Glitters Of Gold

When you have a dream and follow it with your complete being, the most unusual opportunities unfold. During the early 1840s John Sutter wanted to build a large agricultural empire in California. He had managed to get there from Switzerland, and was determined that nothing get in his way. He and his hired hand, James Marshall, were working on building a sawmill down by the river when they spotted shiny pebbles of a golden color. Could it possibly be gold? It was, much to their dismay! Gold seekers would only get in the way of their agricultural dreams, so they tried to keep it a secret.

Secrets are hard to keep and Sam Brannan in San Francisco caught wind of the potential. Did he want the gold? No! He thought in terms of supply and demand. If gold seekers came they would need shovels and picks and pie tins. Sam bought all of them he could find within hundreds of miles. He bought them for pennies, and when the gold seekers came rushing in, he sold them for fifteen dollars (an exorbitant amount in those days). Within weeks Sam was the same as a millionaire. He made his fortune without ever sweating over the river.

Bending over the river searching for those specks of gold that were half the size of a pea was painful and exhausting work. For those experiencing success it was worth it. News of the sore muscles and aching backs reached an innovative thinker back in Indiana. He made his fortune selling a bottled salve to the fortune seekers who were traveling through on their way to California.