THE MAN WHO WOULD BE CORUNDUM KING

hen Harris Kirk discovered crystals of corundum—a mineral building block of gemstones—on his Bozeman, Mont., ranch in February 1901, he had visions of great wealth. He figured it would only be a matter of time before he found sapphires, as had happened when Yogo blue sapphires were unearthed farther north. As word of his find leaked out, even the press confirmed his expectations. “It is expected that, among other things usually found in mines of this nature, the sapphire will not be conspicuous by its absence,” Butte’s speculated on April 16, “and should the Oriental blue be found, the claim will be a very desirable one indeed, as these stones are valued at $20