The daily morning journal and courier., 1900-01-30

The Likelihood of Their Having Been
 Deposited There by Glacial Move
 ment--specuintion as to the Location
 of the Original Fields.
 A problem of great interest to geolo- gists is the occurrence of diamonds in the United States, and while it is hardly possible that these precious stones will ever be found in any one locality in such abundance as in South Africa, yet, according to authorities who have given considerable thought to the subject, there is no reason why they should not be discovered from time to time in cer- tain sections of the country.
 Diamonds have been discovered dur ing thalast few years In the neighbor- hood of the great lakes, principally in the state of Wisconsin, and the first dis covery recorded was at Eagle, Wauke- sha county, in 1876. Since that time
 seventeen well-identified diamonds weighing from one-half of caraA to twenty-one andea quarter carats have been found about the great lakes, and their discovery has given rise to consid- erable speculation and the formulating of theories which, if correct not only explain the presence of the stones, but also indicate the possibility of addi- tional finds in the future.
 The first diamond to be found in the region near Waukesha was brought to light in digging well. The stone was given to the wife of the farmer occupy ing the property, who subsequently, i+ H. st1 far dollar. The latter submitted the8stone to a mineralogist for examination, and 1t was found to be diamond of pale yellow color. It was subsequently sold to Tiffany & Co.,, in whose collection it now reposes. A later discovery of note was made on Plum Creek, in Pierce county, where some prospectors looking for gold found in 1887, 1888 and 1889 number of diamonds varying from two carats in weight to microscopic size. Several of these are also in the Tiffany collection, and are either yellowish or white slightly tinged with yellow, or grayish green. The largest diamond on record from this section weighs twen- ty-one and one-fourth carats and is of a pale yellow color. It was found by farmer of Kohlsville, Washington coun- ty, Wis., while ploughing, and is now owned by his widow The stone was examined by Professor w. H. Hobbs of the University of Wisconsin, and was described by him in several scientific journals and geological reports.
 In addition to the stones found In Wisconsin, there is also record of the discovery of diamonds in Michigan and Ohio. The Michigan stone was found at Dowagiac, Cass county, In the glacial drift. The Ohio stone, which was dis covered at Milford, Clermont county, was of very fine quality, and was cut as brilliant by its purchaser. It was found by two little girls and weighed six carats, being of the purest water. During the last five years diamonds have been discovered at the rate of about one year, and the geologists who are interested in the question be- 1ieve that if people, particularly chill dren, would be on the lookout for the stones, many more finds would be re- corded.
 An examination of the localities where diamonds have been found and the con slderation of the various geological COIL ditions have led to the conclusion that the diamonds have been brought to their present locations by the action of great glaciers in past ages. In all save one instance the finds have been made on the moraines of later ice invasion, and in that case it was in the bed of creek in close proximity to glacial de- posits This fact, showing that the oc- surrence of diamonds in these locali- ties was the result of ice action, has led' "a rap1npiStu to ha ,,oo opt /,f the ice sheet and the great glaciers, so as to discover the original source of the diamond bearing material. The stones already found have been located on the marginal moraines of the great Ice in- vasion, and apparently have been brought from some locality in the will derness of Canada, where as yet suffi- cient work of geological nature has not been done to prove the assumption. However, from such examinations as have already been made, there is every indication that such is the case, and the wide distribution would seem to show that they come from a common source where there was a considerable supply. The theory advanced is that the dia- monds in preglacial times were separa- ted from the matrix, or covering rock, l and were deposited in valleys near the source of the ice movement According l to the geological evidence there were two invasions of the ice, and as there | have been no diamonds found in the 1 material aronsported in the first of these, it Is believed that the material in l which the diamonds were emberrer was not effected by the first, but was carried | along by the second movement. To To- | cate the origin 1t Is necessary to follow | the probable paths of the transported | diamonds backward, and it will be | found that they meet in a common cen | ter in Labrador, east of James Bay. | The geological survey of Canada has | fixed the center of the ice mantle that l effected the glaciation of the great lakes | also In this locality, and 1t seems as if | the two centers were in proximity. Ac- | cording to Professor Hobbs (to whom Is | due the collection of much of the infor- | nation on this subjecD, considerable | original research, and the examination | and study of the diamonds already | foundy there are several lines of inves- 1 tigation to be pursued before the home of the diamonds can be located with &C.,