The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-12-22
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1873 BROUGHTON STREET. John Lyons Block.

carried on in many ways. Men were
sometimes discovered in the act of leav-
ing the shops with diamonds stuffed in
their hair. To prevent this. they are
now obliged to have their heads cropped
closely Their contracts demand that
they shall not leave the enclosure until
the end of stated periods, and shall be
thoroughly searched before they leave
the stands at which they work. The
searching is carried on by what is known
as the searching bureau, 1t is the duty
of the officers of this bureau to strip
every man to the 'pelt each evening.
All have their ears washed out; they
Between the toes and nOs eae6 e ans
must submit to the unpleasant effects Of
a purgative-because, in many instances,
1t was reported that diamonds were con-
cealed and stolen by the device of swal-
lowing them. The shoes, the clothing and
the hats of the aboriginies are scrutinized
which may have settled in them is shaken
out.
'Once it was found that an employe had
hidden a precious stone in an incision in
his leg over which he had plastered some
thing resembling his dark skin. Since that
occurrence a sounding hammer has been
brought into use, with which the bodies
OF the workers are gently tapped every
day, If man hides diamond in any way
he is almost certain to be found out In
the first place there is the foreman in the
mine and at the rivers edge He sees
everything that passes. In the mines he
watches the loading into the iron wagons
of the blue soil which contains the dia-
monds He then accompanies it TO the
surface, leaving others in charge below
and there turns it over to other negroes
who are likewise under the strictest sur
Veillance.
This blue soil is at first very hard; but
when exposed to the air for fortnight il
becomes comparatively soft 1t is then
taken to the sorting house. where it is
placed in watts containing water and
revolving wheel to loosen il IN The sedi-
ne
In it the rough diamonds are mixed with
common stones, Cape rubies-which are
not or much Value-agate, Jasper, calcite.
Ihese must be selected according TO their
value, and the natives are employed to do
the work. Whether through intuition or
otherWlse, they soon learn the business;
ana no experts can more quickly tell YOU
the worth of stone. While the sorting
is going on there is present one or more
or the foremen or guards, well armed and
ceaselessly watching, prepared to fire in
case of an outbreak But the Africans are
very well satisfied. They earn from twelve
to fifteen dollars per week and are able
10 live well on II. They are also able to
gamble. During what is known as the
rest they indulge in a game which is
much like what is here known as craps"
The cher dtfference seems to be that thew
are cobble stones instead of dice
"Thc hard rock which has to be cut
through in the mines, bored with borz
a species of stone OF the nature Of the
diamond but of imperfect crvstalizatiou
This is harder than any substance ex-
cept the diamond. 1t is found in liberal
quantities, and is placed on the ends ~
hand drills with hard cement, 1t cuts
through the most stubborn rocks In
many instances, after numerous drill
holes have been made, the layers Of stone
come out in cakes; but sometimes it is
necessary TO use dynamite. In the latter
instances sheds are built about the SPOT.
so that there may be no loss
Tie African mine owners are patrons
OF the London Rough Diamond Syndicate
alone, and the syndicate controls the mar
kets Of the world.
The yellow stone. so common and so
much despised by judges Of the b.eh
grades IS seldom sent over 10 America
because IL is seldom asked for.
Ihe London syndicate has now a con-
tract price with African mines al tbo
rate OF thirty shillings per carat i'm She
foskh. The price TO American buyers.
VINO purchase mainly through agenfs Is
fcEuiateG by the syndicate, and varies
from sl2 10 $500 per carat