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Life Preserver Mine Bill of Sale - Placer County, 1878

Currency:USD Category:Coins & Paper Money / Stock & Bond - Mining Start Price:75.00 USD Estimated At:150.00 - 300.00 USD
Life Preserver Mine Bill of Sale - Placer County, 1878
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Two page handwritten document documents a bill of sale for the Life Preserver mine at Bald Hill from A.O. Bell to J.L. Holland of Nevada City. According to the History of Placer County, Thompson and West, 1882(pg 228-29), Bell had made the richest strike in the county in many years. Bell had been a struggling prospector until one day hunting through the hills, ñhe struck his pick into a little mound which resembled somewhat in appearance an ant hill, and to his delight he unearthed some pieces of decomposed quartz, attached to which were some colors of goldî. ñEncouraged at his prospect, he began to sink on his new lead and found more or less gold at every day of descent. Last Saturday, he had reached a depth of 30Í, and had taken out rock estimated to be worth about $1,500. Bell then hired some men to help him at the mine. From three panfulls on Monday, he obtained gold estimated to be worth $4,000 to $5,000.î By Wednesday that week, Bell claimed that he had taken between $30,000 and $35,000 from the mine and had an offer to sell for $20,000. This first sale attempt fell through as the buyer could not raise the funds. As Bell had been prospecting for some years and had gone through poverty, he gratefully named his mine, ñThe Life Preserverî. In 1878, another body of gold was struck and $20,000 was taken out. The mine was then sold to Messrs. Wilkinson and Holland. This bill of sale transfers ownership in the mine from A.O. Bell of Bald Hill, Placer County to J.L. Holland of Nevada City on August 15, 1878. Consideration was $1 at the time of sale, with a further $5,000 in gold coin to be paid to Bell by September 15th. The mine is described as ñthat certain quartz lode known as the Life Preserver mineî. Wilkinson and Holland operated the mine for some time successfully and renamed it the Nevada Hill mine. The document also locates the mine as ñone mile sw of BellÍs house at Bald Hill in Placer Countyî. Signed at the bottom by Bell and Holland. The document is in very good condition. Date 1878 Bald Hill, CA hwac 8729