The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-09-14
A KANSAN ABROAD.
p. Ii. Anderson Tells of Brazil's
Diamond Mines.


Abilene, Kan, Sept 14-Peter H. An
derson, a farmer boy of this county
eight years ago, now worth more than
half a million after giving his relatives
farms, town residences and business
properties, has turned his attention from
klondike gold to Brazilian diamonds.
Anderson went to Alaska as a mission
airy, but located rich claims at Dawson
and Nome, and devoted his attention to
mining. He made 5000 900 the first year.
He has other valuable claims In the
Klondike, but has sold many of them
and has just returned from Brazil,
where he has been locating diamond
lands.
He says the methods Of the early resi-
dents of Brazil have not been improved
we rode overland four days to reach
Diamantina, the heart of the diamond
country" said he. This city sprung up
from the discovery of gold in that vi
cinity. However, it took on a new as
peot when diamonds were discovered
there 1t has 10000 inhabitants. Bra
lillian diamond mines have been famous
for nearly two hundred years. Accord
ing to some authorities, diamonds were
first found by the gold miners, who re-
garded them as mere curiosities- For
hundred years after the discovery of
diamonds in Brazil the mines were a
monopoly of the crown and all diamond
mines were declared state property by
the king of Portugal. 1t was only after
the abdication of the first emperor of
Brazil, in 1882. that private diamond
mining was legalized by the national
government. In former years all dia-
monds were sent abroad for cutting, but
in later years a large per cent of the
Brazilian diamonds were cut at home.
In Diamantina there are nineteen lapi-
! diaries at work, employing AS men and
cutting between 400 and 500 carats a
month at a cost of So a carat
The first property 1 investigated is
at Itapaba, about fourteen miles from
Diamantina- The land lies in a very
mountainous district. The formation of
the rocks, as well as the mountains
especially in this vicinity, shows great
volcanic eruptionS, and / would not be
surprised to find that this is one of the
sources of the diamonds. 1 panned sew
eral pans of gravel on this option, and
in all except one found good pay. In
one pan l found two little diamonds
worth about two dollars, and the gold
| found with these diamonds is worth
about twenty-five, cents. This gravel
was taken about one hundred yards
/ from the river i'm high bank The
river at this place has formed large
bar, or what is called down there
lagoa. I was told by several that they
have tried to sound this place with
long iron bar but did not find bottom
lagoa is Immensely rich, and that this
/ is all virgin ground.
1T will require years to prospect this
vast tract of land / was told that
/ diamond mine mad D66n IOunQ on one
of the high hills, but very little work
has been done, as there is no waiter there
for washing. There is also timber on
this land. The great volume of water
assures a constant source of power Tor
developing purposes. From the time we
icame into the gold and diamond coun-
try we saw persons washing for dia-
monds Their mode of washing is sim
liar to that of washing for gold except
that it requires greater skill on account
lie 81, 10 Of 1ncinor diamonds.
Their method of work is incredibly
crude It may sound strange, but it is
true, that l did not see a shovel or a
pick or a wheelbarrow in the whole
diamond district. In many of our stop
ping places along the road we were
shown rough diamonds for sale, and
some parcels held as much as 100 carats.
s'One cannot doubt that there is
wealth in the state of Minas Geraes-
What has prevented the mining indus
try of Brazil from being one or the
greatest in the world is the lack OF
railroad facilities. Not only nave the
Brazilians now awakened to this fact.
but other nations as well are now build
ing new roads and extending others
into the interior, and ere long Brazil
will see the phenomenal growth and
progress which has marked the history
of our United States. The present ten
dency toward an important revival OF
gold mining in Brazil will result in a
great boom when the facts become
known regarding its wealth. From
Grao Magol we set out for Theophili
Ottoni, a distance of about 200 miles.
This town has a narrow gauge railroad
running from the coast at Caravellas
Most of this road is very billy and
would REQUIRE fixing before any loads
could be hauled over it. From Theo-
phil Ottoni to Caravellas is 235 miles
by rail- but there is only one train every
five days. This train does not run al
night.
sAt Caravellas we found a coast
steamer for Rio de Janeiro. where We
boarded a steamer for London. With
four years experience of mining al
Nome. 1 do not hesitate to say that
believe the mines of Brazil are richer
than those at Nome"