The Record Union

THE DONNER TREASURE.

Claim Made That the Money Has Been Found.

A MINER ACCIDENTALLY DISCOVERS THE HIDING PLACE.

The Spot in Plain Sight of the Wagon Road Near the Margin of Donner Lake—The Coins Found are of Date Prior to 1845, and Comprise the Markings of America, France, Spain, Bolivia and the Argentine Republic—Truckee Excited Over the Discovery.

Special to the RECORD-UNION.

TRUCKEE, May 15.—Truckee is feverish with excitement over the discovery of a portion of the treasure buried by the Donner party in 1846-47. There is not a doubt about the authenticity of the find or the identity of the money.

McGlashan's history of the Donner party, in speaking of the second relief party, says: "Reed's party encamped the first night near the upper end of Donner Lake. They had scarcely traveled three miles upon starting from the Graves cabin. Mrs. Graves had taken with her a considerable sum of money. This money had been ingeniously concealed in augur holes bored in cleats nailed to the bed of the wagon. These cleats, W. C. Graves says, were ostensibly placed in the wagon-bed to support a table carried in the back part of the wagon. On the underside of these cleats, however, were the augur holes, carefully filled with coin. The sum is variously stated at from $300 to $500.

"At the camping-ground near the upper end of Donner Lake one of the relief party jokingly proposed to another to play a game of euchre, to see who should have Mrs. Graves' money. Next morning Mrs. Graves remained when the party started, and concealed her money. All that is known is that she buried it behind a large rock on the north side of Donner Lake. So far as is known this money has never been recovered, but still lies hidden where it was placed by Mrs. Graves."

The history proceeds to recount the death of Mrs. Graves from cold and starvation three days afterwards. She buried the money on the morning of March 3, 1847, and it was found yesterday afternoon by Edward Reynolds.

Stewart McKay employed Amos Lane, keeper of a livery stable, to take him to the upper end of Donner Lake yesterday afternoon. A commercial traveler by the name of Huntsman went as far as Johnson's Resort with them, and then took a boat and went out on the lake fishing.

This left an empty seat in the wagon at starting, and Lane asked his friend Reynolds to go along. Reynolds is a stranger in Truckee, having come from Sierra Valley last Tuesday. He is a miner, and instead of going fishing, he went up on the side of the hill to look for quartz.

Meantime Lane and McKay had driven on toward the head of the lake. Reynolds' attention was accidentally called to some dark-looking pieces of money lying in plain sight on the top of the ground. Stooping down he picked up ten ancient-looking dollars, and upon scratching slightly in the earth uncovered a large quantity of silver. Not knowing the nature or extent of the deposit he prudently covered it up, and when Lane returned reported that he had found the buried treasure, and offered to take Lane in with him.

It was resolved to drive back to Truckee with McKay and the drummer without disclosing the secret, and to return after dark and dig up the money. Their anxiety finally overcame their discretion, however, and about 3 o'clock they started back to get the plant, taking with them a pick, shovel and two barley sacks to hold the coin.

They found the silver scattered over quite a surface of ground, and by the side of the stone, in the place where Reynolds had uncovered the main deposit they found a hatful of coins. Darkness coming on, they returned to town.

On examining the money closely it was all found to be ancient, and all more or less blackened, stained or oxidized, according to the position in which it was found. Suspecting that they had found some of the Donner party money, they took Stewart McKay and C. F. McGlashan into the secret. They had found $146 in silver, and a number of pieces were of more recent date than 1845.

This morning they returned to the lake, taking Stewart McKay, C. F. McGlashan and Mrs. Nora McGlashan along as witnesses and experts. In one hour the party found $9. Several pieces were firmly imbedded in the earth, while others lay loosely on the surface. A large pine tree had been felled directly across the original plant, and it is evident that when the saw logs made from the tree were snaked away they tore up the ground and carried the money along with them for a number of feet.

Logs and wood have been cut all around the spot, and probably a thousand men have passed over the money since the days when the railroad was built.

The place is in plain sight from the wagon road, about 400 feet from the margin of the central part of the lake, opposite the fishing resort of Johnson.

When it was learned that the money was widely scattered and that it would take days and perhaps weeks to find it all, Messrs. Lane and Reynolds erected a tent over the spot and had it inclosed with a fence. Guards are stationed on the ground to protect the buried treasure it still contains.

Some authorities place the amount of money buried by the Donner party at $10,000, and searching parties are already being organized to make a systematic hunt for the long hidden coin. From present indications the hills on the north side of Donner Lake will be covered with treasure hunters to-morrow.

Reynolds and Lane will have the money on exhibition at their tent while continuing their part of the search.

The money they found would delight the heart of a numismatist. There are old, antiquated coins of all dates prior to 1845, and of the most obsolete and forgotten marking. Coins from France, Spain, Bolivia, the Argentine Republic, and a number of other foreign countries besides. A very rare collection of American pieces are included in the treasure trove. As relics of the Donner party the find is very valuable, one hundred dollars having been offered for one of the pieces. A Truckee hotel-keeper offered ten dollars a day to have the coins placed on exhibition at his hotel. No arrangements will be made regarding the disposition of the money until it is known how much can be found.