The record-union., 1892-07-29
TIE FIRST NUGGET.
It Will be Exhibited at Sacramento
and Chicago.
Inc First Lump of Gold Found in Cali
fornia Likely to Become
state Property.


lining state Fair will be shown the
oiigihal lump of gold found by Marshall
~ 'ne mlli-race at Coloma, which COM
paratlVely few persons have seen. This
Is the nugget brought to the old Suffer
orr one rainy winter night. where Cap
'alh suffer tested it and pronounced it
gold, and the discovery of which aroused
the world and brought thousands of
ioftune-seekers to the Pacific slope. Re-
'Ilg 70 this nugget, and the PROPOSE
.ioIl TO place 1t in the mining exhibit here
All september, the Ecan1jaer says:
IL is very ordinary nugget to look at,
pgt IL Will be viewed by the thousands
win feelings mingling in singular man
curiosity and something approach
ing TO sentiment, for it is the first tiny
Jump OF the precious metal found in Cali
fornia.
The nugget is no bigger than Lima
bean, TO which it bears a remarkable re-
sembiance in size and shape. Its surface
Is worn smooth as a pebble on the beach
nom the tossing and atrition OF years-a
sign that the nugget had been washed
from the high mountains down to where
1t settled with alluvial deposits in the
spot where the miIl-race for Suffers mill
was dug and where Marshall found it,
There IS small piece of quartz dull gray
IN color, embedded in the gold. and its
corners are also rounded and worn OFT by
the action Of prehistoric waters.
For many years this bit ofgold was lost
to the public, only Attorney w. w. Allen
ana the WINNER family, in whose pos
session it had been held since its discov-
cry, knowing Of its whereabouts. 1t was
Kept In a box at the Safe Deposit after
MRS. Elizabeth WINNER parted with it,
anu now the precious lump is carried in
a glove finger rolled up and put into
chamois leather pouch, which is securely
Enclosed in big purse belonging to At
torney Allen.
TAKING CARE OF THE BEAN.
Superintendent w. G. Scott of the min
ing exhibit traced the nugget to its pres
ent owner and succeeded in getting a
promise from Allen to allow it to he
placed on exhibition. The next step
with Marshall's nugget will be the Co
lumbar International Exposition at
Chicago.
At the State Fair it is to be surrounded
with the greatest possible precautions
against thieves who might be tempted to
steal 1t. The nugget will lie upon a vel
Vet cushion on the top of pedestal A
plate-glass case will cover it and railing
surrounding all will keep visitors at a
safe distance. Electric alarm wires will
Lead to the nugget, so should anybody at
tempt to steal it certain bells will be rung
and give the alarm.
Those people specially interested in the
display of the Marshall nugget at both
exhibitions are already discussing the
most attractive way of exposing it to
public view in Chicago W. G. Scott.
who has charge of the local exhibit, is Of
the opinion that most appropriate
metnod would be TO place it IN the out
stretched hand Of a reduced fac smile of
the heroic figure of Marshall at Coloma.
Whleh shows him in the act of holding
his discovery to the world
Attorney Allen, who has atfidaYits on
the authenticity of the nugget and knows
It's history intimately, brings Marshall
on the scene as a sort of understudy to
Mrs. Elizabeth WINNER, known as Polly
WINNER IN mining days. She crossed
the plains in 1916 with her husband. Pc
ter WINNER, in Harlan's band. In 1916
she arrived at Suffers Fort, and there
cooked meal tor General Fremont.
HOW IT WAS FOUND.
Later on she found Marshall lying on
the ground, raving in chills and fever.
She took him into her hut, nursed him
and saved his life. When Marshall found
site Tor sawmil on the American
River for General Suffer- he took the con-
tract for building, and gave a sub-con-
tract to WINNER. Mrs. WINNER was
cook in the new camp.
When specks OF shining metal were no.
tlced IN the mill-race an argument oc-
CURED as to whether the metal was gold
or only mica. Marshall picked up a
nugget carelessly and handed it to Peter
WINNER. saying it was mica and of no
value. The Winners, who had been in
the Georgia mines, thought differently,
and tested the nugget in a kettle of soap
on February II, 1913. The metal remained
untarnished through the severe test of
soap I've, and then Marshall, still doubtful,
had it tested at Suffers Fort. II was gold
He kept it for a few months, but gave it
back to Mrs WINNER, who claimed it as
her own. She never parted with the
nugget till 1878, when she gave it to At
torney Allen in trust, and he has held it
since
A. c. Henry, ex-Mayor of Oakland,
Sam Brannan, D. J. Staples and Colonel
Gift saw the nugget and positively iden-
tilted it as the one picked up by Marshall
at the Coloma mill in l84S.
A son of Mrs. WINNER living at Fresno
is DESTROYS of buying the nugget. Allen
thinks it should go to the State Mining
Bureau and so become State property
Mrs. WINNER died some time ago, but
her husband is still living in the neigh
borhood of Santa Cruz.