The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1880-07-23
NEYADA's FIRST NUGGET.
How Her First Piece of Gold was dug
Ont With a Butcher Knife.
From the Alta California


From the Alta California.
An interesting correspondence has
lately passed between Elliott Lord, of the
United States geographical survey, and
John Orr, the first discoverer of gold in
Nevada. Under the supervision of the
director of the geological survey, his
tory of the Comstock discovery and
mining developments on the east slope
of Nevada is being prepared. Mr.. Orr,
now residing at Duncan's Mills, Son
oma county, has in his possession the
first gold nugget known to have been
found 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,
by donation or purchase, for the collec-
tion of minerals in the national muse
UNI at Washington.
In conversation with Mr.. Orr, a day
or two ago, he stated the facts relating
to the discovery. He started with a
large train to come across the plains in
1910. Unusually severe weather was
encountered, the roads were bad, and
they were compelled to spend the win
ter at Salt Lake. He left for California
on the first 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 be cut through the snow until the
Humboldt was reached. Orr had a
partner named Nick Kelly, after whom
Kelly's Ravine is named, and in the
company was one William Prouse, now
living in Nurb City, about forty miles
southeast of Salt Lake. Prouse had
worked in mines in this state, before
gold was discovered in Coloma, and was
a good prospector.
One early day of May, 1850, the train
stopped on the edge of what is now
known as Gold Canyon, near the Carson
river, TO let the animals feed ON some
bunch grass found growing among the
sage brush. Prouse ut noontime took a
milk pan and going down to the gulch
began washing dirt, in a few minutes
getting color to the value of few cents
! Orr then named the place Gold Canyon
still retained. Orr was keeping q rude
| chart of the country travelled overtak-
! ing bearings only north and south, and
estimating the distances travelled every
| day. Gold Canyon was marked on the
chart, which was lost by Orr in 1855
! while returning east to be married. The
train soon after resumed trave., going 10
the head of the Carson valley. There
was met a party of seven, who had left
| the train mt the Sink of the Humboldt
intending to go IN advance to California
and select good locations for the re.
mainder of the party They had been
unable to cross the country, and had
been lost in the snow in the mountains
| four or five days, unable to find the di
vide to HangtOwn, and seeking Carson
to recuperate. A stay in Carson fol
three weeks followed, when Orr, Kelly
and several others returned TO GOLD
CANYON and resumed prospecting. Kel
ly and Orr went up the canyon until 4
little fork was reached, when work wa:
begun. The party had few tools, and
Orr had nothing but a butcher knife.
While Kelley was working Orr motto
ed very narrow place at the fork, whert
the water barely covered a slab of slatG
rock. Idly he examined II, and noticing
a small crevice near the edge, drove thu
butcher knife into it, breaking out :
piece. The water running over it wash
ed away the underlying dirt, and in &
few seconds Orr discovered a COLDER
nugget where the rock had covered. 1
was quickly removed, and afterwart
found to weigh $S.27. This was on thu
LIST of June, 1885, and thirty years ago
Prospecting was continued, and though
gold dust was found in several place
throughout the canyon, Orr's was tn,
only nugget found. The party IackeS
tools and provisions, and being bent o,
reaching California, abandoned the can
Won and arrived at Leek Springs, July, 4
1850. Orr offered the nugget to Kelly
| who refused il, and as it was the frs
piece of gold he ever dug. Orr for a few
wears kept il as souvenir on that ar
count
of late years the inquiry as to the frs
!. LsiaAn.ars nf Gnld in Nevada and the &c,