Thanks for such a fascinating article! So true about the hard work and travelling of miners. As a descendant of prospectors/miners of Idaho, Washington, and many other parts I found this fascinating. I'm so inspired by my ancestors-- folks born into slavery in Georgia/Virginia who went west to Idaho, worked mines, and invested what they had in finding other mines working and travelling all over. I am amazed at the places they went before cars, British Columbia, Butte, MT, Wonder, NV, many places in Colorado, all over Idaho...as a child listening to the stories my great grandma told about her parents and uncle I had no concept of the geography--just that it was a great story. GGrandma's uncle, George (Gus) Augustus Smith was a well to do African American miner in Idaho and other parts, there's a link to one of his bigger finds at http://www.mascotsilver.com/development.html
He married Jennie Eva Hughes, the first African American to graduate from the University of Idaho (http://www.lib.uidaho.edu/special-collections/dm/dm2000/class1899.htm) . The stories were that Gus would work all day in the mine and get in the back of the wagon and sleep while his horse would pull him home each night.
His mother cooked and ran boardinghouses as did his sister. Hard working folks!
Blessings,
Stephanie