By 1855 the California Gold Rush was over for all but wealthy investors who could afford to build the machinery now required to mine. But the Silver Rush was on. Half of San Francisco relocated to the Comstock and the other half was doing business there. Adolph Sutro was one of the thousands of Californians who left their wives and families in San Francisco and made the Nevada Territory their second home.
How did they have ice to bring down into the mines?? Refrigeration wasn't invented yet, right? The horrors to which people have subjected themselves in pursuit of money are beyond astonishing.
There was a lot of snow in the winters and the ice was cut and stored in caves. The miners couldn't have survived without it. And for them it wasn't pursuit of money so much as just pursuit of a living. I would have done just about anything else, though.... inconceivable. :(
How did they have ice to bring down into the mines?? Refrigeration wasn't invented yet, right? The horrors to which people have subjected themselves in pursuit of money are beyond astonishing.
There was a lot of snow in the winters and the ice was cut and stored in caves. The miners couldn't have survived without it. And for them it wasn't pursuit of money so much as just pursuit of a living. I would have done just about anything else, though.... inconceivable. :(