Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1911-04-20
The Costly Ruby and Its Home.

1t has long been habit of the writer
to pause before the iron-grated windows
OF dealers in precious stones. The trays
of sparkling gems have had for him an
irresistible fascination. Not long since,
in one famous shop, collection ofrubies
was displayed which might well have
given pause to any hurrying passer-by.
Upon strip OF black velvet lay some OF
the reddest, clearest and most beautiful
stones imaginable. Inquiry as to their
price revealed the fact that the average
man may only think OF admiring them
from the street and through plate-glasS
window. None but the longest-purSed
may think OF gaining these rubby-gemS
as possessions.
The Bible sage felt he was putting an
exalted estimate on the value OF wisdom
when he said that the price OF it was
"above rubies." From the earliest times
these stones have been exceedingly cost
ty. Theophrastus, who lived before long
Christ, spoke of quite small ruby as
being worth forty gold staters. Benven-
uto Cellini in the sixteenth century states
that ruby OF one karat was worth eight
times as much as a diamond of the same
weight. The potentates of India, that
land of gorgeous gems, have always
valued rubies highly and been willing to
pay fabulous sums for perfect specimens.
Practically all the rubies of the world
in ancient or modern times have come
from one locality, the Mogok Valley OF
Burma. II is difficult to learn how long
these mines have been in operation, but
they have certainly been known and
worked since long time previous to
1900. The policy Of the Burmese kings
has always been to keep them as mys-
terious and secluded as prsSible. Re-
gions where the byon, or ruby-bearlng
clay, was to be found were most carefully
guarded.
The old method of.diggilg and wash
ing by hand labor has been superseded
to-day by the use OF machinery. The
clay is dug up, carried on trolleYs to the
steam cleansing mill, washed, passed
through the sieves and then examined
for gems. AT one mine alone about four
teen hundred tons of byon are washed
daily during the busiest seasons, an as
tonishing advance over the old hand
labor methods which are still pursued by
some OF the native BurnianS. Indeed,
practically the sole industry OF the town
OF Mogok is the production OF rubleS. so
great is the wealth resulting that the place
is reckoned the most prosperous town in
that part OF India. 1t has good roads,
excellent water supply and drainage SyS-
tenn and is we'll poiced. It's very pros
perity means its doom, however, as the
mining operations are steadily encroach-
ing on its residential and business sec
tions. There are rubes everywhere
within the limits of the place, and in
short time the entire town must be re-
moved to a new site. There will doubt
less be no complaint on the part OF the
inhabitants, as enough red crystals will
be found to pay for the cost OF removal
many times over.
In America we place our money IN
banks, in stocks or real estate, but the
average Indian invests his surplus cash
in gold or silver ornaments. The Bur-
man is inclined to invest his savings in
rubies and to feel it safe investment
In any time of financial stress he has no
trouble in releasing his capital. For ru-
bieS have to-day a steady and very great
value. A flawless diamond of one karat
/ may be worth about one hundred dollars,
, while perfect ruby of the same weight
| is worth at least two hundred dollars.
| Moreover, as the size increases the value
increases much faster than in the case OF
diamonds. A diamond OF ten karatS is
worth, perhaps, four thousand dollars,
while ruby of that weight may be worth
any price up TO seventy thousand dollars,
which was the actual sum asked for a
gorgeous stone exhibited in 1909 at the
Franco British Exhibition in London.
| No piee, OF course, is set on the great
! Agincourt ruby, which CLEANS in the
British crown, but in the open market II
would cost princes ransom.
Rubies are to be cIassed as among the
luxuries of life. They serve no purpose
save to delight us with their beauty, YET
the demand for them, save in times ol
financial panic, is constant; United States
Consul Wakefield, of Rangoon, estimating
that little less than three hundred thou
sand dollars comes back to Burma each
wear from across seas IN return for hel
splendid gems. Thus is this remote and
as we are apt to think, ill-favored cornel
of the world, enriched by natures lar
gesse.