A get rich quick scheme!
Do you want to see the Klondike Trail, Yukon area and look over into Canada?
Sure!
So we got on the bus and began the drive to see the Yukon and peer into Canada.
Word spread from Canada’s Yukon Territory that a family had found gold in the Klondike River. A year later, would-be millionaires made their way to the area expecting to find riches in gold.
What would you do to be able to take gold from your claim on a beautiful river and then live like a king?
About 20,000 to 30,000 people spent about three months to get to the lakes they had to cross. They went back and forth on the trails moving their supplies closer and closer to their goal. They built boats or bought them to get across the lakes so they could travel the 560 miles to Dawson City and the Klondike. When they thought they had reached their destination, the Canadian authorities told them they had to have a year’s worth of supplies and food, not the three months they already had. Back they went to get more supplies and repeat the journey.
What happened?
Many died on this trip to fortune. Many found the claims already taken.
About 100,000 people tried hard to reach the gold fields; only 30,000 to 40,000 actually made it. The rest died. (National Park Service, NPS.gov)
Men overloaded their pack horses, which made them struggle even harder up the treacherous mountains. Broken legs and other disasters killed an estimated 3,000 horses in the men’s search for gold. Thousands of dogs died in the same struggle.
The men died of cholera, lack of food, weather, murder, killings and being hurt in accidents looking for “easy”riches.
What ended the gold rush?
Another lure to riches.
Gold was found in Nome and silver was found in Nevada.
Who made the most on the gold rush? It’s said that the people who supplied the would-be gold miners actually made the most!
As Gary and I stood looking over the forested mountains, steep hills and valleys, I couldn’t imagine the terrible journey and struggle that panned out there.
The Bible talks about treasure and what true treasure is that is worth everything.
“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” ~Matthew 6:19-21
Knowing Christ as your Savior and having a saving relationship with Him — that’s a true treasure!
