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688
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MINERAL RESOURCES.
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which,
owing to the superior workmanship in command here, could be recut at a
profit, or else in recutting very valuable diamonds when it was
desired, with the certainty that the work could be done under their own
supervision, thus guarding against any possible loss or exchange for
inferior stones.
It
will be seen from the following table that the industry employed 236
persons (69 under age), who received $148,114 in wages. Of the 19
establishments, 16 used steam power, which was usually rented. Foot
power was used in but one establishment. Three of the firms were
engaged in shaping black diamonds for mechanical purposes, for glass
cutters and engravers, or for use in the manufacture of watch jewels.
The average weight of the material before and after cutting is also
given in the table. The marked difference in the prices of diamonds, as
shown, is due to variations in their weight and quality.
Beginning
in the latter part of 1888, and lasting through 1889, there was a
marked increase in the price of rough diamonds, resulting in rapid
advances of from 20 to 25 per cent, at a time, amounting in all to an
increase of from 80 to 100 per cent, above the prices of the previous
years.
Census of the diamond-cutting industry, 1889,
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