The morning call., 1891-05-16
Sic Do1ler Party's Buried
Money Unearthed.
accidentally Discovered by a Miner While
Searching for Quartz
FeE Silver Coins Lying on the Surface
Of The Ground Lead 10 the Recovery
Of a Large Sum.
Special to THE MORNING CALL

TRUCKEE, May 15.-Truckee is feverish
with excitement over the discovery of a
portion Of the treasure buried by the Dom
ner party in 1916 and 1S47. There Is not
the slightest room for doubling the author
ity # the find, or he identity of the money.
McGlashsn's history of the Donner party
in speaking Of the second relief party says;
Reeds party encamped the first night
near the upper end Of Donner Lake They
had scarcely Travelled three miles. Upon
starting from Graves cabin, Mrs. Graves
had taken with her a,- considerable sum Of
money and this monAy. McCuthen saws. had
been IngenlouSly concealed in aUgeT holes
bored IN cleats nail sd to the bed of the
wagon. These cle"ts IS, W. c. Graves says,
were ostensibly placed in the wagon-bed to
support table Carried in the ok part Of
the wagon.
on THE UNDER sI5E OF THESE CHEATS.
However, were th8 auger holes carefully
hlled with coin. THE sum is variously
stated at from SSo0Iro $500. At the camp
ing-ground, near THE upper end of Donner
Lake, one of the re3ie, party jOEinglv pro-
posed 10 another to- play game of euchre TO
see WhJ suould have Mrs. Graves money.
The next morning Mrs. Graves remained
when The party started and concealed her
money. Ali that is known is that she
buried 1t behind a large rock Oh the nOr.h
side Of Douuer Lake. So far as is known
this money has never been recoyere d, but
still lies hidden where it was placed by Mrs
Graves" The history proceeds TO recOuRt
the death Of Mrs. Graves from cold a.fi
starvation three days afterward. Sns
buried the money on the morning of Marcl
3, 1S47. and it was found yesterday after
noon by Edward Reynolds. Stewart N
Kay employed Amos Lane,
KEEPER OF a LIVERY STABLE,
To take him to the upper end of Donne1
Lake Yesterday afternoon. and a comm e.
ca. traveller named Huntsman went rs far
as JOhnson's resort with them, and then
took a boat and went out on the lake fish
ing. This left an empty seat in the wagon
at starting, and Lane asked his friend
Reynolds TO 90 along. Reynolds is q
stranger in TTuckee. having come from S.
ezra Valley last Tuesday. He is a miner,
and iustead Of going fishing, he went nd
on the side hill to look fer quartz. Mean.
time, Lane an Mckay had driven On
toward tie head Of the lake. Reynolds a.
tentIOn was accidentally called u soma
dark-lO0kiDg pieces of money
LYING u PLAIN SIGHT
On fhs TOP Of the ground. STOPPING down
De picked up ten ancient-lO0kjng dollars.
and upon scratching slightly IN the eacgh
uncovered large quantity Ct silver. Not
knowing the nature OF extent of the deposit
be TTudeuty covered it up and when LuP
returned he reported that he had found
buried treasure. and offered to take Lane q
wiki him. il was resolved to drive back 10
II1ek-e with Mckay ana the drummer
WITHOUT DISCLOSING THE SECRET
And TO return after dark and dig mp the
money, Their anxiety finally Oyercame
their discretion, however, and about 3
O'clock they started back TO get the plant,
taking with them a PICK, shovel and two
baT.ey-s3cks 10 hold Ije coin. They found
the silver scattered over quite a surface Of
ground, and by the side Of a stone ID the
place where Reynolds had uncovered the
main deposit, they found hat full OF coins
Darkness coming on they returned to town.
on EXAMINING THE MONEY
Closely il was found to be ancient and all
more or less bldCkened. stained or OXdiZsd,
according to the position in which il was
found. Suspectlng that they had found
some Of the DOuner party money they took
Stewart Mckay and c. +. McGlashan into
the secret They had found Sl46 in silver
and none Of the pieces was older than l64j
ing Stewart Mckay, c. F. McGlashan and
Mrs. Mona McGlashan along
AS WITNESSES AND EXPERTS
In one nour the party found 50. Several
pieces were firmly imbedded IN the EARTH
while others lay loosely on the surface. a
large pine tree had been felled directly
across the original plant, and Ii Is evident that
when the saw-logs made from The tree were
suaEed away they tore up the ground and
carried the money along with them Tor
number OF feet Logs and wood have been
cut all around the spot, anu probably a
thousand men have passed over the money
since the days when the railroad was built.
THE PLACE IS IN PLAIN SIGHT
From the wagon-road and about o feet
from the margin Of the central paIj Of the
lake, opposite the fishing resort Of Johnson.
When it was learned that the money was
widely scattered, and that it wOuli take
days aud perhaps weeks to find it all,
MessTs. Lane and Reynolds erected a tent
over the spot and had it incloSed with
fence. Guards are stationed on tae ground
to protect the buried treasure it stll con-
tains.
SOME AUTHORITIES
Place the amount Of money buried by the
D uner party al $4,000, and searching
parties are already being organized 10 make
a systematic hunt for the long hidden coin.
From present indications the hills on the
north side OF D0uner Lake Will be- covered
with treasure hunters tomorrow. Rey-
nOds and Lane will have the money on ex-
hlbition at their tent while continuing their
part OF the search. The money they found
would delight the heart of a numismat.st
THERE ARE OLD AETIQUATED COINS
or all dates prior to 1845, and Of the most
absolete and forgotten markines Coins
from France, Spain, Bolivia, Argentine
Republic and a number Of other foreign
countries, besides a very rare collection of
American pieces, ars included in the treas
uTe trOye. AS relics Of the D0nner party,
the fnd is very valuable, 500 having be m
offered for one If the pieces. A Truckee
hotel-keeper offered $40 day to have the
coins placed on exhibition at his hotel No
arrangements viii be made regarding the
disposition Of the money until il is known
how much can be found.