 Home |
| diamond |
| contacts |
A footnote to the history of the gold rushes is what happened to some of the men who found the gold that changed the fate and face of nations. Sutter died in 1880 in a Washington, D.C. hotel room. Although the gold had been found on his land, he profited little and at the time of his death was struggling to survive on a government grant of less than $5.00 a week.
Marshall, who discovered the gold, died within five years of Sutter and was buried in a pauper's grave. Hargraeves, in recognition of what he had done for Australia, received a grant of 10,000 pounds and a pension for life from the Australian government. Cormack took a fortune in gold from his claim and died a rich man.
As to the countries that the discoveries enriched, their status as gold producers has changed, too. The United States was once the world's primary producer. Today, South Africa is first, producing yearly more than 50 percent of the world's gold.
The U.S.S.R. is second, although production can only be estimated because the figures are secret . Canada is third, producing about 3.75 percent, and the United States is fourth, producing a little more than 2.25 percent. Australia is now seventh, with Papua-New Guinea and Rhodesia producing more gold than it does.
Another
footnote concerns why gold was found so late in North America, Australia,
and South Africa. The reason usually given is that the native inhabitants
had little interest in gold, unlike the Sumerians and the Egyptians, the
Aztecs and the Incas. That explanation seems
as good
as any, since the gold was in the rivers and streams if anyone wanted
to find it.
