The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1903-04-02
DIAMOND INDUSTRY
NEW FIELDS DISCOVERED IN
SOUTHWEST AFRICA.

German Syndicate Organized to
Work the Mines-It is Hoped to
Developed Another Kimberley
Other Diamond Centers.
Some German capitalists of Bremen,
headed by Senator Achelis, have form
ed syndicate to work the diamond
fields that have recently been discov-
cred in German Southwest Africa The
German newspapers say that it is
hoped to develop another Kimberley in
this region and to destroy the monop-
oily at present enjoyed by the great
De Beers company. This discovery of
diamonds in German Southwest Africa
is quite recent, and little has been
made known about this new source of
wealth in that colony except that the
nelds are situated among the noun
talns In the central part Of the colony.
1t has long been known that Kimber-
ley could not permanently have a
monopoly of the diamond trade At
present 1T supplies most of the dia-
monds in the market; but there are
several other fields in South Africa
that promise we'll, though little or
them.
Very little has been done to develop
diamond mining along the banks of
the Vaal river in South Africa, where
the diamonds of that country were
first discovered. Mines were opened
there, and they yielded abundantly for
two years, until the marvellous rich
ness of the beds at Kim berley was re-
vealed, in 1869. The Vaal river is of
very little use to the navigators, but
it has rolled down in it's waters great
treasure in diamonds, which led to the
discovery of this great source of rich
es. The Boer farmers often observed
the sparkling stones, "mooi klippe," as
they called them, along the Vaal river,
but never suspected that they were
diamonds.
A Boer farmer named Schalk van
Niekerk was calling one day at the
house of a friend, and, seeing the
children playing with pretty stone,
expressed his admiration of it. Their
mother presented it to him. This was
in 1867. He showed it to a trader
named John OReilly, who, suspecting
that it was more valuable than mere
crystal took it to Cape Town for ex-
animation. The stone was pronounced
to be a diamond, and it was sold to the
governor of Cape Colony, Sir Philip
Wodehouse, for $4,000. 1t was two
years later that the famous Star of
South Africa, now in the possession
of the countess of Dudley, was obtain
ed from a Kaffir sorcerer, who had
used it as one of his adornments.
This stone weighed uncut SO carats
and sold for $4,000.
Far north of the Vaa1 river along
the banks of the Limpopo or Crocodile
river the boundary between the
Transvaal colony and Mashonaland,
diamonds have been found, though
nothing whatever as yet has been
done to exploit this field. For all that
is known, the region along this river
is as rich in diamonds as the Vaal.
Diamonds have also been found among
the mountains of the Transvaal, also
at two points in Cape Colony at
Dutoitspan, only two miles to the
southeast of Kimberley, and at Built
fontein. These diggings are less than
quarter of a mile apart.
Two diamond centers have also
been discovered in the western part of
the Orange River Colony, one of
which, Jager's Fontein, 80 miles from
Kimberley, has yielded about s25O,OO0
year, including many fine diamonds.
Most of these regions are entirely un-
developed, because the whole inter
est centered in Kimberley after it's
richness was discovered. The time
is coming, however, when these other
districts will receive the attention
they deserve.
Perhaps the Kimberley mines will
+ 6,,4 i,
tain that they will not continue to
monopolize the industry. The entire
product of this field up to the present
year for period of about 35 years is
little over Is tons of diamonds, having
value in excess of $500, 900.
In lecture before Harvard and Yale
last winter John Hays Hammond, the
famous mining expert, said that
box about eight feet square would
contain all these diamonds. the net
result of mining over 100000 tons
of rock, besides the millions of tons
of earth moved in exploratory and
dead work. The life of the mines can
not yet be determined, but diamond
mining in Kimberley undoubtedly will
continue for many years to come.
The largest diamond ever discovered
is still in the hands of the De Beers
company, for as yet no bidders have
been found for this white elephant. 1t
was found on July 2, 1893. 1t weighs
nearly 1000 carats in the rough, or
about half pound avoirdupois, and is
31a inches long, about as large as an
average goose egg. 1t is impossible
to determine the value of diamond
of this size. 1t is of good color, but
would not cut well. Diamonds lose
from 40 to 60 per cent of their size in
cutting.
Some idea Of the value of this great
stone may be suggested by the fact
that diamond of only 100 carats was
sold few years ago by the De Bers
company for $750,000. AS diamonds in
crease greatly in value with increase
of size, the larger stone is supposed
to be worth several times that sum.
Perhaps the prize will some day fall
into the hands of one of the Indian or
other Oriental nabobs, who, as is we'll
known, have many of the finest dia-
monds in their collections.
There is a curious fact connected