The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1914-04-22

FURNISHES
RARE GEMS
Emerald Mines of That Coun-
try Are Rich as Are Those
of Ecuador and Peru.


do they come from-those flashing
stone of pure peIucid green that Of
ten form the central setting of beau
ty's choicest gems2 Diamonds form
but satellites then the rarest of jew
els. a perfect emerald, flashes its hre \
from the snowy throat OF woman ialr
or lends its sheen to the jewel-en- I
crusted crown of royalty. Its birth IS K
hidden in the mystery of natures al |
chemy, but its beauty and charm
have been recognized from the very
dawn of history.
Emeralds flashed on the shield OF
Aaron: the Ptolomfes of Egypt treas
ured them, and their lapidaries knew
the art of engraving on their hard
SURFACES with systic symbols OF their
ancient faith; the Theban tombS rel
vealed choice emeralds among their
long buried treasures, while Hercu-
lIaneum and Pompeii have added their
uuoto to the greed of modern excava-
tors Nero, that half-mad monster
who once ruled the destines of Rome,
used an enormous ererald for a mon
ocle; and in the flmy fabric OF the
gowns Of Cleopatra 'emeralds shone IN
Verdant lustre.
Most Valuable Gem
Mount Zabarah, In Upper Egypt, is
said to have been the source of many
of these ancient gems. but centuries
have passed since these prolific mines
were exhausted and modern jewelers.
must now depend upon the western
Hemis phere for their supply. In the
spoils | zarro sent to Spain, so goes
the story in the Spanish edition for
May of the Monthly Bulletin OF the
Pan American Union, were found the
| first fine specimens of American en-
eroIds, and thus was revealed another
source of the manifold wealth OF the
New World. Perhaps the most Valu-
n MD n
times is that one in that famous col
lection of gems owned by the Duke OF
Deyonshire 1t is said to be a perfect
| hexagonal crystal. weighing 8 ounces
and S pennyweights, and two inches
in len 9Th 1t came from the mines OF
Colon ia. and it is this south Amer
lean republic that furnishes the
greatest supply of fine emeralds
known to the world today.
Not that Colombia is the only coun-
try that has emerald mines. Ecuador
and Peru have contributed their
share to the worlds supply, and in
the former country the city of Es-
meraldas (spanish for emeralds)
takes its name from the precious
stones found in its vicinity. Among
the Aztec treasures of Mexico We're
found emeraIds as fine as those OF
the Peruvian IncaS, and it Is reported
that Cortez was offered 10000 ducats
the hoard of Montezuma. The Mex
lean gems were exqutsitely cut, and
1t is from this source that the mag
nifcent emeralds now forming part
of the royal collection of Spain were
supposed to have come. In certain
parts of Siberia, India. Salisbury IN
Austria, Australia, Norway, Brazil,
ireland, and in some areas of the
United States limited quantities of
the precious stones are found, but the
gems OF greatest beauty and value
are to be had from the Muzo and Cos
quex deposits near Bogota, the CAPT
tai of Colon bia.
The Colombian Gems.
The Colombian gems exhibit to the
highest degree the qualities of color,
brilliancy, dawlessn esS, and size char
acteristic of the best emeralds known,
and the Muzo district seems at pres
ent to be the most prolific of all min
ing zones The matrix in which they
are imbedded oyerlies a great preci-
pice OF black shale or slate. This
black rock contains but few stones.
They are found for the most part in
white calcite running in veins
through this slate, some being i'm bed
dede in the matrix and others lying
in pockets. These rocks dip in every
direction, evidently as the result of
repeated voIcanis action, and the
strata are traversed by cracks or
small assures, which have been filled
up by infiltration with silica, alumina,
lime, and magnesia, with little
chrome and other minerals, including
prites. Under great heat and pres
sure these minerals in the assures or
veins crystallized in different forms
according to the various min
erals contained. Thus, II is supposed
have emeralds been formed, for the
most beautiful, of a deep green color,
have been found in these veins, the
tint being due to the presence OF
chrome in sufficient quantities. All
of the Colombian mines are situated
within radius of 100 miles of Bogo-
ia, at attitudes between 1000 and
1000 feet above sea level. 1t is es-
timated that the annual production is
not far from 81 100000 in value An
English syndicate has the exclusive
concession for mining these valuable
stones, under strict governmental
supervision, and the actual figures OF
the annual output have not been re-
Yealed in recent years.
There are two wage-earning