14.4 Mining Boom

Western Mining1. Setters Mill, CA- gold rush 1849 (49ers)2. Pike’s Peak, CO- 1858

3. Carson River Valley, NV- gold and silver (Comstock Lode)

4. Tucson, AZ1.Patio Process- learn form the Hispanics- use mercury to extract silver from the ore.2.Mill to separate gold from the quartz

5. Idaho and Montana- small amounts

6. Fraser River Valley, British Colombia- led to the purchase of Alaska “Sewards Folly” but it was no folly- GOLD- Klondike gold rush 1897

Life in a mining community1. Mostly men2. Southern California- Mexicans, Californians, Chileans, Peruvians3. Irish, Chinese, English- here for the glitter4. Camps: frames shanties- whiskey barrel chimneys, stone and

mud, blankets, canvas, coyote den, brush, potato sacks, old shirts, etc.

5. Conflicts- Competition- Violence-Deadwood, SD-gamblers, swindlers, murderers

6. Settled: business’s boomed- saloons, hotels, etc.Families join men- schools and lawChildren- scavenge- gold dust and nuggets--sell food to miners

7. Effects- went bust looking for the fortune but the business owners were the ones who got rich

Mining as a big business1. Lone miner usually made a strike initially but when

the easy to get gold was gone; larger tools needed

2. 2 ways a- Hydraulic mining- water pressure to clearb- Hard rock mining- deep shafts-both are really expensive- big business takes over

1.Engineers help to locate ore

3. Effects: 1879- U.S. geological Survey collected data on mines1.Large machines caused

-Dangerous conditions-Dirty, laborious work-Worker loses the idea of “striking it rich”- led to unionizing which meant better hours, wages, no immigrants-Environment suffers- eroded mountains, dumped rock in rivers- flooding, clear cutting