PRECIOUS STONES 335 



Oregon, California, Nevada, and Utah, undoubtedly contain 

 much handsome opal. 



Tlie first important opening was in 1890, near Moscow, 

 Latah county, Idaho, close to the Washington Hne. Build- 

 ings were erected, and a fine postoffice called Gem City was 

 established. Fine opal was present in the trachyte rock,and 

 for a year or two there was considerable production. In 1891 

 the value of the output was estimated at $5,000. For some 

 time past, however, little has been heard of this formerly prom- 

 ising locality. 



Other occurrences were noted at about the same time. 

 One of these was in Morrow county. Ore., where several thou- 

 sand dollars' worth of specimens were said to have been ob- 

 tained m 1892, and many were exhibited at the Spokane fair. 

 Another was at Opaline, in Owyhee county, Idaho, and ex- 

 hibits of these were made in the Idaho section of the Mining 

 building at the Columbian exhibition in 1893. Another oc- 

 currence was reported m 1895, near Salmon city, Lemhi coun- 

 ty, Idaho, where beautiful opal was found in boulders of trach- 

 yte, and finally traced to the ledge whence it had come. Many 

 very handsome pieces were obtained, and the mineral was 

 present in great variety of color and quality, but no definite 

 work seems to have been undertaken. 



In 1902, one or more promising occurrences were an- 

 nounced m southern California, in the region of the Mo- 

 jave desert. One of these is in San Bernardino county, 

 about 25 miles north of Barstow, the junction of the Santa 

 Fe and California Southern railroads. Here opal occurs in 

 veins and pockets in a porphjrritic dike about 2 miles in length. 

 Much of it is semiopal, of various colors, some a beautiful 

 amber yellow, and with these occur precious and fire opal. 

 The locality is promising but needs to be explored and de- 

 veloped. In Tulare county, also, are found some beautiful 

 semiopals that might be valuable in ornamental art work. 

 One of these, from near Yokohl, is transparent yellow and 

 amber like ; another is from the chrysoprase mine near Visalia. 

 It is translucent green, and has been called chrysoprase opal 

 or chrysopal, by the discoverer,Mr. B. Braverman. The Idaho 

 locality at Panther creek, Lemhi county, before alluded to, 



