The times., 1901-04-21
RICH IN PRECIOUS STONES
American Gems as Valuable as
Those of Other Countries.
Diamonds. Rubies. and Gnrnets in
Many Sections of the United states
Wealth in Mountain Ranges
The Famous "Couec District"

Many gems are formed in what is
known as goods" that is small pockets
or cavities in rock The substance form
ing the gem was at one time held in solu-
tion in water, which seeped into these
pockets. and. as it evaporated. left the
deposit of gem material, which crystal
iized or solidified into the gem which we
find today The diamond is first formed
in this way. Gems from quartz are not
always formed in a geod. They are mass
es of dehydrated silicates which have
crystallized, and may form in large mass
es in veins, or strata between layers OF
rock
The ordinary American citizen has so
long considered South Africa, Brazil, and,
in short, any country but his own. as
the source from which all gems and pre-
cious stones come that when he realizes
that his own United States produces
many of the most valuable stones of the
first water. it will come to him, doubtless,
as pleasant surprise. The fact that our
own home States are rich in diamonds,
rubies. emeralds. sapphires, etc, is new
ertheless true. The gem industry in this
country amounts to many hundreds OF
thousands of dollars every year.
Diamonds are found in the United
States, but in small quantities. They have
been found in Ohio, near Milford and Gin
cinnati, in Kentucky, North Carolina,
California, and Wisconsin. In every case
they have been found in loose gravelly
earth. mostly broken crystalline rock
fragments. The most famous diamond
found in this country has been named
the Dewey. 1t was picked up in Man
chester, Va, just opposite Richmond, IN
1855. A workman, while engaged in dig
ging in the street, picked ii up out OF the
dirt When found it weighed 23%4 carats,
and after it was cut it's weight was II Ills
carats 1t was an imperfect stone, and
a little "off color" 1t was valued at
81, 600 at the time it was found, and the
expense of cutting it was 81, 800 The fin
ished gem was estimated to be worth be-
tween three and four hundred dollars
1t was cut by Henry D. Morse. Of Boston,
who was the first American diamond cut
ter. This diamond finally passed into the
possession of John A Morrisey, the prize
fighter, who was at one time a represen-
tatiVe in Congress from New York. 1t
was given TO him as security for loan
of $500, and is still owned by his estate.
Diamonds in the United States are
found in two regions geographically re-
mote. The first region is at the eastern
base of the southern Alleghanies from
Virginia to Georgia, and the western side
of the range from Wisconsin to Georgia
The second extends from the northern
part Of California and the southern dis
tricts of Oregon along the western bases
of the Coast and Cascade ranges. The
diamonds are found usually in loose ma
terial among deposits OF gravel and earth,
associated with gold. quartz, and other
material, this material in all cases being
merely debris of crystalline rock from
adjacent elevations. The region of Wis
consin southwark through Ohio is In the
line of the moraineS of the ancient ice
sheet and the diamonds in every case
have been found in residual soil. giving
rise to the opinion that the source of the
diamond is in the older rocks somewhere
in upper Canada. from which they We're
gradually transported by the moving gla-
ciers in p$vious geological period.
CoRUNDUM GEMS
Corundum includes the ruby and sap
phire, which mineralogically and chem
ically are identical. The term ruby is
applied to the red sapphire only. The
term sapphire" is applied to all other
colored or colorless corundums except the
red. The colors of the corundums in
cIude the reds Of several shades, blue
purple, green, yellow, amethystine, tC
white, these colors being in several inter
mediate shades. In the United States the
great corundum region is In the crystal
line rocks of the Southern Appalachian
range, especially in North Carolina
South Carolina, and north Georgia. The
greatest width of the belt is estimated as
100 miles. Specimens sufficiently clear fol
gems are found only in North Carolina.
The most famous locality recently de
Veloped is what is known as the "COwet
district This locality is now producing
rubies as rich in color as those from tbs
famous mines in Burmah. In variety oi
color the North Carolina gems excel al
others found elsewhere. They are grey
VaaV
violet, brown, yellow Of ali intervening
shades. TO colorIess. North Carolina als'
produces brown variety of corundum
which, when cut carbuncle shape, or, a:
| it is called, "cabachon,' or rounded sur
face shows bronze play of light on th'
arch characterized by well-defined stars.
Another famous locality for corundum!
in the United States is near Helena Mon.
where ii occurs among gravel in the bars
1 of the upper Missouri River. These gem:
| are usually light green, greenish blue
| light blue TO pale red color, and usually
/ appearing of a different shade bV arti
| fetal light than in sunlight. The corun
DUN industry, at present only in its in
! fancy, amounts to over $4,000 yearly.
THE EMERALD AND AQUA MARINES.
Emeralds and aqua marines, like tn
| ruby and sapphire. are chemically an,
! mineralogically the same. Both are a va
! riety of the beryl. The term emerald i
| applied to the emerald and the grass greer
| beryl. The term aqua marine" refers T.
the color which passes from a sea green
! sky blue, and sea blue beryl. In Alexan
! der, y. G., emeralds have been found a
| five different localities. the most impor
! tant of these being Stony Point abou
! sixteen miles northeast Of Statesville
! Here the gem occurs in pockets. Whicl
/ afford crystals somewhat light in color
/ The total output amounts to a little owe
! $5,oo0. One remarkable crystal weighe
| over eight and three-quarter ounces. o
| only One-quarter OF an ounce less thal
| the famous gem owned by the Duke o
| DevOnshire. This gem IS estimated to b
/ worth 5000.
North Carolina also produces fine aqu
marines. The most prolific localities ar
! in Mitchell and Yancey Counties, alon
| the county lines. Gems absolutely flaw
! less and valued at from 500 to 500 ar
| not uncommon. Fine aqua marines ar
| also found in the New England States
J Two localities are especially noteworthy
I They are Litchfield Mass, and Portland
! Conn. Litchheld produces gems yelloV
| colored 10 white In the United State
| National Museum IS a fifteen-carat stOn
! from the Portland Comm quarres, whc
! exhibits q rich sea blue color. and rival
| in brlliancy the superb stones from Bra
zn
Probably the largest beryls in the worl
| are found at Grafton and AckwOrth, \. II
| Crystals six and a half feet long an,
| weighing two and a half tons. portion
| of which might afford gems, have bee
taken from the quarries in these locali
ties. In the National Museum there is a
| immense beTyl from there which weigh
| over 800 pounds. 1t is of a pale blue coloI
and ia spots is so transparent as TO az
| ford gems up 10 one carat In weight
THE FAMILY OF GARNETS
Garnets represent a group Of mineral
| which, though chemically quite different
| are mineralogically the same as the berry
1t yields "A number Of kinds of gems
| such as the "almandine.' which varie
IN color from violet or purple throug