Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1880-02-24
DISCOVERY OF GOLD IN NEVADA.
Gold Canyoa-rhe First sCsler" Of
Gold Pound II 10. and she First
Nugges.
s. r. Call, FEB. l6.

EDITOR MoRS1So CALL have read
an article in the Cal OF February LIST,
giving u description Of the first discov.
cry Of Gold in the State OF Nevada, in
May, 1851. which I know to be one
year behind the first discovery. as I can
refer You to several witnesses still living
in this State. / started across the plains
in lsi9. got Is far as Salt Lake and win.
tered there; left in the spring OF 1850.
with the first train for California, and
owing to high waters and having to
break Q new road all the way down the
Humboldt, we did not cross the desert
until the last Of May. When coming
along the Carson river, on our way to
Carson canyon, the gold was first dis
covered by . young man by the name Of
Prouse. The train stopped on the edge
Of the canyon known now IS Gold can.
yon) to let our animals Craze on the
bunch grass that was growing among
the sage brush. and the train to have
dinner. Prouse having been In Cali.
fornia before the gold vas discovered in
Colona. aud having worked in the
mines. knew how to prospect. He took
q small tin wash basin and went down
into the gulch, panned out ONE dirt
and found the "color two or three
specks about the aze OF the head Of .
pin. I then gave Il the namo Of Gold
canyon. ss I was keeping q schedule Of
the camping places and the distances
travelled, which I am sorry I have lost.
No more attention was paid to the
gold ut that time. as We went ON our way
to the head Of the Carson Valley. where
We found those who formed n party OF
six or seven boys that left our company
at the sink Of the Humboldt. with pack
animals, to 60 into California and look
out for good places for as to stop-my
brother, James J. On. now living al
Mormon Island. Sacramento county. be-
ing one Of the party. They had been in
the mountains four or five days in the
snow. and could not isd the divide to
get through to H~anetowh. ~ 1t was then
called. and they had 70 come back to
Carson Valley to recruit 6sir animals.
When We found that We had to stay
there (Which We did for ov'r three
weeks), myself and several oth-rs took
some pack horses and went back to Gold
Canyon to prospect. A man by the
name Of Nick Kelly was % partner Of
mins. The first day that % prospscted
l found . place usar the forks OF the
canyon where 1t was very narrow, the
slate rock being on the surface, with the
water running over IL. Seeing = small
crevics near the edge Of the rifle, l
broke the slate rock of aud found
q nugget Of gold and quartz that
weighed So 20. which I have kept
and carried in ny pocket ever since.
/ have kept 1t NJ o msmento, being
the first gold that l ever dug. 1t was
tho only nugget found by our party at
that time. We found fine gold almost
any place in the canyon. Our company
got to Lsek Springs on the fourth day
OF July. 1850. / located with my father
and family at Salmon Falls, FL Dorado
county. July. 1850. where my father.
Thomas Orr, and my younger brother.
Thomas Orr. Jr.. are still living. Mrs.
A. d. Whitney, OF Piedmont Springs.
Alameda county. Mrs. Isaac Russell, OF
Danville. Contra Costa county, Cooper
Shelton. Of Stoney Point. and Mrs. DR..
A. X. Pickett. OF Santa Rosa, Sonoma
county. all in this State. were in the
same train.
learn there is a man by the name Of
Prouse. living near Hsaldsburg, who
may be the man who first found the
color Of gold in Gold Canyon. l do not
know, for I have not seen him since We
first came into California. But / do
claim to have the hrst piece Of gold
taken out Of the State Of Nevada, being
30 years the lat day Of June next.
JOHN ORR.
Duncan's Mill. Sonoms Co., Feb. ~.