The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1910-02-10
Frosm the Philadelphia Ledger.

TIOSIl lie IIllu&lGlpuAA A/SueCA'
Diamond rumors are once more flying
About-this time to the effect that the
missing portions of the great Cullinan dia-
mond have been found.
When the diamond that is now known
n the Cullinan was discovered four years
ago in the Premier Mine in South Africa.
1t bore every evidence that huge as 1t Is.
It IL only a portion of a much larger
stone, the original form and size of which
ca monty be approximately indicated.
What are known as a diamonds cleav-
age planes lead the mine officials to the
conclusion that four pieces, each OF con-
siderable size, must nave been broken off
from the original stone by natural crystal
cleavage. Needless to say, the mine off,
Gals Immediately instituted a thorough
search for the missing pieces. Up-to the
present time. SO far as the public knows,
their search has been fruitless.
The possibility that these C%ullinan frag-
ments may be stumbled uron any day
keeps the damon. region of South Afri-
ca alive with rumors of great finds. No
is able to predict even approximate
ly where these fragments may now be ~
ing. They may be deep down In the
mines; they may be elsewhere. The dia-
,mond is formed at great depths by the
accommodation OF carbon, dissolved in the
molten basic, plutonic magma of the earth
'NA1S ~ lOIlIICu az q
later period from this rocky The carbon
was then, under enormous pressure and
at the very high temperature prevailing
at these depths. deposited from the molten
rock In the form OF diamonds. During the
volcanic discharges Of the masses of rock
ffhe diamond was forced upward with tire.
.!imendous force, and the very great friction
10 which the mass was exposed during its
passage through the crater shaft caused
the cleavage OF the stone according tC
crystailographic laws. 1t is, therefore,
not impossible that the brokenoff frag.
ments Of the Cullinan are scattered over
a wide space, and that they may one day
be found on the surface of the earth, bu,
1t is just as possible that they are still
reposing in the depths OF the mines.
One Of the rumors now in circulation
comes from the African newspapers
The other half of the Cullinan,' so runs
this interesting rumor, has been found In
the possession of the Kaffrs of the Mag.
atos tribe in Zoutpansberg. The dimen-
sions of this second Cullinan" have been
given as 4,32 carats.
This story has been denied by the Trans.
wall Department Of mines. and an Off.
cial OF the treasury In Pretoria states
that the origin of the legend can un.
doubtedly be traced to the belief tina,
enormous quantities Of diamonds were
buried by command of the celebrated
AAAAeildHs vile MaJat1e curing the BOet
war. 1nese diamonds became the spoil
OF the Kafflrs when they returned to Kim.
berley. But these treasures are lost, fol
the kafnrs who buried them are dead
and search for them has been withou,
result.
When this rumor was submitted by a
Ledger reporter to Mr.. George Frederick
kunz, the germ expert of The Tiffany
company in New York. he aid
Yes / have heard the r,,mor tbo% .%,,.
other half of the Cullinan has been
found This much 1 can say positively
the other half has not been found, for the
single reason that the Cullinan never had
another half The shape of the Culli-
nan before it was cut afforded almost
conclusive proof that IN the course OF
Natures workings four pieces had been
broken from the original diamond, and
that the diamond as found in the mine
was only about half the size OF the orlRi-
nal stone. The undiscovered half, how
ever. is represented by four pieces, and 1t
e even possible that these have been
eplit into smaller fragments.
Il have tried to run the present rumor
down, and SO far as 1 can discover. / am
responsible for 1t.
Some months ago l wrote an article
which was published in the Century Mag