Los Angeles herald., 1905-08-31
RICH GEMS FOUND.
NEAR SURFACE
OF EARTH
Discovered by yIndians
Years Ago
Companies Are Already
in Field and at
Work
Mesa Grande Tourmallne and Gem
Corporation Has Big Hold
Ings In Dis
trIct

Through the large development work
now being done on the property of the
Mesa Grande Tourmaline and Gem
company near Ramona, San Diego
county bids fair to have double hold
on its appellation of the Gem County
Of California"
Perhaps few Angelnoes realize that
within less than a days journey from
the Angel city there lies vast treas
ure zone, which with It's mines of tour
maline, kunzite, beryl and topaz In q
way promises to become as famous as
the Kimberley district of South Africa.
One mine alone has produced up
wards Of two million dollars worth of
gems during the past three years. and
mining men say the surface of the dis
trict as yet has not been even
scratched.
The importance of San Diego
county's deposits of precious stones
was not realized until 1891 when 1t was
brought to public notice that large
mineral district of this kind was only
awaiting development.
Years before, however, the Indians
beauties of the tourmaline and kunzite
even in it's rough state and searched
for 1t diligently where veins of quartz
containing the stones had been laid
bare by erosion.
Found by Indians
The story runs that about thirty
FIVE years ago Indian children playing
around their camp In the vicinity of
Mesa Grande picked up an oddly
shaped stone about three inches long,
six sided and as thick as a lead pencil,
which when cleaned and rubbed was
found to be of a rich blue color, partly
clear and very brilliant like the sap
phire. This, although not known or
understood at the time was probably
the first discovery of tourmaline in San
Diego county. Subsequently other
crystals were picked up by Indians
and COW boys, who priced them for
their attractive colors of blue, green,
red and brown. However, they had no
knowledge of their real character or
commercial value.
In 1891 a party of prospectors while
blasting for lepidolte in Mesa Grands
mountain came upon large ledge of
the mineral in which and in the asso-
ciated quartz magnificent tourmaline
crystals were found.
Since that time operations more or
less extensive have been under way.
In 1901 1902 the yield of tourmalines
from the Mesa Grande district was
larger than that of all the rest Of the
world and it is claimed by experts that
the quality is not equalled by the pro-
ducts of any other district.
The Mesa Grande district lies thirty
miles from Foster, the nearest railroad
point, and about fifty-four miles from
San Diego, locality made beautiful
by the rugged SUBMITS of the Sierra
Nevadas and the live oak trees which
cover the Mesa.
The appearance of the district gives
little idea of the wealth which it con-
tains or of the comparatively small
amount of development work which
has been DONE
The stones are found in a quartz
lepidolite and granite formation, IN
many places within few inches of the
surface of the soil, but the finest speci-
mems are being encountered at a depth
of from 100 to 15O feet.
Several companies are operating
claims in the district The San Diego
Gem company is prosecuting the de-
velopment of its property in a sys-
tematic way, having done over 1900
feet of tunneling.
In the close vicinity are the 6S4 acres
of the Mesa Grande Tourmaline ana
Gem company, the recently organized
corporation with a capital of $1.OOO,0OO.
composed of prominent Augelenoes who
are now developing their claims
There are half dozen lodges on this
property that promise to be producers
The development work is yet In it's
primary stages but mining men say
that the claims are of great richness
San Diego county has a display OF
its precious stones, valued at $4,000
now on exhibition at the Portland ex-
position. The exhibit has been produc-
tive of much attention on the part Of
sightseers and has done much to ad-
yertise one Of the most valuable re-
sources of the southern county
Dies Suddenly