Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-01-28
AMERICAN GEMS.
Precious stones Have Been Found in
Virginia and Elsewhere.

Precious stones Have Been Found in
Virginia and Elsewhere.
From the Philadelphia, Times
One Of the leading dealers in precious
stones who is interested in the present
movement to develop the industry of min
ing for American gems, consented to give
the following facts out in an interview:
Americans, as rule, very fond of
precious stones and / should say that there
are more in this country according to the
population than anywhere in the world.
The importation of diamonds, rubies sap
phires and other gems has consequently
been q very lucrative business for many
years. The value of these stones in the
country today, mostly imported, I should
roughly estimate to be not less than $780,
UH,UuC. We have so long depended upon
other countries to supply US with precious
minerals that little attention has been given
% the home mines. Then miners here have
been wrapped up in their explorations for
&c Id, silver, iron coal, oil and such products
that they have not had time to think of
other things. But the promise of a future
shortening of the supply Of all the leading
gems has made dealers look around for
other sources.
Another thing that attracted our atten-
ton was the wonderful supply of rare
minerals found in the Appalachian system
OF mountains. Not only gold, but genuine
sapphires and scores of other stones have
been found in those mountains. At the
Ccrundum Hill over one hundred beautiful
s&pphires have been discovered accidentally
while mining for other products These
stones have sold from 500 to 500 and up
ward. In the same state. in Alexandria
county, beautiful specimens of the emerald
have been found. both the aqua marine and
yellow beryl. There are now several en-
crald and hddenite mines worked in that
place, but only on a small scale and chiefly
to supply institutions with rough speci-
mems. Nevertheless, from ten to twenty
thousand dollars worth of these stones
have been sold from these mines in the
past few years. Splendid garnets, and a
few diamonds, have also been eXcavated in
these North Carolina mineral fields, and
after an exhaustive examination of the
ground the conclusion has been reached
that. before long, startling disclosures of
precious stones will be made in the Appa-
lachian Mountains We may yet have a
South African diamond field right at our
door.
"Other parts of the south have also been
found to contain precious stones. True
beryls and garnets of considerable value
have been located in Virginia, and there are
several well-defined districts where small
specimens of diamonds have been found in
Georgia. The rich iron and coal fields of
Alabama and Tennessee promise revelations
in this respect, although iron and coal
kings are intent upon their work in
those regions that they would be apt to
stumble over diamonds and rubies if they
saw a chunk of coal or iron ore ahead of
them.
I'm the west and southwest the mineral
fields are even more extensive. California
diamond mines are the largest and SO far
the richest in this country. Some fine spe-
cimens have been brought to us to cut and
others are constantly being brought in by
and mine owners to test.
Many stories have been circulated about
diamond fields and mines in California,
and Adventures have gone there expecting
to pick them up as they did gold forty
years ago. Their disappointment spread
counter reports and 1iiost people concluded
that diamonds in California were fictitious.
The fact is that mining for diamonds must
be conducted on scientific principles and
with plenty of capital. We do not expect
to find diamonds lying around loose wait
ing to be picked up Even in the richest
diamond fields Of South Africa they have
to work hard for the precious stones. More
recently diamonds have been found in
Wisconsin. Around, Lake Superior, also,
the finest specimens of chlorastrolite, thom-
sonite and agates have been picked up on
the beaches. Evidently the action of the
water has worn them from the rocks.
Colorado is another well-defined region for
precious stone hunting"