The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-11-04
|e0mE MEN WHO HAVE FOUND
FORTUNES In Jumps OF GOLD.
lngt nugget Was Discovered in New South Wales and
Sold for $146. 000-Finds Under Curious
Conditions

even own PAM much less rocker or
long tom. One OF his boon companions
was John Fowler. who was equally shift
less ana diasipated.
were on their way from Benton's bar
over the 0risziy mountains to Camp
Corona, the spot made famous in iitera-
ture by Bret HArte. The fall rains had
begun and the streams were running
high. On the night Of the 18th. almost
stupid with drink. the two sought refuge
In deserted minsr's hut. During the
night . heavy rain. peculiar TO the noun
tain ranfes. set in. The water fell in
precipitous mountain rides. The narrow
canon where Martin and Fowler lay
asleep and drunk was soon filled with
rushing waters. which threatened to
sweep away the old shack OF building.
They were awakened by the water pour
Ing into the cabin and sought to es-
cape by climbing the steep sides OF the
the Hood and were carried down the
stream in the darkness. Martin was
washed into clump OF live oaks and,
managed to lodge. clinging to the
branches until morning. but Fowler was
drowned.
Next day. November IS. toward noon.
when the waters had subsidized Martin
secured a pick and shovel and started
to bury his dead companion. He Sc
lected sandy spot at the base Of the
clin, and had not dug down two feet
when he came upon the nugget. He
made several tests before he could con-
vince himself that II was really gold. The
chunk was bigger than a bulls head and
too heavy for Martin to carry. He huf-
ried to Camp Corona. to secure help.
He had some difficulty In persuading any
one TO 80 with him. At last a miner
consented. but carefully made the state
ment that he was going to help bury
Fowler and not to carry nuggets. a. he.
like others IN the camp, placed no con-
ndsnce In Martins story The chunk
weighed eighty pounds 1id required the
combined efforts Of Oliver and his as
sistnnt to get II TO the camp
Before starting both men staked
claims Martin, OF course, claiming hiO
where he had unearthed the big nugget.
Al soon as the news OF the great find
spread. miners nocked in by hundreds.
but although the stream was carefully
prospected for miles nothing OF any
great value was found. Martin consid-
cred that his md. in view Of the pc
culiar circumstances attending II. was
an act OF Providence. and no never
touched intoxicants thereafter. with the
money he rot from the sale OF his mug
Get he went to mining In a businesslike
manner. Later he was attracted to
rucAtan. wherW he made over half q
million In quarts mining. He died In
New Orleans q few years ago. leaving
. fortune OF over f.0oo, 0oa
ITO a poor half breed Indian belongs
the credit OF the second largest hnd In
California The scene OF this discovery
was q spot that had been gone over
tims and again BY experienced prcspec-
tors and miners. In 1861 q nrm Of
young men from st. Louis had been In
duced to invest In q big placer claim
In Nevada couaty. Old miners laughed
In their sleeves when they heard OF the
deal. The claim had never yielded more
than coiors and promises and they re-
garded IL ~ . morfbund proposition.
But the new irm took hold with all
the energy OF young blood and abiding
faith in their judgment and fortune.
Bluicss were built and the hunt for gold
instituted with great vixcr. Among the
employees was the young half-breed In
dian One evening. when the men had
gone TO their tents for supper. he went
down to the creek to wash his overaiis.
The siuice and creek were 80 dirty that
he could not see clearly beneath the sur
face. After spreading his overalls on the
sluice boards to dry. the Indians eyes
were attracted BY big yellow rock in
the muddy stream He got down into
the water and rolled the rock over sew
erai times. He had never seen gold in
any other form than tiny fakes or bits
the size OF pinheads. and II never occur
red to him that gold could DO found In
any such mass AZ that he was rolling In
the stream. He concluded that he had
discovered some new kind OF rock. and
went 10 his tent TO sleep In peace
Next morning. when he returned for
his overaiis. he examined the curious
rock again. There was something about
Il he could neither understand nor DEFINE
and ne called the foreman to inspect II.
The trained eye OF the experienced miner
at once recognised the precious nugget,
and the camp went crazy over the nnd
As the story spread. hundreds came long
distances just to feast their cyes on the
lump OF gold and to poise II In their
hands. II weighed eixty-fvs pounds and
fiiied a peck measure. The arm sold the
nugget to the Adams Express Company
for NT.eo. and presented each Of their
employees IN the camp 100, giving the
hAtf-breed $50 extra for bis luck In maxi
ing the md. The claim was aftsyward
worked ever carefully. but while II Yield
I'd q moderate amount OF dust. no other
nugget larger than . pea was found.
which is another proof OF the miners
axiom that gold IL where you md a.
Two years ago q niaH was literally
was DISCHARGED by the superintendent %
the Mistis Shaft mine. Every day for
weeks he hung around the mine implor-
ing to ce taken back. Finally he was
kicked nff the grounds. He procured a
pick and shovel and grub enough TO last
him for q week or two. ana started on
prospecting In Bear crock on the Pine
Ridge. some eeventy-hvs miles northeast
OF Frisco. Three weeks later he returned
with 81 90 In seid Aust which was harmed
out In lass than a fortnighs's actual work.
Among the mining exhibits In the min
Ing department. of The Worlds Fair At
ChicaEa was a nugget OF pure gold found
In Anime county by young woman
The history ~ the discovery OF this chunk
Il cherished by every woman In the gold
mining regions In California Harry r
Eliis ana his wife went 90 the state IN
iss4 from Phlisdeiphis because OF Eiiis'
serious hung tfoshis. They went 20 i've
up IN the mountains Of Alpine county.
miles from any neighhor, They GOT their
livelihood hy hunting and cuitlvatinx q
few acres 81 iand about their lonciv cabin.
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