work
through the Chinese to secure their supplies. The jade is sometimes
obtained in lumps weighing 1 or 2 pounds. One New York firm found jade
cheaper in Peking than in southern China. A Chinese merchant in
Hongkong reports that he is ready to supply uncut jade, though there
might be difficulty in arranging prices unless the buyer has an agent
on the ground, or there be some jeweler in China upon whom he could
rely to make his purchases.
ONYX MARBLE.
The
opening of new onyx marble quarries by E. and C. Traslos-heros" near
Pueblo, Mexico, promises to meet the demands of the manufacturers in
the United States. Hitherto it has been difficult to secure all the
rough material needed, as the producers preferred to elaborate the
stone themselves, and thus realize greater profits. Samples from the
new quarries are of varied colors, some being very beautiful. The price
of the onyx at the quarries averages about $150 gold per cubic meter.
Delivered at the railroad it varies from $175 to $200 gold.
OPAL.
NEW MEXICO.
Maj.
E. W. Hubbard, of the United States Artillery Corps, has furnished
some notes on an opal prospect opened near Fort Bayard, N. Mex.,
several years ago. The prospect is located about one-half mile from the
station, and is in a very hard volcanic rock. The opal is called
"button opal" in the region around, and is white, with little, if any,
fire. It makes a beautiful specimen, however, since the opal is
invariably outlined by a zone of black chalcedony.
OPALIZED WOOD.
COLORADO.
Opalized wood was obtained in the eastern part of El Paso County, Colo., along with jasperized wood, by Mr. W. C. Hart.
AUSTRALIA.
The
White Cliffs opal region of New South Wales, Australia, continued to
yield opals of good quality, for which the miners complained they did
not receive full value. For this reason it was arranged to have an
agent open showrooms nearer foreign markets, where it was expected
lapidaries would be employed to elaborate the stone before selling.
Chicago was to be the first place to make this trial, and, if
successful, similar establishments would be set up in the larger cities
of the Continent.
Special
Agent H. R. Burrill,* at Brisbane, suggests a direct trade between the
merchants of the United States and Queensland business houses in opal
instead of having the stone imported through other countries, thereby
increasing its cost. Such a trade is very much
oU. S. Daily Cons. Eepts., Februarv 6, 1906. M'. S. Daily Cons. Repts. No. 2870, May 15, 1907.
