zlacker

Or, they knew all that but thought they would probably personally benefit anyway?

You can get rich in a gold rush selling shovels. And it doesnt really matter if there's no gold, or not enough for all the miners to make a living. And why would a shovel salesman focus on the negative like that?

>>ZeroGr+(OP)
Frankly the shovel salesmen were relatively small time, since some miners brought their own, some quit and sold theirs (whether bought or brought), and some shovels were, um, just found lying around, "Goodness, whatever could have happened to that poor miner?"

The real money was in services (brothels, gambling, baths) and consumables (food, booze).