
to the different countries where 1t Is
found. Newspaper readers are kept
well informed regarding new finds
from time to time, the reports generally
being accompanied by brief historic
accounts are published Of famous gems
In the possession Of royalty or mod
ern Croesus, which are said to be Of
prodigiOus size. dazzling brilliancy aud
enormous value. What will perhaps be
OF interest to most people is an ill.,
quiry into the art of the diamond cutter
and his subordinates. For this purpose
no better place can be selected than
the Holland city Of bridges and gracll-
ten (canals), even IL the stranger un-
acquainted with the vernacular must
receive invariably to every question the
curt reply, "Kannitverstaan."
Few visitors will bid adieu to Am
sterdam without at least q superficial
examination Of one or two of the sixty
diamond-cutting establishments. They
employ together not less than 10000
hands, mostly Jews, who. notwithstand-
Ing the ingress of cheap labor, betray
boycotting tendencies at times. and
manage to keep up a steep scale Of
wages. Most Of the proprletors are
also wealthy Israelites of Portuguese
extraction, whose shops are located
near the Jewish quarter"
A Friday Night Performance.
A curious scene may be witnessed
every Friday evening or On Saturday
the Uewish Sabbath) on the Brcestraat
broadway. From curb to curb the
street Is filed with surging crowds of
young men and women In their Sabbath
attire, chattering, counting, and firt-
ing, aud enjoying life in true Dutch
Jewish fashion. Cigar or tobacco smok-
Ing on that day is against the orthodox
rabbinical ordinance, and not q vehicle
is permitted on the thorouyhfare. judy
Ing from the gllttering stones on the
Immaculate shirt fronts and the spark
ling crystals so becoming to the beauti-
full Jewish brunettes 1t Is evident that
not all the stones are exported. The
high compensation to which this frater-
nifty has been accustomed, which, how
ever, has been greatly reduced In recent
years, has gained for them the reputa-
ton Of being high llvers and all-around
sports.
In describing the evolution Of these
precious stones it suffices to state here
that the principal finds occur in Brazil,
South Africa, and Borneo. although
they have been mined with more or
less success In Sibedia and elsewhere.
The rough stones are brought to mar
ket In London, and Immediately on the
arrival of ship Dutch jobbers and
Amsterdam jewellers bargain for the
costly but incapacious cargo.
Ass0Fting and Cleaving.
When the jeweler arrives in Amster.
dam with his supply the stones IRE as
sorted and subjected first Of all to the
manipulations Of the cleavers. These
artisans earn the highest wages, which
average 800 guilders per week. The
proprietor must also rely entirely upon
their honesty. 1t is true that the prop
erty entrusted to them is carefully
counted, but he is not in a position to
control their actions and he cannot as
certain whether or not he receives the
same stones and the same quantity IL
return. Their task requires great skill
and long practice, as a miscarried clea-
wage means sometimes an irreparable
loss. Their work converts the rough