Rensselaer Republican, Volume 23, Number 36, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 May 1891 — American Gems. [ARTICLE]

American Gems.

W. A. Kerr, jeweler, New York, says: I was once asked by a lady if there were many precious stones found in the United States. She meant minerals. She was of the same opinion as many others in thiscountryTtEaf everything precious in that line was found only in the old world. There is, I believe, little mining here for precious gems, but it is not because we do not have them. Rock crystal, which admits of such a 1 high polish, and which is much usedin jewelry now, is found in large quantities in North Carolina, Virginia, Georgia and Arkansas. There is a jet in Colorado that is equal to any I ever saw, and I believe there is sbme in Texas. In Maine there is a mountain called Mount Mica, out of which tourmalines to the value of SIOO,OOO, a yeai' are taken. Moonstone is found in Virginia, and the soil of New Mexico is enriched with sapphires, rubies and garnets. —Chicago Tribune. A flute that was discovered lately in an Egyptian tomb, says the Paris Figaro, was in so good a state of preservation that it could be played upon as well a# if it had been made this century instead of 3,000 years ago. What is equally interesting is that, while the sound differs from the flutes of this day, its notes are said to be based upon the rules of the modern scale. If this should be veriged it would, to some extent, revolutionize existing notions about Egyptian music. From the last statistical Year Book of the Protestant Church in Prussia, published by the authority of the government, it appears that in 1889 no fewer tnan 3,125 persons became converts to the Evangelical church. Of these 2,317 were from the Roman Catholic church, 525 had been dissenters and 283 had been Jews. Pennsylvania is taking much interest in a great piece of engineering represented in a pipe line from Mor-' jantown, W. Va. to Philadelphia. ’ic pipe line must cross the great arallel ranges of the Appalachian l hain and the Susquehanna river to .each the eastern seaboard. It is' said to be capable- of delivering 15,000 barrels 01 oil a day. >