Getting the Last Laugh and Gold — Chinese in the Gold Rush
Head of Auburn Ravine, 1852. California State Library Picture Catalog
Most have heard of the Chinese’ incredible effort in building the Transcontinental Railroad over the rugged Sierra but little mention is made about their amazing success as miners in the Gold Rush, according to historian Craig MacDonald.
What made their success even more remarkable is that they often were bullied, evicted and attacked by jealous American, Hispanic and European miners, who wanted the gold for themselves.
Even the state “piled on” the Chinese emigrants by creating a Foreign Miners’ Tax and banning their court testimony against “whites”. If that wasn’t enough, resolutions at places like Fosters Bar denied Chinese the right to hold claims and required them to leave. (Years later, in 1882, Congress passed Exclusion Bills prohibiting Chinese immigration.)
All this harassment might have made most people stay away. But not the Chinese. Their population in California rose dramatically from just three in 1848 to more than 25,000 in 1852. Most emigrants were Argonauts, making the Chinese the largest minority mining in what they called (Gold Mountain).
Read Craig MacDonald’s story, GETTING THE LAST LAUGH (AND GOLD)—CHINESE IN THE GOLD RUSH
Some secrets to the Chinese’ Success
- Stayed Together (mining in groups of 2 to 50 or more)
- Worked Hard (labored more hours than other Argonauts)
- Used Simple Tools (picks, shovels, pans and small rockers that gave them flexibility to move quickly from one place to another)
- Had Patience (methodically sifting through old placer claims, dumps & tailings)
- Demonstrated Know-how (used engineering and water management techniques learned from farming and mining in China)
