The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1907-06-10

probable valueE
About fJ0,0O0r
The reply startled the magistrate.
and it sent thrill through the court
Really, So much." Mr.. Abingdon
was almost scared.
If, after cutting. they turn out as
we'll as l expect, that is a moderate
estimate OF their worth"
Il take it. from what you say. that
meteoric diamonds are rare:"
Isaacstein closed his throat with q
premonitory cough and punched up
his shoulders. slight wabble was
steadied by his stumpy hands on the
rail OF the witness box. He was really
the greatest living authority on the
subject, and he knew It,
''It is a common delusion among dia-
mond miners that diamonds fall from
the skies in meteoric showers" he said.
There is some sort of foundation for
this mistaken view, as the stones are
found in volcanic pipes or columns
Of diamantiferous material. and the
crude idea is that gigantic meteors fell
and plowed these deep holes. distribut-
ing diamonds in all directions as they
passed. But the so called pipes are
really the vents of extinct volcanoes.
Ignorant people do not realize that the
chemical composition of the earth does
not differ greatly from that of the
bodies which surround it in space, so
that the same process of manufacture
under high temperature and at great
pressure which creates a diamond in n
meteor has equal powers here. In a
word, what has happened in the outer
universe has also happened at Kimber-
ley. Iron acts as the solvent during
the period of creation, so TO speak.
Then in the lapse OF ages 1t oxidizes
by the action of air or water and the
diamonds remain"
The magistrate nodded.
There are particles of a mineral
that looks like iron among these
stones?' he said.
The question gave Isaacstein time to
draw fresh supply of breath. Sure
of his audience now, he proceeded
more slowly.
THAT is a certain proof OF meteoric
source. A striking confirmation of the
fact is supplied by district in Ari-
IONA. Here, on a plain five miles in
diameter, are scattered thousands of
masses of metallic iron varying In
weight from half ton to a fraction of
one ounce. An enormous meteoric
shower fell there at some period, and
near the center Is a crater-like hole
which suggests the impact of some
very large body which buried itself in
the earth. All mineralogists know the
place as the Canyon Diabolo, or Dew
lis gulch, and specimens of its ore are
in every collection. Ordinary tools
were spoiled and even emery wheels
worn by some hard ingredient in the
iron, md analysis has revealed the
presence therein Of three distinct forms
of diamond-the ordinary stone, like
those now before you, both transpar-
ent and black graphite and amorphous
carbon-that is, carbon without crys-
Utilization"
II gather that the diamantiferous
material was present in the form of
tiny particles and not in stones at all
approaching these in size?" said Mr..
| Abingdon.
Exactly. l have never either seen
| or heard of specimens like those. In
| 1886 a meteor fell in Russia and con-
tanned l per cent of diamond in a
slightly metamorphosed state. In 1916
the Ava meteorite fell in Hungary.
and it held crystalline graphite in the
bright as well as the dark form. But,
again, the distribution was we'll DIFF
fused and Of slight commercial value
Sir William Crookes or any eminent
chemist will bear me out in the as
sumption that the diamonds now be-
fore your eyes are absolutely match
less by the product of any recorded
meteoric source
Isaacstein, having delivered his little
lecture, looked and felt important
The magistrate bent forward, with 6
pleasant smile.
II am very much obliged to you fol
the highly interesting information yor
have given" he said. Zone more
question. The inevitably corollary Of
your evidence is that the boy now II
the dock has either found a meteor Of
a meteoric deposit. Can you say if i
is a matter of recent occurrenceH
Judging by the appearance of th
accompanying scraps of iron ore,
should say that they have been quit
recently in a state of f1ux from heat
; The sillcates seem to be almost elimi
mated"
The magistrate was unquestionabl
puzzled. Queer incidents happen II
> police courts daily, and the most VI
expected scientific and technical point
are elucidsted in the effort to secur
an accurate comprehension Of matter
in dispute. But never during his Ion
tenancy Of the court had he been Gale
on to deal with case of this natur,
He smiled in his perplexity.
1--WE all remember the copyboo
maxim, Let justice be done thong
the heavens fall he said, "but her