Rensselaer Republican, Volume 22, Number 31, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 3 April 1890 — COLD NUCCETS. [ARTICLE]

COLD NUCCETS.

HU tor? of tha Most Important Fond la California. The first nugget of any great importance, and which played a prominent part in the early history of California, was found by a young soldier of Stevenson’s regiment, in the Mokelnmne River,while drinking from that stream. He hastened to San Francisco and placed his prize in the hands of Col. Mason for safety, after which it found its way to New York, where it fanned the smouldering flame and caused the nations to realize the importance of California. This nugget weighed between twenty and twenty-five pounds. In November, 1854, a mass of gold was found at Carson Hill, Calaveras County, which weighed 195 pounds troy. This is the largest piece of gold ever found in the State. Several other nuggets, weighing from six to seven pounds, were found in the same locality. On the 18th of August, 1860, a large Sieoe of gold was taken from the [onumental Quartz Mine,Sierra County. which weighed 1,596 ounces troy. The nugget was purchasecj of the owner by R. 8.. Wood ward, of Sau Francisco, and exhibited at Woodward’s Gardens. Mr. Woodward paid $21,636,52 for it, and afterwards melted the nugget, realizing $17,654.94 from it. A Mr. Strain found a large slabshaped gold quartz nugget near Knapp ranch, half a mile east of Columbia, Tuolumne County, which weighed fifty pounds avoirdupois. After crushing and melting, the gold was valued at $8,500. Iu 1849 a nugget was found at Sullivan’s Creek, Tuolumne County, that weighed twenty-eight pounds avoirdupois. In 1856, at French Ravine, Sierra County, a nugget was found whiefi contained considerable quartz, but yielded SIO,OOO. while another was fouud at an earlier date in 1851, the gold from which was valued at SB,OOO. In the year 1867, at Pilot Hill, El Dorado County, a boulder of gold quartz was found, which yielded in gold SB,OOO. Several other boulders of smaller size were found in the same claim. The boulders were found in what is known as the Boulder Gravel Claim, immediately west of the Pilot Hill Post-Oflice, A Mr. Virgin and others found a nugget on Gold Hill,Tuolumne County, which weighed 380 ounces, and was valued at about $6,500. In 1854 a mass of gold weighing 86C ounces and valued at $6,625 was fouud at Columbus, Tuolumne County. It has been reported that a nugge* weighing 266 ounces and valued at $5, 000 was found at Minnesota, Sierra County. In I*Bso a piece of gold quartz war found in French ravine. Sierra County, which contained 263 ounces of gold worth $4,893, It has been reported that a Frenchman found a nugget of gold in Spring Gulch, Columbia, Tuolumne County, which was nearly pure gold, being worth more than $5,000. Thh findei became insane the next day and was sent to Stockton. The French Consul recovered the nugget, realized its value, and sent the money to the finder’s family in France. On’the 4th day of August, 1858, Ira A. Willard fouud ou the west braneb of Feather River a nugget weighing fif-ty-four pounds avoirdupois before and forty-nine and a half pounds after melting.' A gold nugget was found, date not given, near Kelsey, El Dorado County, which sold for $4,700. In 1876 J. D. Colgrove, of Dutch Flat, Placer County, found a white Suartz boulder in the Polar Star hyraulic mine which contained $5,760 worth of gold. It has been reported that a nugget oi pure gold was found in the middle fork of the American River, two miles from Michigan Bluff, in the year 1864. which weighed 226 ounces, and was sold for $4,204- Another account of this nugget states that the weight was 187 ounces. —Virginia {Nev.) Chronicle.