, 1880-06-07
FIRST NUGGET.
was Du. out With u Butcher.
Knife.

" passed hetween Eliot Lord, of the
United STATES Geologic Survey, and
John Orr. the first discoverer of gold in
the State of Nevada. Under the super
vision of the Director of the Geologic
Survey. Il history of the C"mstock dis
covery aud mining developments, on the
East slnrp ct Nevada, is being prepared
Mr.. Orr, at present residing at Duncan's
Mills, Sonoma county, has in his posses
sion the fret gold nugget knowP to have
heen founo in Nevada. and the inquiries
of Mr.. Lord have been in relation to the
circumstances OF its discovery. and the
possibility of securing it from Mr.. Orr,
hy donation or purchase, for the collec>
ti0n of minerals in the National Museum,
AT Washington. IN conversation with
Mr.. Orr, day or two ago, he stated the
facts r. latiag t" the discovery. He start
ed with large train to come across the
plains in 1S49. Unusually severe weather
was encountered, the roads were bad and
they were compelled to spend 'he winter
at Salt Lake. He lett for California on
the first wagon train from Salt Lake in
the spring OF 1850. but the Desert was
not crossed until the last Of May. because
of high waters, and the fact that their
road had to he cut through the snow
until the Humboldt was reached. Orr had
ii partner named Nick Kelly. after whom
Kclly's Ravine is named, and in the COM
pany WAS also one William Prouse, now
living in Nurb City, about 40 miles sou,h-
east OF Salt Lake Prouse had worked
in mines in Caliotrna. before gold was
discovered in Coloma. and was a good
pr"spect"r. One early day Of May, 1850,
tie train stopped on the edge of what is
now known as Gold Canon, near the
Carson river. to let the animals iced on
some bunch grass found growing amongst
the sage brush. Pr"u>e at n0ontilne toa%
milk p IN, and going down to the gulrh,
began wnsI.ing dirt. IN a few minutes
gettin. colcr to the value OF a few cents.
Orr then named the place Gold Canon,
still ret lined. Orr was keeping aru ie
chart OF thc country travelled ov'r. TAX
ing bearings only north and south, and
estimating the distances travelled every
day. Gold Canon was marked on the
chart, whih was lost by Mr.. Orr in 1855.
while returning East bo be married.-
The train soon after resumed travel, go
ing to the head of the Carson valley
There was met party of seven, who had
left the tram at the Sink OF the Humbolt.
intending to go in advance to California
and select good locations for the remains
der of the party. They hac: been unatle
to cross the country, and had been lost j"
the snow in the mountains four or five
days, unable to find the divide to Hang
town. A stay in Carson for three weeks
followed, when Orr. Kelly and several
OtnerS TetuTlcu W O"iu CaA"" "''' ~
sumed prospecting. Kelly and Orr went
up the canon until little fork was
reached, when work was begun. The
party had few tools, and Orr had nothing
but butcher>knife.
While Kelly was working, Orr noticed
very narrow place at the fork, where
the water barely covered slab OF slate
rock. Idly he examined it, and noticing
small crevice near the edge, drove the
butcher>knife into it, breaking out a
piece. The water runniag over 1t washed
away the underlying dirt, and in few
seconds Orr discovered golden nugget
which the rock had covered. 1t was