The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1909-09-27
WASHINGTON NEWS

by the city enumerators and it Will
cover horses. mich cows. chickens,
etc. housed in barns. stables. etc. in
the cities. No attempt will be made
to get the area of city gardens or va
cant-lot cultivation.
Montana produced the greater part
of the sss,3s1 worth OF sapphres mined
in the United States last year. accord
ing to a report of the geological sur
vey. The majority of the sapphires
dug from the mines of Montana came
from single mine in Fergus county
The sapphire production was the third
largest of the precious stones. The
production in fa0s fell from s229. 500 in
1907.
The value of the precious stones pro-
duced in the United States in 1908
was S4l5.0sS a decrease of s56.237 from
1907.
The general trade depression appears
not to Eave affected the precious
stones industry as much as might
have been expected. and the produc-
ton of certain gems, notably tur-
auoise and varscite, was greatly in
creased over that for 1907.
Turquoise.
Turquoise and turquoise matrix
formed the largest item III the list,
the production being 2a,5so pounds.
with an estimated value of STAT, $50,
from Arizona, New Mexico. Nevada
and California. The 1907 value was
s23,sIo. An odd stone recently cut in
Los Angeles from a deposit on Ithaca
peak, in Mohave county. Arizona,
showed a blue letter Y of turquoise
in a gray matrix. this cutting being
made possible through the presence
of a split turquoise veinlct. The stone
was sent to Il student in Yale univer-
sity.
TourmaIine.
Tourmaline was the next largest
item in point of value. the production
being $500 pounds, with an estimated
value of $780, 900, Fl ON California. Con-
necticut and Maine. In 1907 the pro-
duetion was 2,l40 pounds. valued at
ss4.120. The bulk of the 1903 produc-
ton came from California; at Mesa
Grande a perfect tourlnaine weighing
IS carats after cutting was obtained.
Diamond.
Arkansas, Though not a large item. is
of interest because this was tic first
locality in North America where dia-
m"nds were found in place. The first
diamond was discovered August l.
1906. about two and half miles
southeast If Murfrcesborn. Pike coun-
ty. in peridotte. an igneous rock. The
production from this locality I'm 1907
had an estimated value of $4,000. In
1908 the production was 362 stones,
with an estimated value of s21o0. 1t
is reported that over 700 diamonds
have been found up to July /, 1909
Three cut stones Were found to he
brilliant and were valued at $50 to
SITS per carat. 4 parcel of rough,
unsorted stones from the mine will be
easily worth $40 per carat. The posi-
bilisies Of cheap mining in Arkansas
are great as water and timber are
abundant nearby. and coal should be
obtained at reasonable rates. Some
diamonds are reported - have been
found also in newly-discavered peri
dotite area about two and a half
miles northeast of the original local
ity.
Imports.
The Imports of precious stones in
1908 We're 81 per cent less than In 1907
and 20 per cen; less than in 1906 The
total value OF the 1908 imports was
$4,000, 404, of which s9.27o.225 was i'm
unset cut diamonds. 1885. 7as In un-
cut diamonds and s91o.6s9 in pearls.
beginning September Is the secre-
tary of agriculture ordered a ouaran-
tine on the following counties i'm
wyoming to prevent the spread of lip
and leg disease in sheep: Big Horn.
johnson. Sheridan. Weston. Crook.
Converse, Natrona. Fremont. Albany
and Laramie.