The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1912-02-08
$50 GOLD SLUCS
FAST DISAPPEARING

Beside the picturesque although
nearly vanished ruins of Mt. Ophir
mill IN Mariposa county, is crumpl-
ing pile of stones of much historic
value. 1t is the last remnant of the
first mill in California. Uf course even
IN the early mites, the government
! controlled coinage, and in 1854 estab-
ilshed mint In San Erancisco; but
no one ever questioned the legality OF
Mount Uphir S great octagonai sIugs.
or tried III any way to disguise their
manufacture, although their coinage
lasted two years.
An atmosphere more romantic than
mercenary clings to the spot. Situat-
ed on the bank of a pretty stream at
the foot OF lofty Mount Bullion. and
surrounded ON three sides by chemical
covered hills, it forms the heart into
which once flowed golden atoms or
poured great yellow globules.
Here men from the trails and
gulches, men glad OF the new life of
new world, nlled with the elixir OF
hopes and ambitions about to be rea-
llzed by sudden wealth, or intoxicated
with freedom from conservatism, with
the power OF gratifying reckless pas
sions, brought TASKS OF dust and bags
OF nuggets and went away with
pockets full of the most clumsy coin
imaginable. For slug was two and a
halt times as large as a twenty dollar
piece, in value 500, but those opulent
miners scorned anything smaller. Al
though currency circulated in many
forms during those early days, the
only bonafide California coin was the
queer half hundred.
When the government destroyed
local mints, the shape Of the slug
changed from octagonal to round and
later when the sweating process Of
stealing, by putting the coins in sacks
and shaking them until particles were
rubbing OF became popular and
profitable amusement their use was
entirely discontinued.
Into the crucible at Mount Ophir
were tossed pocket specimens, SO in
trIcate, so delicate in fern-like eracery
and flowery shapes, that their crush
ing seemed pity.
lou may still find some old miner
perhaps starving in his lonely cabin,
who will show you one of these joy
blooms that has cheered his lonely
years, and from which he could not
part even for food. They are lovelier
than any cunning jewelers. work.
One have seem was = tangled
bunch of miniature brakes, with a
butterfly resting on the apex, and
their stems in base of crystal. Its
owner valued it above any luxury or
even necessity.
Here, as elsewhere, Indians believe
that down in the earth IS center
demons were burning this metal and
tossing it up to tempt men to ruin, and
when they saw the liquidated ore in
that house OF stone, they fled in such
terror that no persuasion or curiosity
could tempt them to return.
| Still the little mint did it's work,
its founder, whose names are by most
forgotten, reaped their reward and no
miner complained of unfair treatment.
When the mighty hand of the law
reached out, it's harvest had been
reaped, tits doors quietly closed.
All this was before Fremont, in
idle fancy, floated the grant of no.
600 acres o. agricultural land bestow-
ed upon him for his services during
the Mexican war, on to this mineral
belt.
Local mints are no more. Only this
little pile of stone and the memory Of
old-timers bear testimony to Califor-
MIA s first center of coinage so much
of the early history of which is veil
ed in mists too deep to penetrate.-
May Corcoran, in Merced Sun.