Sierra County advocate. [volume] (Kingston, N.M.) 1884-1960, 1896-10-16
For Delegate to Congress,
H. B. FERGUSON.
FORTUNES IN MUG GETS.

The history OF the great JAIL
ornia nuggets is in many respects
Interesting and romantic. Ihe
discovery of one of the greatest
sScr found was under most singu-
Ear circums stanees. 1t is known as
the Oliver Martin nugget, and a
r;!ded east of il is now an interest
lug object to all visitors of the Cat
ifornia Mining Bureau. This
nugget was found near Camp Cor
opa, in Tuolumue county, and
weighed 15l pounds and 6 ounces
Oliver Martin and companion
named Flower were camped IN
canon when terrible rain storm
came on in the night, and the
water IN the stream suddenly rose
TO a great height The miners at
tempted to climb the bill, but the
Aood overlook them, and both were
carried down the stream. Flower
was drowned, but Martin, though
severely injured. escaped. After
ward, while trying to bury his
companions body in a grave at
fine foot OF tree, Martin dis
covered the nugget which bears
his pame. He was too exhausted to
remove it. He attempted to each
some neighboring miners, but
tainted from exertion, and wes
found on the trail by them in a
state of collapse. 1t was weeks
before he recovered sufficiently to
again visit the nugget, which was
found intact and removed to camp
with great rel piciug.
1t was composed of gold and
quartz, but the lucky finder received
$50. 900 for il. The Martin nugget
was not the largest ever discovered
in California. One WAS found in
November, 1854, at Carson Hill
Calaveras county, which weighed
$50 pounds. Another nugget was
subsequently found at the same
place which weighed l49 pounds
In August, 1869, w. A. Parish
A. Wood, j. Winsted, +. Cleve {
and Harry Warner were partner
in the Monumental claim near tht
Sierra Buttes, in Sierra county
During the last week of that month
they discovered huge nugget
that weighed 1888 ounces troy. IL
was sold for exhibition purposes to
r.. w GODDARD, of San Francisco
who paid S2l, ,636, for it. 1t wal
Afterward melted. and $l765'
realized from 1t. Sierra county il
famous for the number of nugget
found within its limits. 1t was il
this county, at place called Frencl
Ravlne, that one was found in 1851
worth $4,000 The largest mug
get found in Shasta county wa
discovered in 1870. One day thre
Frenchmen Oliver Longchamp
Fred Rochow and another drov
:n.c the old town OF Shasta j!
seareh OF place to mine. The.
happened to have some business
with A. Coleman, a dealer in mer
chandise. and inquired of him
lucky spot to mine. lie carelessl
answered
"Go over to Spring Creek" !"
The Frenchmen followed his sd
vice aud located q claim on tb
creek eight miles north OF ReddinE
and in a few days dug out tn
Shasta nugget. which they sold fo
$4,000.
Plumas county, though it ha
contributed many millions of gol
to the worlds supply, has fur
nished but few nuggets. Th
largest was found by a Chinese
1860, which was sold for $500
Archie Little, miner, found on
in the same district that sold f
$4,000. In Placer county, 10 1856
Edward Gilbert, in drift mir
near Butcher Guloh. about doze
miles from Auburn found a gol
and quartz nugget that he sold fc
$4,000. The same man, later OF
discovered another one, less vail
able, however. Another mine
whose name AsS.Hot been rescue