Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1890-04-18
COLD NUGGETS.
History OF the Most Important Found In
California.

History OF the Most Important Found In
California.
The first nugget of any great import
ancc. and which played a prominent
part in the early history of California,
was found by ayoung soldier of Steven
sons regiment. in the Mokelumne
River. while drinking from that stream
He FASTENED to San Francisco and
placed his prize in the hands of Col.
Mason for safety. after which II found
its way to New York, where it famed
the smouldering flame and caused the
nations to realize the importance of
California. This nugget weighed be-
tween twenty and twenty-five pounds.
In November, 1854, mass of gold
was found at Carson Hill, Calaveras
County. which weighed 1876 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 locali-
ty.
On the 18th of August, 1860. large
piece of gold was taken from the
Monumental Quartz Mine, Sierra Coun-
ty. which weighed 1886 ounces troy.
The nugget was purchased of the owner
by Il. b. Woodward, of San Francisco,
and exhibited at Woodward's Gardens.
Mr.. Woodward paid $21, $50, so for it,
aud afterwards melted the nugget,
realizing $l7, 654.94 from it.
A Mr.. Strain found large slab
shaped gold quartz nugget near Knapp
ranch, half a mile east of Columbia,
Tuolumne County, which weighed fifty
pounds avoirdupois. After crushing
and melting. the gold was valued at
s., 800.
In l849 a nugget was found at Sui
livan's Creek, Tuolumne County, that
weighed twenty-eight pounds avoirdu.
pois.
In 1856, at French Ravine. Sierra
County, nugget was found which
contained considerable quartz, but
yielded $4,000. while another was
found at an earlier date in 1851. the
gold from which was valued at So, 600.
In the year 1867, at Pilot Hill. FL
Dorado County. a boulder of gold
quartz was found, which yielded in gold
s.. 900.
Several other boulders of smaller size
were found in the same claim. The
boulders were found in what is known
as the Boulder Gravel Claim, immedi-
ately west of the Pilot Hill Post-Ollice.
A Mr.. Virgin and others found a
nugget on Gold Hill. Tuolumne County,
which weighed $50 ounces, and was
valued at about S., 500.
In 1854 a mass of gold weighing sec
ounces and valued mt $685. was found
at Columbus, Tuolumne County.
1t has been reported that nugget
weighing 266 ounces and valued at So,
900 was found at Minnesota, Sierra
County.
In 1850 piece of gold quartz was
found in French ravine, Sierra County.
which contained 263 ounces of gold
worth $4893.
1t has been reported that a French
man found nugget of gold in Spring
Gulch, Columbia, Tuolumne County,
which was nearly pure gold, being
worth more than 5000. 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, 1905, Ira
A. Willard found on the west branch
of Feather River a nugget weighing tif-
ty-four pounds avoirdupois before and
forty-nine and half pounds after melt
ing.
a gold nugget was found, date moi
given, near Kelsey, FL Dorado County,
which sold for $4,700.
In 1876 j. ID. Colgrove, of Dutch
Flat, Placer County, found white
quartz boulder in the Polar Star hy.
draulic mine which contained IS, 700
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 Bluff, in the year 1864. which
weighed 226 ounces, and was sold for
81, 204. Another account of this mug
get states that the weight was 1877
ounces Virginia (Ncv.) Chronicle.