Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1901-04-19
A WONDERFUL
DISCOVERY
REAL DIAMOND FIELDS FOUND
HERE NEAR THE
BIG BUTTE.
EXPERTS NOW EN- ROUTE
FROM SOUTH AFRICA.
The Startling Tale Published in
Baker City Newspaper-Dis-
covery Kept Secret.

The romancers of the press do not all
reside in Butte. There are few at
some outside points. One of the Jules
City. Oregon. and is employed on the
Herald there. He has made the wonder-
full discovery that diamond fields were
found back of the Big Butte. The dia-
monds are said to equal anything pro-
duced in South Africa ana a special
dispatch" from Kimberly to the Baker
City genius says that several experts
are now en- route to Butte to take pos
session of the ground. the exact loca-
ton of which is kept secret. But here
is the story:
"A special dispatch to the Herald from
Kimberly. South Africa. conveys the
startling information that a party of eN-
perts have left Cape of Good Hope for
Butte. Mont. to investigate a recent da-
mond discovery near there which has
been kept quiet for some time. For
some time the Herald has been in pos
session of information on this point, and
kept in touch with the movements OF
men directly Interested. The secrecy
which has heretofore attended these
movements has precluded the possibility
of securing much definite matter. The
dispatch. announcing the departure of
the party of experts for the scene Of the
discovery. was in CIPHER. and the infor-
nation contained therein is known only
to the Herald.
A number of years ago an English
man, who had spent many years of his
life in the diamond fields of South Afri
ca. visited Montana on a mining deal
His duties as examiner took him into the
interior of the state, and being a thor
oush mining man, cOnNersant with prac-
teal geology. he closely noticed every
natura! characteristic of the country
traversed by his route At point at
no great distance from the Big Butte
he discovered a peculiar looking earth.
which his practiced eye easily detected
as resembling closely the diamond
bearing dirt of South Africa. Having
but little time a his command. he was
prevented from making further inves-
LEGATIONS, ana was compelled to satisfy
himself with selecting a number of the
most likely looking specimens for flu
ture analysis. Upon his return to Eng
land he was called away to Australia
on another mining deal. and upon its
contamination his principals ordered
him to South Africa again.
while in Australia he found leisure
to analyze his Montana specimens, but
found them barren of the precious lit
tie carbonS. Not satisfied with the re-
suit of that analysis, he retained the
specimens, and unon his arrival at KIM
berly he compared them closely With the
diamond bearing earth so abundant in
that district. The closest comparison re-
suited in the detection Of not the slight
est difference. The earth was Identical
ly similar in every detail. To num-
her of diamond experts he submitted his
specimens, detailing the manner of its
discovery, describing as closely as his
memory would permit, the general char
acteristics of the country surrounding
the scene of the find and a concensus of
expert opinion was to the effect that
there are diamonds in Montana.
The South African war prevented him
from organizing an expedition to Mon
tana at that time, but last week he sue
ceeded in enlsting the interest of num-
Der of diamond experts. and the party
is now on the way to Butte.
The earth found by James L. Butler,
for that is the dscoverers name-was
taken from what he judged was an old
crater of a long extinct volcano. located
less than mile northwesterly from the
Big Butte. near the city of Butte. He
dug hole two or three feet deep and
samples therefrom We're what the dia-
mond men of South Africa term the
hlue'-a soft rock which crumhles in
the hand. 1t is of gray or blush gray
color, with yellow. red and brown spots.
The South African experts who exam
ined Mr. Buffers specimens, which he
had preserved for three years. uneoui-
vocally pronounced it diamond, bearing
ground"