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Show a ada hie ea ied eed ee Feet eee ae Pel ee) Pe -# C CdZ tir SAREa ade ee rao » ?-@—@ ae 4 r--% 2 [a pee es a ie tk i ae es } oes ee | OF NEW MEXICAN HISTORY ‘“‘A striking characteristic,’’ says Chittenden, ‘‘of the Santa Fé trade was its division among a great number of proprietors. The above table shows to what degree this was true and only in later years did the investments average as much as one thousand dollars per proprietor. It was a business of small dealers and no ‘American Fur Company’ followed the Santa Fé Trail. Not infrequently individuals took with them all they possessed and as the enterprises oe eo Po eo ee a FACTS were generally profitable the trade was undoubtedly a great benefit. Often individuals would secure credits by mortgages upon their property until their return in the fall. If, as occasionall y happened, the Santa Fé market proved dull and it required considerable time to get rid of one’s cargo by retail these home obligations enforced a resort to the less profitable method by wholesale in order that the business might terminate in time for the trader to get back home and satisfy his creditors.’’ Although the trade was thus divided among a large number of people, it was of great importance and after the Mexican War, in particular, when the newly acquired territories were occupied by American troops, the business of freighting over the plains became still more profitable. Of the old traders very few continued in the business during this period although it was during the fifties, sixties and early seventies that the profits were the greatest, 88 The following letter from Colonel Céran St. Vrain shows the custom at that time prevailing: a ‘‘San Fernando del Taos, September 14, 1830. *‘ Messrs. B. Pratte and Co. ‘Gentlemen :—It is with pleasure that I inform you of my last arrival at Santa fe, which was the 4th of August. we were met at Red river by General Biscara the customhouse officer and a few the object ™ coming out so far to meet us was to prevent smuggling soldiers, and it had the desired effeck, there was a guard Placed around our wagons until we entered Santatfe, s * Por ae oe | ls Le ee ee ee a «6 oe et mT" ey aeCen S de ott ee a ot See oe * ee Se ae ch ck ae ie wa hele el al het Sy Sk ayeh we had all to pay full dutys which amounts to 60 per cent on cost. a pad LEADING ducted, the net profit rarely exceeded forty per cent and was frequently as low as ten per cent. There were, of course, occasionally instances of actual loss. a ee 1386 I was the first that put goods in the Customhouse and I opened immediately, but goods sold very slow, so slow that it was discouraging. I found that it was impossible to meet my payments if I continued retailing. I there fore thought 1t was best to hole saile & I have done so. and Lavoise Ruel one wagon, eleven mules, I send you by Mr. Andru Carson one horse and 653 skins of Beaver; 961 Ibs. nine hundred and sixty-one pounds, which you will have sold for MY account. I do not wish the mules sold unless they sell for a good price. Iam with much respect, ‘*Your obdt. servt. if ‘¢Céran gt. St. Vrain.” , Gen. Christopher Carson. Earliest Portrait, about 1845 N 7 : +P) : 8 5 |