The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1890-05-11
THE COLD DIsCOVERER.
A Statue of tho Man who First Found tho
Precious Metal in California.
Jrom n sln Franelseo chronle.

| from NE SIN fTutCtScO Chronicle.
CoLoMA. May 8-The monument to Jane
W. Marshall. who was tho discoveror Of gold /
California was unveiled here to-day. III
statue is OF bronze, ten feet high and weigh
$50 poundR 1t was made in this city. and I
said to be ono OF the bost pieces OF work OF tn
Kind over done here. Marshall Is reuresonte
clad In the rough costume OF his day. pointing
downward with his left hand to the hlstor
milrace whence he had taken the nugget o
gold which his right hand holds, clVso 4
built man standing in an 'n easy y attitude s
The left foot is advanced and the toe
lust PROJECT over the base Of the statue
Inches behind the other. lie trousers ar,
| thrust Into the tops OF heavy boots which reacl
with flowing collar. which is buttoned acr9s;
up above the elbows Of the muscular arms, A
| SLOUGH hat and n leathern bolt drawn tiEhtlJ
around the waist, which supports on the right
side heavy revolver in holster and bowie
Tho face Is strong and lligiike, and Is, said 10
be an excellent likeness OF the gold Under:
v6 HRop IN the Tont o the j. tfS In E
panel is inscribed: Erected by The, state Of
CALIFORNIA. in Memory, Of james W Marshall;
August 10. 1905. Tho first nugget was found
10 the race Of Suffer Mill, in Coloma. Jan. ~,
James Wilson Marshall was born in Hope
township Hunterdon county. y. D., In 1872.
His father was a coach and wagon builder and
he was brought up to the same trade. His
eyes were always set westward. however and
when he became man he followed them. and
setting sun until In June lSIj he reached
California, coming into the Sacramento valley
Ivy way OF Shasta and camping on ache Creek.
city OF Sacramento
Marshall. being handy man. was soon heard
OF by Suffer. and engaged by that pioneer In
stocking ploughs, making spinning wheels.
mendlng wagons. and doing SUCH general car
renter work as was required. A Iuiet life was
not of Marshall's kind. however. and whom the
bear flaE was raised he at once Joined tho In
surSenis; marched with them on Sonomn.
spiked the old Spanish guns at Fort Point.
sailed to San Diego with Stockton, marched up
to Los Angeles with Fremont, saw Gen. Flores
retreat 70 sonora and there. IN March, lo47,
wa? discharged but not paid OIL
Working his way hack to Suffers Fort,
Marshal induced tho General TO 20 iuto the
move started out to explore the foot hills tor
suitable site for Il sawmill. Marshall set out
American River for severHl days. examining
the country all round but not finding a suitable
site. Presently he branghed oil over the South
ork. and at length reached a place called Cul;
loonah by the Indians. and which was afterward
known rs ColomR. The river took several
bends here, and on the. south side of point
was selected. On MarshaIls report to Suffer
partnership was entered into between the two
Marshall to give his services. The formal arti-
Giles OF partnership were drawn UP 10y Gen. John
who was then acting as a clerk in SUIT
ters store, and these arrangements completed,
Marshall started back for ColOma with six or
seven mill hands and train OF wagons with
provisions &C.
Work on the mill was at once prosecuted with
vigor. Among the lahorcrs We're some eight |
out the larger sized rocks eXcavated while con- |
5tructing the millrace i'll tho day time and at |
night. By raising tho gate OF the folebay the |
tones gravel, and sand. This was the work |
hat was going on at the mill on the lYth vi
January is4s.
on the morning Of that memorable day Mar
hall went out as usual to SUI erintend tho
men, and after closing the forebqy gate and
hus shutting of the water. walked down the
ailrace to see whit sand and gravel had been
emoved lur.ng the night. TINS had been Gus
omary with him Tor some time. i3r LIE had
light be minerals in tho mountains. and had
Xrressed it to Suffer, who, however, only
tlolled to the lower end Ui he race. he stood
or moment examining tn" mass OF debris
inch had been washed down; Al this !pne.
hat lay lodged In crevice on rifle OF soft
rnnitee some Fix inches under the water.
ubstance. 1t was heavy. OF peculiar color
nd unliHs anything he had seen in the stream
eiore For few minutes be stood with 1t in
II that he had heard or road concerning the
arious minerals, ,Aitor close examination
and must be one OF three substances,
lica, snphuretS Of copper. or. gold.
ho m TSsh could i be s 2hnf o
Upper, He remembered that that metal is
ritle and that gold Is malleahe; and as this
fought passed through his mind he turned
bout. placed the specimen upon a flat stone
nj proceeded to test it by striking it with
i. il simply bent under the blows. This. then.
as gold. and In this manner was the first gold
und in California.
;actly, probably because he was thoroughly
navarro OF the Importance of the, discovery.
e showed the nugget 10 his men INDUCED in
few conlectures concerning tho probable en-
mt OF the gold fields. and went on with his
ork. He. however, watched the stream close;
and In the course Of Il few days hnl collected
vcral ounces OF tho precious metal Putting |
ESQ into his pocket. he one d.y mounted
S horse and rode down TO the tort to
out some delayed stores. The latter
after having been straiGhtene cut he asked
liter and the two entered The little room at
G back Of the store There Marshall showed
m the gold, but suffer would not believe it
ls anything So precious Until it had been
i Be news soon s,nread. and as il spread tho
1n OF Calliornia tn rew itself into tho gold quest
IN ardOr and energy and then came tho
eat gold fever which revolutiontzed the
Marshall received no honors during his life.
pension was given him during few years. 1
ath. What specially embittered Marshall
rs that the discoverer OF gold in Australia I
ould have been made rlcn Iy large Git Of I
him even the credit OF being the first dis
verer of the precious metal was often de-
cd.
NJ arshall died alono in his lonely cabin on
az 10. 1885, and his old neighbors. recalling :
8 wish to have his body laid ncar his home.
ID him buried there on tho hill which now
ars his name. Two years alter the i.egisla-
re Appropriated $4,000 for tho erection OF a
onument to his memory. and to this amount
900 was afterward added for the pedestal I
ID grounds.
NDER 4 SYRINGE UOMAH'S SPELL.
Washington Girl Thinks that She Was