The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1869-08-06
The "WeIc0me Stranger

The other day the telegraphic wires
flashed throughout Australia the
startling announcement that mug
get had been unearthed, the largest
ever seen, that it was heavy lifting
for two men to put it on dray, that
lit weighed about two thousand
ounces. and was worth ten thousand
pounds sterling. However startling
/ it may appear, theannouncement was
perfectly true. The monster nugget
was found at a place called Moliag al,
about eight miles from Dunolly. A
local paper, the Dunolly Express,
nives the following particulars of the
event: "The Danolly district, after
having turned out a multitude of mug
gets that puts every other gold field
lin the colony in the shade, has at
length, in the words ofthe Melbourne
journals, 'beat the world in produc-
ing the largest mass OF gold on rec
ord. The Welcome Stranger was
found by two-alnen. named John.
Deason and Richard Oates, on Fri
day, February 9th, 1859, near the
Black Reef, Bulldog Gulley, Molia-
gul, a short distance from the Way
mans Reef, and only about mile
from the celebrated Gypsy diggins.
Deason and his mate have been
working in the ground for several
years past, and, as is well known.
had got, in digging parlance, so
hard up as to have been refused
credit for bag of -four week or so
ago, and we believe the very day be.
fore the discovery were reminded by
Il tradesman that they were indebted
to him a few shillings. Still they
persevered, until the day named,
DeasOn, in working arouad the roots
of tree, at distance OF about two
inches below the surface, struck
something hard with pick, and ex-
claimed, 'D-n it | wish it was a
nugget, and had broken the pick -
On STOPPING down to examine the
obstacle he found that the object of
his dearest wishes was lying at his
feet, and it seemed as If the monster
was so large as to be immOyable. 1t
was, however, at length released
from its virgin soil and carefully re-
moved. The question then arose as
to what was to be done with it, and
the first intention was to convey it to
When the men got to {
Dunolly with their prize they We're
advised TO take it to the bank, and |
forthwith carried it TO the London Z
Chartered. The news of the discOv-
cry soon spread, and the bank was {
crowded with eager spectators, 5
imong whom were number of Chi q
lainen, and a constable was sent for I
o guard the prize. The weight in !
he gross was then found to he 2lO |
pounds troy, and preparations were
It once made to break the mass to I
pieces and smelt it. The appearance
If the Welcome Stranger in its 7
,ristIne state was something won j
lerlul, and it seemed impossible To Z
ealize the fact that so great n mass :
# gold could be ooi.Doied in, one d
ump. But so it Was. Many efforts '
Fere made to lift it, and many excla- a
nations of surprise expressed at its
weight and compactness.-
\ sledge hammer and cold chisels 7
we're brought into requisition, and
everal of the latter broken in the
ttempt to reduce into fragments the
w elcOme Stranger 1t was found
O be as solid as it looked, and as l.
hip after chip and piece after piece 4
vas discovered from 1T, its appear !,
nee was as Glen as well cut Ches- h
ire cheese. At length, after no less y
han five hours hammering, the i
Monster was pounded up and smelt- h
d, the result being 2263 ounces 10 g
WITS. II grains of solid gold, exclu-
i've of at least pound weight, which n
vas given by the delighted finders /,
o their numerous friends, who were
ach anxious to retain piece of the '
argest mass of gold the world has i
ct seen. Over $4,000 were adyanc- |
d on the nugget by the bank, the b
NAL valne awaiting the result of as /
ay." lsl 4sas5HaI S