Rensselaer Republican, Volume 22, Number 44, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 3 July 1890 — LUMPS OF GOLD. [ARTICLE]

LUMPS OF GOLD.

Somo of the Leading Nuggets Found in Caiifornia. Virginia, Xcv , Chronicle. The first nugget of any great importance, ■ and which played a promilent part in the early history of Cali’ornia, was found by a young soldier >f Stevenson's regiment in the Moke•umme River, While , drinking from that stream. He hastened to San Francisco and placed his prize in the bands of Col. Mason for safety, after .vhich it found its way to New York, where it fanned the smoldering flame and caused the nations to realize the importance of California. The nugget weighed between 20 and 25 pounds. In November, 1354, 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 6 to 7 pounds, were found to the same locality. On the 18th of August, 1860, a large piece of gold was taken from the Monumental quartz mine. Sierra county, which weighed 1,506 ounces troy. The nugget was purchased of the owner by R. B. Woodward, of San Francisco, and exhibited at Woodward’s Garden. Mr. Woodward paid $21,636.25 for it, and afterward 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 50 pounds avoirdupois. After crushing and melting, the gold was valued at $8,500.

In 1846 a nugget was found at Sullivan's Creek, Tuolumne county, that weighed 28 pounds avoirdupois. In 1856, at French Ravine, Sierra county, a nugget was found which contained considerable quartz, but yielded SIO,OOO. while another was found 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 bowlder of gold quartz was found which yielded in gold SB,OOO. Several other bowlders of smaller size were found in the same claim. The bowlders were found in what is known as the bowlder gravel claim, immediately west of the Pilot Hill postoffice. 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 quartz weighing 360 ounces and valued at $6,625 was found at Columbus, Tuolumne county. It has, been reported that a nugget weighing 266 ounces, and valued at $5,000, was found at Minnesota, Sierra county. In 1850 a piece of gold quartz was found in French Ravine, Sierra county, which contained 262 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. The finder became insane the next day and was sent to Stqckton. The French Consul recovered the nugget, realized its value/ and sent the money to the finder's amily in Franoe. O the 4th day of August, 1858. Ira A. illard found on the west branch of Feather River a nugget weighing 54 pounds avoirdupois before and 491 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, Colgrovfe, of Dutch Flat, Placer county, found a white quartz bowlder in the Polar Star hydraulic mine which contained $5,760 worth of gold. It has been reported that a nugget of 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. - - '