When the miners arrived, fur companies were the major power in the north. Eager to gain more economic and political control, the miners pushed for Alaska to become a territory, which concluded the powerful reign of the fur companies. New people also meant a need for a permanent police presence.
The majority of these people were unprepared for what lay ahead. Many would-be miners had never even pitched a tent as they set off into the wilderness. Merchants, honest and corrupt, were eager to provide supplies and expertise to these fortune hunters at a very healthy profit. These people became the true success stories of the Gold Rush.
