. Annals of Fort Mackinac . arrangeand secure the services of old traders and their voyageurs, who, at the(new) organization of the company were in the Indian country, dependingon their influence and knowledge of the trade with the Indians; and aafast as possible secure the vast trade in the West and Northwest, withinthe district of the United States, interspersing the novices brought fromCanada so as to consolidate, extend and monopolize, as far as possible,over the country, the Indian trade. The first two years they had sue- AMERICAN FUR COMPANY. 73 ceeded in bringing into their employ seven
. Annals of Fort Mackinac . arrangeand secure the services of old traders and their voyageurs, who, at the(new) organization of the company were in the Indian country, dependingon their influence and knowledge of the trade with the Indians; and aafast as possible secure the vast trade in the West and Northwest, withinthe district of the United States, interspersing the novices brought fromCanada so as to consolidate, extend and monopolize, as far as possible,over the country, the Indian trade. The first two years they had sue- AMERICAN FUR COMPANY. 73 ceeded in bringing into their employ seven-eighths of the old Indiantraders on the Upper Mississippi, Wabash and Illinois Rivers, LakesMichigan and Superior, and their tributaries as far north as the bound-aries of the United States extended. The other eighth thought that theirinterest was to remain independent; toward such, the company selected,their best traders, and located them in opposition, with instructions so tomanage by underselling to bring them to Block House Built in 1780. At Mackinac, the traders brigades were organized, the company select-ing the most capable trader to be the manager of his particular brigade,which consisted of from five to twenty batteaux, laden with goods. Thischief or manager, when reaching the country allotted to him, madedetachments, locating trading-houses, with districts clearly defined, forthe operations of that particular post, and so on, until his ground was fullyoccupied by traders under him, over whom he had absolute authority. We will here allude to Mr. Astors attempt to establish anAmerican emporium for the fur trade at the mouth of the 74 ANNALS OF FORT MACKINAC. Columbia River, which enterprise failed, through the captureof Astoria by the British in 1814, and the neglect of ourgovernment to give him protection. The withdrawal of from the Pacific coast, left the Northwest Fur Com-pany to consider themselves the lords of the country. Theydid not long enjoy t
Size: 1577px × 1583px
Photo credit: © Reading Room 2020 / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1880, bookidannalsoffort, bookyear1887
