In 1848, James Wilson Marshall struck gold in California br and the gold rush was on. br Men saw nothing but shiny metal br twinkling in their eyes. br None thought of the dangers br that might well lie ahead. br Along with the good br also came the bad. br Gold fever was striking everyone, br every man and woman br wanted to get there br as fast as they could br to stake a claim br and be rich overnight. br At times, it seemed a nation br became addicted to the smell of gold. br Some got rich and others didn’t, br some lived through it br and others died before it was over. br All of them had one thing on their mind. br The mother load was somewhere br and they intended it to find br back in 1848 br during the gold rush days.