Arizona weekly journal-miner., 1900-12-26
A MONSTER NUGGET.
History of the Discovery of the Largest
 Ever Found in California.

The story of famous goll fn,.s is always fascinating one. Recently there has been published by Thos. J. Hurley. mining engineer, little work relating to the history of some of the great nuggets that have be, n found from time to time.
 Among other interesting stories re- lated is the following:
 There is an exciting incident con ne-tcI with the lin.iing of the Oliver AIa.tin nugget, the largest ever found in California, which sold for S22,70O after it had earned S10,0OO from exhi- bitions in various parts of the coun- try. Although a young man, Oliver Martin was little better than a tramp. He spent his time in doing odd jobs and drinking whiskey around the mining camps of Yuba, TOulumne, Fl Dorado and Calaveras counties. He didn't even own pan. much less a rocker or a long tom. One of his boon companions was John Fowler, who was equally shiftless and dissi- pated.
 "Oue night in November, 1854, the two were on their way from Benton's Barr over the Grizzly mountains to Camp Corona; the spot made famous in literature by Bret Harte. The fall rains had begun and the streams were running high. On the night of the 17th almost stupid with drink, the two took refuge in a deserted miners hut. During the night heavy rain, peculiar to the mountain ranges, set in. The water fell in torrents and came pouring down the precipitous mountain sides. The narrow canyon where Martin and Fowler lay asleep and drunk soon filled with rush waters which threatened to sweep away the old shack of building. They were awakened by the water pouring into the cabin and sought to escape by climbing the steep sides of the can yon. Both men were swept back into the flood and were carried down the stream in the darkness. Martin was washed into a clump of live oaks and managed to lodge clinging to the branches until morning, but Fowler was drowned.
 Next day, November 18th, toward noon, when the waters had subsided, Martin secured a pick and shovel and started to bury his dead companion. He selected a sandy spot at the base of the cliff and had not dug down two feet when he came upon the mug get. He made several tests before he could convince himself that it was really gold. The chunk was bigger than bulls head and too heavy for Martin to carry. He hurried to Camp Corona to secure help. He had some difficulty in securing any one to go with him. At last a miner con sented, but carefully made the state ment that he was going to help bury Fowler and not to carry nuggets, as he, like others in the camp placed no CODuutuCt III Ahol llln SiOl Ns IhC chunk weighed eighty pounds and required the combined efforts of Oli- yer and his assistant to get it to the camp.
 Before starting both men staked claims, Martin, of course, claiming his where he had unearthed the big nugget. As soon as the news of the great find spread, miners Aocked in by hundreds, but although the stream was carefully prospected for miles nothing of any great value was found. Martin considered that his find, in view of the peculiar circumstances at tending it was an act of providence. and he never touched intOxicants thereafter. With the money he got from the sale of his nugget he went to mining in a business like manner. Later he was attracted to Yucatan, where he made over half million in quartz mining. He died in New Or leans a few years ago, leaving for tune of over Sl,000,0O0.