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Mining Booms. Chapter 18. Section 1. PIKE’S PEAK or BUST. Colorado Rockies in 1858. Comstock Lode. A rich lode of silver-bearing ore on the banks of the Carson River in Nevada. Henry Comstock. Carson River, Nevada. Henry Comstock owned the land
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Mining Booms Chapter 18 Section 1
PIKE’S PEAK or BUST Colorado Rockies in 1858
Comstock Lode A rich lode of silver-bearing ore on the banks of the Carson River in Nevada. Henry Comstock
Henry Comstock owned the land • Henry sold it for $11,000 & 2 mules • Worth hundreds of millions in gold/silver • Mining companies purchased the land
Mining Booms Boomtowns Towns that grew up overnight around mining sites.
BOOMTOWNS: • Built around mining areas • Wild and lawless • Vigilante groups ruled • Few women and children • “busted” when all ore had been mined • ( 30,000 to 4,000 inhabitants) ghost towns
Life of a miner *vigilantes ruled the towns *lived in boomtowns that were filled with violence (stealing and cheating were common) *Worked from daylight until dark *extravagant living and gambling (food, lodging, clothing) *fortunate miners - $2,000 a year *Women – sewed, cooked, entertained, started schools, churches, businesses - brought stability
Other metals found lead copper zinc
Transcontinental Railroad Omaha, Nebraska to Sacramento, California
Union Pacific – 1,038 miles Central Pacific – 742 miles
Railroad Workers Central Pacific 10,000 Chinese Union Pacific African Americans Irish
Effects of the Transcontinental Railway Towns sprang up along the rail lines Brought thousands of workers to the west Coal production, RR manufactures, construction companies grew Time Zones 1883 – U.S. divided into 4 zones