The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1890-07-20
Jumps OF GOLD.
Some of the Leading Nuggets Found in
California


The first nugget of any great Importance
and which played a prominent part in the
early history Of California, was found by a
young soldier of Stevenson's regiment in
| the Mokelumme river, while drinking from
that stream. He fastened to San Fran
cisco and placed his prize IN the hands of
Colonel Mason for safety, after which it
found its way to New York, where it
famed the smoldering flame and caused the
nations to realize the Importance of Cali
fornia. The nugget weighed between
twenty and twenty five pounds.
In November, 1854, a mass of gold was
found at Carson Hill, Calaveras county,
which weighed 1875 pounds troy. This is
the largest piece of gold ever found in the
state. Several other nuggets, weighing
from six to seven pounds, were found in
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
| 1896 ounces troy. The nugget was pur-
chased of the owner by r. B. Woodward,
of San Francisco, and exhibited at Wood
wards gardens. Mr.. Woodward paid
S21, 1886 SO for it, and afterwards melted the
| nugget realizing SIT ,654. 81 from it,
| A Mr.. Strain found a large slab shaped
gold quartz nugget near Knapp's ranch,
half mile east of Columbia, Tuolumne
county, which weighed fifty pounds avoir-
dupois. After crushing and melting the
gold was valued at IS, 800.
In 1S49, nugget was found at Sullivan's
creek, Tuolumne county, that weighed
| twenty eight pounds aVoirdupoiS.
In 1856, at French Ravine Sierra county,
| nugget was found which contained con
siderable quartz, but yielded 1000, while
another was found at an earlier date in
| 1851, the gold from which was valued at
| $1,000.
In the year 1867, at Pilot Hill, Ell Dorado
county, boulder of gold quartz was found
which yielded in gold $1,000.
Several other boulders of smaller size
were found in the same claim. The bould-
ers were found in what is known as the
| Boulder gravel claim, immediately west of
the Pilot Hill postofice.
| A Mr.. Virgin and others found nugget
on Gold hill, Tuoiumne county, which
weighed $50 ounces and was valued at about
s., 500
In 1854, mass of wood weighing $50
ounces and valued at S5,625, was found at
| Columbus, Tuolumue county.
| 1t has been reported that a nugget weigh
| found at Minnesota, Sierra county.
In 1850, piece of gold quartz was found
French Ravine, Sierra county, which con-
tanned 1853 ounces OF gold worth 81, 1858.
| 1t has been reported that a Frenchman
found nugget of gold in Spring gulch,
| Columbia, Toulumne county, which was
nearly pure gold, being worth more than
s.. 600. The finder became insane the next
day and was sent to Stockton. The French
consul recovered the nugget, realized its
value, and sent the money to the finders
family in France.
| On the 4th day of August, 1858, Ira A
Willard found on the west branch Of
Feather river. a nugget weighing ffty-four
pounds avoirdupois before and forty-nlne
and half pounds after melting.
A gold nugget was found, date not given,
near Kelsey, FL Dorado county, which sold
for "a 700.
In 1876, J. D. Colgrove, CT Dutch Flat,
Placer county, found white quartz boul-
der in the Polar Star by draulic mine which
contained S., go worth of gold.
1t has been reported that nugget of pure
gold was found in the middle fork of the
American river, two miles from Michigan
Bluffs, in the year 1864, which weighed
twenty two ounce S, and was sold for st ,20t.
Another account OF this nugget states that
/ the weight was lS1 ounces.