Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-09-18
THE DIAMOND FURRY
Reckless Extravaganza In Precious
Stones Passes the Peak Dls-
nnonds From the Stars-Lee
Plummer and His Millions
BY GEORGE NOX Mccain


BY GEORGE NON McCAlN
TyHE public ia gradually recovering from
i its orgy Of reckless and indiscriminate
snend;ne
One of tb, ev;depccs of this Is that the
dismopd furrv bos nassed its peak
NOT that diamonds have declined in price.
or are likely to :, nor that legitimate trade
in this precous stone bos grown smaller.
II is n fnct though, that the newly rich
md tho suncrnrosncrous mechanics who
during and since the war made more in a
single wael tban fbev ovcr before made in n
month. are curtailing their extravagances in
this respect.
WlNflEbD SCOIT McHbNhn II dia-
w mond expert He isn't an importer;
just an expert who can tell the character
and value of a diamond at a glance. He
tells me that the trade Is, gradually settling
back to it's former channels
The hectic rush to wear a diamond in a
silk shirt to his work by the mechanic. who
regarded this display as In evidence Of
wealth and prosperity, has about ceased.
The people who know diamonds, who buy
them judiciously. who are not influenced by
cnhcmcral or vulgar fads, are getting into
the market again.
It's healthy sign, according to Mr.. Nc
Henry: and he knows.
are Of the celestial spheres heavenly.
1t was the Philadelphia Academy OF Nat
ural Sciences that first revealed to the world
the fact that diamonds had been found in
meteorites.
That was away back in 1881.
The discovery was published under the
title Of Diamonds in Meteorites.
To Prof. A. T.. Footc belongs the honor
of finding the first diamonds in these visitors
from interstellar spaces.
DIR. George Frederick Kunz, of New York,
the greatest living expert in precious stones,
also discovered. more than thirty years ago,
thirteen diamonds in small meteorite that
fell in Russia.
croscopic in size.
Diamonds have been manufactured in the
last quarter of century under tremendous
heat and pressure. But they also have been
microscopic.
Professor Hannay, Of Glasgow, twenty
five years ago, exhibited diamonds which he
had manufactured and which British Mu-
scum authorities pronounced genuine dia-
mond crystals
They were very small 1t cost Professor
TIannay S25 900 to produce 81 % worth of
the gem.
Scientists have about abandoned the idea
that these products of the retort will ever
become a commercial possibility.
TTNHE great De Beers syndicate OF South
diamonds.
They control the diamond fields Of South
Africa in about the same proportion that
four great corporations in Pennsylvania con-
troll the anthracite coal supply.
For this reason the price of diamonds is
not likely to decline until the market be-
comes overstocked.
1t is not likely to become overstocked as
long as the DE Beers crowd can control the
output.
1t looks as though the day of the cheap
diamond is forever gone. That is unless new
fields are discovered.
TT WAS an Irishman named O'Reilly who
i discovered the first diamond in modern
DAYS in South Africa away back in 1867.
1t was an understood American named
Porter Rhoads who discovered the most
beautiful diamond ever found in the Kim
berlcy field.
1t wasn't the largest stone discovered
before or since. but it was the most brilliant.
IL was subsequently sold to the Countess of
Dudley for $500, 900.
The most remarkable thing about diamond
from the blue clay and gravel by machine.
Only one third of ! per cent is lost in the
Every stone is recovered by subsequent
mechanical process.
T LEE PLI'MMER, Of Blair county. was
y . chairman Of the appropriation committee
in the Legislative session OF 1905. The
committee held it's Philadelphia meetings in
Senator Boics Pcnroses chambers in the
Arcade Building.
As the appropriations for the sessions
exceeded $40. 900 900 to all sorts of private
and public charities. scores of legislators
naturally attended the committees meetings
Senator Pcnrose had in his emf 10y coorcd
messenger who was present during many Of
the committees deliberations when finances
we're discussed.
One day in a burst of confidence tho
messenger remarked soborly and with ,loIor
Gus shake of the head to James NJ. Roacor
of Westmorcand
THAT gentleman. Mistah Plummah. Ger.