The pioneer press. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 1893-190?, 1898-01-20


lower or 'blue ground. Gradually
the rock ceases to yield to spade or pick.
1t has to be quarried in the usual way
and is quite as hard as bit Of good
limestone. 1t has now quite different
appearance, seeming to consist largely
Of fragments, varying in shape and
size, some angular, some rounded, from
at least two inches in diameter down to
very small grains. Some evidently are
pieces of rock, others are minerals (of-
ten broken, but occasionally looking
like crystals). All these are set in a
dark greenish colored matrix- This,
then-whether rotten or solids the
diamond bearing rock. 1t seems to fill
huge pipes or shafts, which somehow
or other have been driven or punched"
through the shale and underlying rocks,
and these 20 vertically downward to
what distance is unknown, but certain
ly not less than 800 feet.
At first the material was "pegged
out" In number of small claims, and
the soft stuff was comparatively easy to
work, but by degrees many difficulties
arose. As the excavations were deepened
the claims were with difficulty kept sep
arate. Slips and falls Of material were
constantly occurring, not only in the
"pipe" itself, but from the country
rock" at its side. Water became trou-
blesome and working expensive. Co.
operation and command Of capital were
soon absolute necessities
About 1880 the mines had been 40
quired by companies, and they are now
united under the name Of the De Beers
Consolidated mines. Deep shafts have
been sunk through the country rock, "
from which levels are driven to the
pipes" The diamond bearing rock is
quarried away, as 1t were, layer BY
layer and is taken up to the surface.
During this process diamond may be
discovered, but that Is o mere chance.
The rock is then conveyed to an In
closure, where it is exposed to atmos-
pheric action in order that, II possible.
it may crumble naturally to pieces and
the risk be avoided Of splitting the con-
tanned diamonds by crushing 1t up.
This, however, is sometimes necessary.
AT last, after being subjected to various
processes, including washing, the min.
eral residue is picked over for diamonds.
The quantity Of diamonds which have
been produced by these mines is some
thing astonishing Indeed the directors
find it needful to limit the output lest
they should glut the market. 1t is said
that by the end Of 1899 about ten tons
Of diamonds had been yielded by these
mines. valued at $1,000, 900. They
would fill, as Crookes, the we'll known
English scientist and lecturer, stated in
recent lecture on the diamond and
these mines, a box feet square and
feet high. The annual product is now
about half ton, and some 5000 per-
sons, Of whom rather more than one
fifth are white, are employed in the
works. The above estimate includes
diamonds of all kinds, bad and good,
for one stone may be fit for moth
ing but cutting purposes, while another
may be gem of the first water. The
South African diamonds very frequently
appear to be broken. Colored specimens
are not rare, and slight yellow tinge
is commonly perceptible. Differences
exist between the diamonds found In
the several mines, SO that an expert can
generally identify the locality from
which a Stone has come.
THE DESTRUCTIVE TEREDO