A ROMANCE OF THE GOLDFIELDS

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1507, 17 January 1901, Page 12

A ROMANCE OF THE GOLDFIELDS

‘“There is an exciting incident connected with the finding- of the Oliver Martin nugget, the largest ever found in California, which sold for £5-500, after it had earned <£5500 from exhibition in various parts of the country. Although a young man Oliver Martin was little better than a tramp. He spent his time in doing odd jobs and drinking whisky around the mining camps of Yuba, Toulume, Li Dorado and Calaveres Counties. Be didn't even own a pan, much less a rocker or long tom. One of his boon companions was John Fowler, who was equally shiftless and dissipated. One night in November, 1854, the two were on their way from Benton's Bar over the Grizziey Mountains to Camp Carona. 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 sought refuge in a deserted miner's hut. During the night a heavy rain, peculiar to the mountain ranges, set in. The water fell in torrents and came pouring down the precipitous mountain sides. The narrow: canon where Martin and Fowler lay asleep and drunk was ; soon filled with rush, jug waters, which threatened to sweep away the old shack of a building. They were awakened by the water pouring into the cabin, and sought to escape by climbing the steep sides of the canon. Both men were swept back into the flood and. were carried down the stream in the darxness. 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 18, 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 nugget. He made several tests before he could convince himself that it was really gold. The chunk was bigger than a bulks head, ana too heavy for Martin to carry, he Hurried to camn Carona to secure help. Be had some difficultv in persuading any one to go with him. At last a miner consented, "but carefully made the statement that he' was going to help to bury Fowler and not to carry miggesvs, as he. like others in the camp, placed no confidence in Martin's story. The chunk weighed 80lbs, and required the combined efforts of Oln *r and his assistant to get it to the camp. “Before starting both men staked claims. Martin of course, claiming his where he bad unearthed the big nugget. As soon a s the news of the great find spread, miners fio'deed in by hundreds, but although '.he Mream was carefully prospected for miffs nothing of any great value was found. Martin considered that his find, in view of the peculiar circumstances attending it, was an act of Providence, and he never touched intoxicants thereafter. With the money he got from the sale of his nugget lie went to mining in a businesslike manner. Later he was attracted to Yucatan, where he made over half a million in quartz mining. lie died in New Orleans a few years ago, leaving a fortune of over £1.000,000." “Two years ago a man was literally kicked into a fortune. Louis Roderigo was discharged by the superintendent* of the Mistle Shaft Mine. Every day for weeks he hung around the mine imploring to be- taken back. Finally he was kicked off the grounds. He procured a pick and shovel and grub enough to last him for a week or two, and started off

prospecting in Bear week, on the Ihu ' Ridge, some 75 miles north-east of 'Frisco. i time weeks later he returned with A2OCHJ in geld dust, which was panned out in less than a fortnight's actual work. ‘■Among the mining exhibits in the mining department of the World's Fair at Chicago was a nugget of pure gold round in Alpine County by a- young woman. One afternoon as Mrs Ellis was driving borne the family cow she- was seeking stones to throw for the amusement of the dog. She saw in the course gravel a dark, dull yellow st one and. pick'd it .up. ‘I knew freo the moment I nicked it up.' says she. ‘Yb;;I had. found gold, because it was so heavy.’ She get x-jvp ior in. '