Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1915-11-25
NORWAY, THE HANDSOME
MAINE VILLAGE OF GEMS
Pearls, Amethysts, Garnets, Topaz, Beryls and
Tourmalines Are All Found in PROPULSION in
the Maine Town-lnteresting Article in the
Motor Print by A. HI. Verrill.

mann street, a few good buildings
and stores two or three saw-mills
and a shoe factory and no one, pass
ing hurriedly through the village,
would ever dream that in the gray
and weather beaten granite lodges %
the neighborhood are boarded untold
stores of natures choicest crystals
or that many of the village HOUSES
contain fortunes in cut and uncut
gems.
Within the confines of this little
country town a dozen lapidists are
constantly at work, buSiiy cutting
and polishing the wonderful gems from
the surrounding hills. and far and
near in the jrwel-dealine world these
gems of the Pine Tree State are famed
for their beauty, perfection and value.
A stranger might visit Norway score
OF times he might live in the village
for days OF even weeks ard yet re-
main all una ware of the romantic and
fascinating industry which should
make Norway famous throughout the
length and breadth of our land.
Ou1Wardly there is nothing 10 dis
tinguish Norway from many another
WCll-to- do New England village. There
are no large Jewel stores, no visible
displays of gems, for the business is
carried on by individuals who love the
precious stones for their beauty. rarity
and associations far more than for
their commercial value or for profit,
A score or more Of the inha bitants
have wonderful collections of the ma
tive jewels, and the:word gem is an
open sesame 10 marvellous trea sures 81
sparkling. scintillating. shimmering
stones such as are seldom seen even
in the great Jewel marts Of the me-
trupolis.
1t is 4 wonderful revelation 10 enter
Z modest country cottage. TO step into
ar Fashioned. low ce!led parIor.
and TO have spread before YOU upon
tables 2nd chairs. trays and boxes Of
jewels worth q kings ransom and
which would make tho crown jewels Of
many q monarch look pale and Ia dry
10y comparison.
Your host brings out worn black
leather case. The cover is s7rune
open and from the interior blaze forth
the fire md pr.smatic rays of a hun
drod marvellous gems, Royal-purple
annothySts; amber colored golden
bervls: pale lanlbient aQuamarines;
deep, blood--cd carners: hoaey- tinted
tol az; greer, purple. yellpp', rose.
white and hyacinthine tourma1ines and
flashing. d!arlond-like cacsium bCryis
nestle side BY side upon their plush
he'd and dazzle YOUR ewes with their
flashing brilhancy ard Immune ra BE
tlnts. Surely one thinks. no such dis
play was efcr seen outside of a fairy
tale OF -AiadG.n's cave, bat each and
every enc was obtained from the near
by hills ard was cut and polished IN
the local lap.dar!es.
Even Pearls in this Gen Bonanza.
Presently another case IS opened and
n place u the fash Of face;el -eI.ls
We Sc" rows uron rows Of pearls. Won
dcrful il their lus.er. rl1rvcicus II
their purity and perfection. and rang
ing in size from tiny spec1s like dcI:-
drops to great spheres Of siiVery Shccn
larger than peas. Certainly these We're
never found in the granite ribbed hills:
they saver Of the Orient. Of lus'ly
divers and of coral reefs; but the
owner smiles and assures US that
these, TOO. are Norway products, that
this fortune IN pearls mas been wrest-
ed from the lowly fresh water clans
found in the brooks and streams Of
the vicinity.
At first sight one is filled with
SPECIFICS admiration at the size and
Undesirable beauty of the treasures
displayed. Then ones curiosity as to
their value is aroused and a question
Is asked as to their worth. Lifting a
, magnificent, silvey globulav pearl
from its plush bed and rolling il in his
palm the owner says that this pearl
weighs fifteen pearl-graias and has Il
I market value Of over five hundred DOL
las. tut il is not for sale. 1t was the
first pearl ne ever found and i. price
less for its associations. The other
gems have definite market value The
largest. great pale green tourmaline,
is worth one thousand dollars. An
other. a limpid honey-colored be-yl.
Will bring five hundred: while a third.
a sclntillatinS. flashing. water clear
gem, is valued at two hundred. a
diamond YOU eXclaim as you ADMIRE
the radiant play OF color and the liy-
ing fire Of this splendid stone, bat in
this you are mistaken, for the wonder
full gem is caesium beryl, a stone
which only an expert can distinguish
from the finest diamond.
Magnificent as are these gems and
! pearls they are but beginning. Tray
after tray and box after box are pro-
duced. each filled with jewels more
wonderful than the last and when one
feels that the end must surely have
been reached, new marvels are dis
! closed as scores Of folded papers are
/ brought out, each filled with dozens
of cut stones Of assorted colors and va
rieties.
Even this is not all: the uncut. nat
ural stones are next exhibited-prismst :
ic crystals of every hue and form, blue,
green. pink, white. yellow, carmen,
purple. Some valuable only as speci-
mems. others capable Of being cut into
almost priceless gems, and all gathered
by the owner from the granite hills
and lodges of the vicinity.
From this one collection you might
select gems OF every conceivable size,
color or form and yet this is but an
example Of a dozen or more similar
collections in the village and. finally,
to cap the climax. a magnificent brooch
is shown consisting of Maine anne