Page 21 - All About History - Issue 29-15

USA

4 FAMOUS...
How not to… mine for gold
Althoughpanningforgoldisarelativelyrisk- tookafurtherthreeweekstoreachthelevel FACES OF THE
freepursuitiffastflowingriversareavoided, where the miners were trapped. Sadly, none
miningforgoldcomeswithahostofdangers. survived,andit’slikelytheydiedwithinfour GOLD RUSH
The worst mining disaster in Californian history hoursofthefirebreakingout.Oneofthe
occurred after the gold rush had ended in 1922 miners’bodieswasmissing,leadingtorumours JAMESMARSHALL
intheArgonautMine.Therewere47miners he had managed to escape in the panic and start
working4,650feetbelowgroundwhenafire anewlife.However,thislegendwasquashed 1810-85, USA
brokeout,trappingthemen.Afewluckyminers when his remains were found further down Marshall was the first person
closer to the surface managed to climb out and theshaft.Theownersoftheminemanagedto to report finding gold in the
pouredwaterdowntheshaftinaneffortto escape any punishment, despite the mine being American River, prompting the
stifletheflames.Thefireragedfortwoanda foundtoviolateanumberofsafetyregulations, California Gold Rush.
half days before it was fully extinguished and anditwasuptosympatheticmembersofthe
rescue crews could make their way down. It publictoraisemoneyfortheminers’families.

JAMES‘GRIZZLY’
ADAMS
1812-60,USA
This famous mountain man briefly
tried his luck at mining gold, but
founditmoreprofitabletosell
game to the miners.

Fill your pan Submerge and shake under water
Theideabehindgoldpanningisfilteringoutthegoldin There are many different techniques in the actual
03 gravelfromothersmallrocks,soyou’regoingtohaveto 04 panning of dirt to get the gold, with old timers swearing
fill yourpantogetstarted.Agoodplacetogetgravelisunderbig on traditional methods and newcomers equipping their pans
rocks.Lookincrackswheregoldrushingdownstreamislikelyto withfancytools.Thebasicideaistoshakethepanunderthe SAMUELBRANNAN
get caught.Goldisalsoheavyandtendstosinkdown,somaking water so the heaviest matter, the gold, goes to the bottom. The 1819-89, USA
the effort to dig deep will most likely pay off. water then should wash the lighter worthless dirt out of the pan.
Brannan was the first millionaire
of the Gold Rush, amassing
his wealth by buying mining
equipment to sell to prospectors.

ALBERT W HICKS
1820-60, USA
Also known as ‘Pirate Hicks’, this
murderer was the last person
executed for piracy in the USA.
He confessed to killing 97 people
in gold camps across California.
Retrieveyourgold Enjoyyourriches
Eventually,you’llbeleftwithblacksandand,ifyou’re Nowyou’vestruckgoldit’stimetodecidewhattodowith
05lucky,gold.Someearlyprospectorsfoundnuggetsso 06your wealth. Many forty-niners grabbed whatever gold they
big they could pick them out of their pans. Extracting smaller couldthenreturnedhome,whileothersmovedtheirfamiliesto
pieceswilltakemorework.Swirlthesandaroundandthen California and set up businesses there. Of course, you could always
removeyourpanfromthewater.Youcanusetweezers,a enjoy your money in the taverns, or if you’re any good at cards, you
magnet,funnelorothertooltoextractthosemorselsofgold. couldtripleyourprofitswithawell-placedbetinthesaloon.
© Ed Crooks

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