Arizona silver belt., 1900-11-15
SAPPHIRE HINES
Of M0utana Produce Large Output
 of uems Annually.

1Of Montana Produce Large Output
 of uems Annually.
 The Togo sapphire mines in Fergus
 county, this state, are the most re- markable in the world, for the precious stones are found in regularly formed
 veins instead of in pockets and clusters.
 The sapphires are scattered along the
 lead or veins and there is much dead
 work necsssary in order to obtain the
 gems. which are deposited in perpen.
 dioular lead of dry clay with wall
 rock on either side. When the clay is
 taken out it is thoroughly washed and
 the gems are carefully sorted. The precious stones are of all sizes and all grades, but the smsthystine stones are very rare.
 So far the company has worked down only 50 or 60 feet, but pros- peeting has been done to e depth of 200 feet, and sapphires have been found all the way down. Five blocks of ground were worked last month. From ono 10000 karats wore taken cat; while from another of equal di- msnsions only "A were procured. The cost of working the block bearing l0,- 900 karats was only one-tenth that of working tho other four blocks, which yielded 5000 karats.
 Through the summer many gems are thrown aside as culls, but men are left ct the mines through the winter to sort these oulls. There would be no dan. ger, however, in leaving the mines un- guarded, for nature protects them, as, after the water freezes. it is impossible to extract the sapphlrss from their clay bed. All dirt that is worked over this year will be exposed through the late fall and winter to the action of the elements, and next sesson 1t will be washed over again in the sluioe boxes and there may be extracted ss many gems e were found this year.
 The mining company obtains water from point l2 miles from the work ings. conveying it through ditches and fumes. The supply this season has been smaller than usual, owing to the light snowfall last winter, but it was not neoessary ct any time to suspend operations. Forty, men are kept stead lily employed. The output for the sea son has been very large and some un- usually fine stones have been taken out. The largest stone yet found at the mines was discovered early in June of this year, and it weighed l9 karsts.
 The demand for the sapphires is constantly increasing and the supply is insufficient, despite the fact that many persons are engaged in mining them st various spots along the Mis- souri river. All the stones are shipped direct to Lsndon. where many of them are cut, while others are sent to Ant werp for that purpose. About half of the product finds its way back to the United States. several large American companies having contracts with the English firm to which the mining com pany sslls its product. The duty on the cut stones is 10 per cent. The as- tusl mining season is from April l5 to October 3l, or until the water freezes.
 There Is no indication that the mines are playing out. On the contrary, they seem to be getting richer. As a by product, considerable corundum Is being mined, but this will be valueless until . railroad is built to the mines. Corundum is worth S10 ton in Lon don, and is used Tn the making of emery wheels, etc. Thousands of tons of this mineral are now lying on the dump awaiting cheap transportation, aad even should the sapphires become exhausted e railroad would make the mining of corundum most profitable Helena (Mout.) Cor. Chi oago Inter Ocean.
 For "South Africa" Read Philippines
 Tho South African question is by no means done with. The Bosrs are still | active in the Transvaal and the Orange | River colony. Indeed, as the Man chester Guardian pointed out on Thurs. IT.