Evening star., 1899-02-04
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''The American pine and cedar cannot be
elualeG anywhere in this world remarked
a foreign manufacturer To a Star reporter,
and my visit TO this country this time is
90 make some contracts for supply of the
same. I am interested in sawed lumber of
all kinds the greater part of which, of
course. We obtain in Europe. The Amer
lean pine and cedar. however. has to be Sc
cured here. Nine-tanths Of the lead pencils
used in the world are manufacturer OF
American cedar. a very large part Of which
Is grown in Iprida- Some So-Callat Amer
iCan manufactured lead pencils are made
in Europe. but the cedar from which they
are made all comes from this country 1t
is shipped 10 Europe in convenient sized
logs and manufactured in proper shape
after it arrives there. There are a number
Of cedars throughout the world, but the
Florida cedar IS particularly valuable in
the manufacture of lead pencils. 1t iS of
very fine structure, the grain being
hardly diStinguisha Die. and can be worked
up to the last inch In the various grades
OF the cheaper pencils other CedaTs can b
used but for the finer goods the American
cellar Is exclusively used. For all pTaeti-
cal purposes all the pencils used in Eu-
Much OF the lead. plumbaEn and graphite
which Is used in them also comes from
this country. There are number OF woods
in EuTOUc hat used in the maEUfac-
ture of matches hut the American pines
are gradually wedding them all out for the
reason that the American pines can ba
handled and worked at less expense than
any other woods. The amount Of wood
consumed in matches amounts 10 two or
ti'ee forests Of trees a day, but even with
this consumption hardly any iuroad has
IL
up the supply. The American match, as
vaI rs the wood. now goes to all parts of
Tho world The business is simply enOr-
nous ana it is constantly on the increase"
The diamond may be exhausted in time
Hui as an attraction it may grow less fash
i-nab,=-' explained a leading jewEler to a
Star racorter. but there IS no indication
Of either of these propositions being verified
at the present time. Indeed. diamonds are
today pleutier than they ever We're and
consequently cheaper: but instead of taking
background they are still at the front Of
the jawelry business. 1t is wonderful how
many are cut and sold and how the de-
mand for them grows They bear the same
position today they did five hundred years
ago as an ornament Other stones have
their reign for years or seasons but the
diamond has never for moment been de-
throned. The three forms of cutting dia-
muads which prevailed hundreds of years
aEo-the brilliant. the rose ard the ia bic
still prevail without any change. and
there is as much mystery and ignorance
about them as ever. for even at this day
and time scientists and geolCgisJs are not
agreed to their origin. though the ma
jUTiJy opinion Is that they are Of 4 Vege-
table origin. The carat in diamonds, though
four diamond grains weighs but a little
over three and quarter grains troy The
q a 20 a nor p
square Of the weight in carats. a two
carat stone is four times the value of
oEe-carat stone and a three-carat nine
tunes the value OF a one-carat stone TINS
ARA rauEement goes on without limit. and if
it is remembered. a very good idea can be
hai Of the value Of a stone by its weight.
II is weight in the first place and size in
the next The same calculation hardly aD-
plies To anything else that is known of.
that is, whore weight and size are factors
= x K
Il think that the late Mr.. y. ". Burchel
was the pioneer in Introducing coal oil as
an iIIuminant in this city" observed an old
inhahitant TO a Star reporter H was
the1 a member Of the firm Of King & Bur
CEeI the store being at the corner Of 18th
and 1 streets northwest. 1t was about
fifty years ago. Up To that time candles
and whale oils were the only things used
in lamps, except now and then camphene.
a very unsa tisfactory and highly explosive
mud. which was combination of alcohol
and turpentine, hut which was preferred by
som. over whale oil for the reason that
tn smoke from it was odorIess, while that
from whale or sperm oil was at times very
offensive. Mr.. BurcheT arranged an ex-
Eibit Of the lamps burning kerosene. which
drew crowds TO the store. He managed the
display himself for in thuss days there
was but little known Of the peculiarities Of
coal oil. and it was not altogether free
from danger This all r=medicd in
time by improve H~nt Of the lamps, and
particularly in tia drafts, which were very
imperfect at tho start. In those days there
vas no fire test or standard in kerosene.
AMI tue oil that was used would explode at
d h"at fen 10 tW- -nty degrees lower than
thai --ached in the ordinary lamp Of the
present day Siu, if the lamp was prop
e--E looked after and the ventilation kspt
OTr q there Was but little danger, though
tNtEeme Gaze was necessary at all times.
MF. burcheli was an enthusiastic advocate
OF the new Hiumj1aut. He posted himself
thoroughly on the subject Of Illuminating
oils and his dissertations on them and his
explanations of the Us. Of the new f!aa
were v-ry interesting What held kerCsrue
back as ar iiiumiuant for long time was
the fact that it involved the purchase Of a
ne" lamp. for the whale oil OF low specific
gravity oils could h- burned in any lamp
Kerosene. however. demanded A Sp-gjaI
lamp Many of the distressing and ap-
pa.Hrg occurrences in the carly Glys Cf
IN" use "I kerosene, when who'll fdTniliaI
and houses without number were DESTROYED
by 81. WAS in consequence Of trying to use
u Iu the OII-f5s hiOned whale oil lamp
which used a solid round wick People
however, gradually got rid of their whale
OH lamps. and when they did they never
purchased another. ! remember very dis
urytly the crowds which gathered in front
OF King & BurchelFs store in tn evenings
looking at and adulirins the new oil, which
was designated the illuminant of the fu-
ture-' All that Mr.. BurrheIl claimed for it
has proven to be true, and its use has been
much more extended and universal than
even he ever dreamed of"
< x
when in doubt as to the genuineness of
diamond. said a leading dealer in prec-
ious stones in New York to the writer re-
Gently. there is only one really reliable
way 10y which the expert or the amateur
judge can determine the quality Of the ar
ticle. and that is TO test Its hardness by
holding it against a rapidly revolving grind
stone from hve To ten minutes Then il the
least mark appears upon the diamond il is
not real stone for If it were a diamond.