1. Some people made the trip west pushing a wheel barrow that held all of their worldly possessions.

2. Some ‘49ers that took the California Trail paid as much as $100 for a drink of water. Opportunists knew that the ‘49ers would run out of water in the Nevada desert. They loaded wagons with barrels of water and headed east to meet the thirsty fortune hunters. They charged $5, $10, $20 and as much as $100 for a glass of water. As well as water, sugar, liquor and coffee were very expensive; up to $4.00 a pint. More fortunes were made selling supplies and water than in the gold fields.

3. Some things were dirt cheap on the California Trail. Bacon sold for as little as one cent per pound. Why the huge differences? It’s simple – supply and demand. There was an excess of bacon and the other supplies mentioned were hard to get.

By Mary M. Alward