Dawson City

Essay by black771 April 2010

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At the height of the gold rush, Dawson City was overflowing with people and problems. There was a lot of trouble with the cost of living and accommodations. Eventually law and order was stored and the city became very well - known. The marshy swamp was soon enough turned into a great city with hardworking people, leisure activities and with enough amenities for everyone. The town site was named in January 1897 after Dr. George M. Dawson, the director of the Geological Survey of Canada. The town began to grow almost immediately, even before it was surveyed.

Dawson City was created following the historic discovery of gold on Bonanza Creek. The gold on the Klondike valley was discovered in August 1896 but this news didn't reach the outside world until July 1897 because Yukon was very remote from civilisation. Joe Ladue a former prospector was the founder. Joe Ladue intended to get rich not from gold but from real estate, he knew that merchants in gold camps prosper more than miners so he decided to build a city.

September 1st 1896 Ladue built his first house, six months later he had 500 more. The houses were sold for $5 - $25 - $300 each. The houses were built of wood and canvas and they were heated with primitive wood stoves and lit by candles and coal lamps. The houses were built in a hurry and fires occurred a lot.

The population was rags and riches; some people drank champagne and ate caviar and oysters for breakfast; while others survived on stale bread, lard and tea. In two years it became the largest city in Canada west of Winnipeg with a population that varied between 30,000 and 40,000 people. Because Dawson City was new, a lot of people came...