The Birmingham age-herald., 1902-09-28
What Denton Found.
The story of the Discovery of m Important Mineral Under New
 York Streets.
BY JOHN W. HARRINGTON.


 At the corner of two dusty streets stood 1 William Denton, wondering how much of a meal he could get for 15 cents, or whether he had better invest the money, which was 1 all that he had, in paving for a place to sleep. Like hundreds of other boys who come to the big city in search of work, l he had hope; and although his money grew less day by day he felt that he might be able to get position. At home, before It became necessary for him to make his own l living-for his parents were dead-he had spent most of his time in studying the stones and rocks. He had the finest collection of | minerals in the town, and he was all the time exchanging curiostles with other | youngsters in different parts of the coun- 1 try. He had a rubber stamp printed which | read
 William Denton, Dealer ln and Collector of Curioslties Minerals and Fossils"
 With 1t lie had stamped his cards and 1 envelopes and lettevs.
 As he stood there he wondered that there was no work for William Denton to do. He l had visited stores, workshops and factories. He even went Into a curiosity shop in the l Bowery-at least 1t was labeled such--and asked the proprietor If he did not want an assistant.
 Il have had experience, you know" sug 1 gested William, and handed over one of the l cards bearing the imprint of the rubber
 
 that probably dime museum would be more to Williams liking.
 A crowd of men came around the corner. l One of them marked off line ln the street next to the curb, and others with picks l broke into the paving. Want work, young fellow?' asked the | foreman.
 T should say I do," replied the former 1 dealer in and collector of curlosities; that is what I have been waiting for"
 He had pick in his hand in less than five | minutes, and, faint and hungry, he worked all day In the widening trench. The ground I was hard and stony in places, and once 1t was necessary to blast through the solid rock
 Denton was gathering up the stones which | had been dsodged by the powder, when he l found a long, black object with six sides. Its corners were so clearly cut by nature that 1t hardly seemed possible that 1t had not l been trimmed by a jcweler. Denton was looking at 1t when the fore l man came down the line.
 What's this?" be said. Tired? See l here, young man, I've had my eye on you, and what you don't know about digging l would fill thick book. You are not strong | enough. Take my advice and try something else. Go to the office with this card and I get you pay"
 Thank you" replied the boy "If you l don't object I'll take the tourmallne."
 
 the foreman. Don't trihe with me, boyi What are you trying to say?' ''I mean can l take this stone which I l found In the trench?" Take it and welcome; take it be it lean or fat; take 1t any way. l suppose that you l mean well but, no offensc to you, 1 think | you are little weak in the wits" William had a good dinner that night and a refreshing sleep. He still had a dollar left when he started out from the cheap hotel where he had spent the night and walked through the busy streets of New York
 He came at last to large building which stood in a lot by itself not far from Central Park.
 "Take me-" he said, "to the director of the mineral department"
 "He is busy man." replied the attendant. What Is it that you wish
 ''Tell him. replied William, jngllng the coins in his pocket, that wish to make donation to the institution" He was q moment later ushered into the presence of a tall man who wore glasses and had a shiny bald head
 Ut gives me great peasure, said Will liam, taking from his pocket a package wrapped with newspaper, ito present to this museum a tourmaline which found in the street"
 "Only a fragment" said the man with the spectacles.
 
 boy.
 'That" replied the director q appre- | ciate your interest in science, boy, in com Ing here, but only few imperfect specimens of tourmaline have been found In New York, and your donation can therefore be l of no value. Don't you see?"
 "You don't see," replied Denton. "If you would take the trouble to unwrap the pack l age you would understand. l am man of i experience and was once a dealer in min | erals curloslties and fossils"
 The museum director smiled and undid the wrapping He looked at the specimen and | then at the boy. .'Can you prove where you found it?' he said, with q show of excitement. Yes" was the reply. Dennis O'Grady and Pedro and Giuseppe will swear that they saw me pick it up.'
 "Who are those gentlemen?"
 "Mr. o'Grady is the foreman of the gang in which I worked when l was digging a trench yesterday in Broadway. The others were working near men when found the tourmaline."
 ',Take me to them" said the director.
 The director and Denton were in half an hour talking over the discovery of the tour maline. The foreman even found the rock which fitted the crystal
 This is a red-letter day in the history of science,' said the director "It is. indeed, remarkable. Think of finding a tourmaline of such size and such perfection under the streets of the city,
 "Oh, what's the good of 1t all?" asked MT. O'Grady, and, saving your presence, think it's nothing but a six-sided stone. Can a man eat itY Sure, it cannot be drunk" This tourmaline is a mineral which is of great practical use in making electricity. It is very valuable to me as a man of science, and the American Museum of Natural His tory is greatly indebted to our young friend here, who has been so kind as to present 1t to us'' replied the Professor.
 "Then, if the museum Is so excited about It," said MT. O'Grady, why doesn't 1t give the boy job? He might do the talking as he goes among the curiosities.'
 "Mr. Denton, win you report to me to. morrow morning?' inquired the director So it happened that the finding of the stone which Dennis o'Grady despised was the founding of the fortune of William Denton, former dealer in and collector of curiosi ties" Denton served as assistant to the curator of the Department of Minerals for several years, and later became well known as scientist and explorer. The Denton tourma,ine is still on exhibition in the mu scum.