Lives and Conflicts Between Miners
By: Mere
The Lives of the Miners
Miners lived in mining camps during their expeditions. Eventually, camps went from tents to wooden housed stores and saloons. The camps were never always safe, though. Many were dangerous with the violence of jealousy or other miners. Not only this but rumours spread of miners who grew rich overnight. This gave the miners more and more hopes and expectations when in reality it was very rare.The miner’s health also slowly went downhill after standing knee-deep in icy streams for so long. Exhaustion, poor food, and disease were all key factors that started deteriorating at the miners.
Conflicts With Gold
Gold was difficult to find, but they had to pay outrageous prices for basic supplies. Also, gamblers and con artists swindled the miners of their money, because of this few grew rich. Soon many realized was it worth it in the end? However, many didn’t get a chance to see the hardships. Two-thirds of the miners were American. Most were white, but Natives, free blacks, and enslaved Africans also worked in the mines. Thousands of experienced miners came from Europe, South America, Australia, and China hoping for the same opportunities. My the end of 1851 1/10 were Chinese. Out of these people, most had suffered from crop failure and came to look for their fortunes. The Chinese were good miners and used to backbreaking labor. They would go and takeover sites where the gold “was gone” and make profits from it. Americans soon grew jealous of the Chinese and were suspicious of their customs.