Willoughby: Descent in most places is precipitous

Willoughby: Descent in most places is precipitous

Men and materials had to be hauled in the mining era, just as today; but instead of gas or diesel, it was moved with horses and mules. Instead of profiting from tourists, the cash came from silver. For most of the first decade, roads were marginal, especially over the mountains. Ore was often hauled by mule trains, often by trail, not road. When railroads came, you still had to haul tons of minerals to town to the trains. Roads improved, but unt…