The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1901-08-13
SENS FOUND m THE WEST.
Nearly All Varieties OF Precious stones
Have Been Picked Up.

Nearly All Varieties OF Precious stones
Have Been Picked Up.
The search for precious stones has
never been seriously prosecuted In Cal
ifornia. and yet there are many ex-
pertS who hold that a diamond field
VIII be developed here some day Indi-
cations are not wanting TO support the
theory of the presence of such de-
post. Small diamonds of good quality
have been found at intervals in the
sluices of the placer mines. In every
instance the find was an accident. The
placer miners are looking for gold. not
for precious stones. when cleaning up.
Occasionally bright pebble of greater
specific gravity than the ordinary
gravel which is being driven down the
siuices will linger ut the head and at
tract attention. Sometimes the min
er's curiosity is excited. and he sub
mts the laggard stone to a test. and It
often proves to be OF value. Most OF
the diamonds found in this State have
come from FL Dorado County, adjacent
to Placerville. The largest gem dis
covered in that quarter is said to have
been valued at $500. after being cut
by the lapidary: it was sold to n san
Francisco jeweler in the rough for
$500. Perhaps some one will stumble
some day on the chimney whence these
gems drifted into the ancient river
beds
OpalS have been found on the ocean
beach in this State at Pescadora. San
Diego and other points. Owhyee Coun-
Idaho hog nj a.
specimens of the same stone. Sap
phires of great value have been found
in Idaho. Montana. Arizona and New
Mexico The largest OF this kind of
gems was mined in Idaho, and S350O
was offered for it by New York jew
cler. but IT was taken 10 London and
disposed of there at high figure A
sapph.re-bearing vein five miles in
length exists in Fergus County. Mon
tana. from which splendid stones have
been obtained. Rubies of considerable
value have also been found in the
Western States named and in Arizona
and New Mexico.
Turquoise of fine quality is found
abuudantly In the desert region of this
State and in Nevada. Arizona and New
htNIOo. COult u llt turquoise mines
now being worked near the point where
the boundary lines of California. Ne
vada and Arizona meet bear evidences
of having been worked by the Span
iards and the AZtecS whom they con-
quered. Aztec remains and the nipple
ments of Spanish miners have been
found in the old workings. The depos.
its of this gem in the States and Terri
tories named are so extensive that min.
ing is restricted by their owners to pre-.
vent n break in the market, About
$4,000 worth of these gems is mined
annually from these deposits, and
nearly the same value of sapphires is
taken yearly out Of the western for
nation.
Along the northern coast gems OF
considerable value have been found I'm
the shingle beaches. In Vancouver
Island garncts Of good quality are very
plentiful. and a variety OF gems have
been picked up from time to time in
Alaska. But no systematic exploration
has been made for any kind of pre-
cious stone in the western part of the
continent. except for turquoise and
SIpphIres. When it is undertaken pre-
cious stones may cut a figure among
the mineral products of this region
San Francisco Chronicle.