The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-08-07

output, as the home government exacts
tax Of 80 per cent on the gross yield
The first diamond in South Africa was
found in 1869. This discovery sent hun
dreds of searchers to the field, but ten
months elapsed before a second diamond
was discovered, and that no. near tho
same place.
In Arkansas the first two diamonds
were found by John w. Huddleston on
his farm. They were sent for examina-
ton to Charles S. Stiff, a jeweler and
diamond expert of Little Rock who i'm
mediately pronounced them diamonds, but
they were sent to Arnstein Bros. & Co.,
diamond importers of New York, and also
submitted to DR.. George F. Kunz the
gem expert, all of whom confirmed the
opinion of Mr.. Stiff. Recognizing the
Importance of the discovery, an option
was secured on the Huddleston farm,
which was later purchased. and this led
to the formation of the first Arkansas
diamond mining company. From that
time on diamonds continued to be found
so frequently that over 1000 had been
recovered and this with only the crudest
equipment for washing.
The South African diamonds are found
in volcanic pipes containing diamond
bearing rock, known to biologists as
peridotite and to miners as .'blue ground"
or the blue. This volcanic earth extends
to unknown depths. The Kimberly mine
Is now being worked at depth of 5000
feet and continues to produce diamonds
in paying quantities as in the beginning
after 40 years of continuous working
The volcanic pipe in Pike county,
Arkansas. has the same formation as the
South African pipes. The diamond-bear-
ing blue ground, or peridotite, has just
the same characteristics. The diamonds
it has yielded in the essentials of hard
ness color and brilliancy, are fully equal
| 10 Of ha
average better.
DR.. George f. Kunz, one of the greatest
authorities on diamonds in America. au-
thor of several books and encyclopedia
articles on diamonds and other precious
stones, visited the Arkansas diamond mine
and has pronounced the diamonds genu-
Inc and of excellent quality, color, hard
ness and briliancy. Mermod, Jaccard g.
King Co., jewellers, st. Louis; Eisenstadt
Manufacturing company wholesale and
manufacturing jewellers. st. Louis; Arm
stein Bros. & Co., diamond importers.
New York, are among the other experts
who have unqualifedly pronounced the
diamonds genuine.
DR.. Henry 8. Washington, the eminent
geologist of New York, visited the prop
erty and pronounced the mining area a
genuine volcanic pipe containing diamond
bearing peridotite of the same character
as that of the South African pipes.
John Il. ruler, mining engineer Ior-
merly in charge of one Of the largest Of
the DeBeers Consolidated mines, and man.
ager of the Du Toits Pan Mine, South
Africa, reports that 1.-The Arkansas peri
dotite resembles in every essential par
ticular the demonstrating peridotites
of South Africa, and the most essential
commercial detail, the actual finding Of
diamonds within it's mass. is fulfilled. That
the diamonds found in this soil have been
derived from the underlying perfdotite
is unuuestionable. Mr.. Fuller was re-
Gently offered his former position Of man.
ager of the Du Toits Pan Mine, but de-
clined by cable, because of being 50 deep
ly impressed with the future of this Pike
county field