Jeffersonian Republican. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1840-1853, 1851-09-04
No.50

hacker, Antonio Bricker, Paul CARRIER,
John Baptiste Versin, John Tyrey, and
others, with their wives and families,
German Swiss from Geneva and that vi
cinitv, speaking the French language,
came down here and settled at Gratiot's
Grove. AT that time there were large
smelling operations carried on by Col.
Henry Gratiot.
The party we have named came out to
Selkirk in 81 1.-THE first band being near
ly all Scotchmen, but the second from the
Continent. Those emigrating here, the
most of whom are now living, have been
among our best citizens and worthy mem
bers of society, handing down their vir-
tues to their children.
The origin of the floods which did such
immense damage on Red River,in the
years we named, has never been satisfac-
torily accounted for, but it is surmised
that they came from the superabundant
water of the branches of the Missouri,
bursting over the low ridge, which di-
yides the water flowing into the Gulf of
Mexico from that flowing into Hudson's
Bay.
The only tax the colonists of Red River
pay is four per cent. on all the goods they
import, whether from England or else
where, and the Hudson's Bay Company
pay the same on all imports they sell or
consume within the limits of the Red
River Colony. The Company import
goods and merchandise from England,
and charge the consumer in the Colony
75 per cent. advances on the London in
voice prices, for freight, insurance, duty,
land carriage and profit. They sell bar
and sheet iron for IL cents pound; su-
gar, London crushed, 24cents; tea from
80 cents to 50, and other articles in pro-
portion. The imports for the last FIVE
years have averaged 100000, from all
sources, and the $4,000 revenue is de-
voted to schools, bridges, roads and in
ternal Improvements; all salaries being
paid by the Company. The colonists
export comparatively y nothing-the only
article that will pay being Furs (not in
Guiding Buffalo Robes,) on which the
Hudson's Bay Company have monopo-
ly, over which they watch with a jealous
eye.
Since the route has been opened and
travelled from Pembina to ST. Paul, they
have commenced to bring forward mer-
chandise. But we learn that the late
train from Selkirb, of more than hun
cred carts, has been met by US. Gus
tom House officer, above St. Paul, and
30 per cent. duty demanded of the Sell
kinks on Buffalo Robes, and 80 per cent.
on their Moccasins. The Minnesota
Democrat says that the Red River gen.
tlemen express the assurance that they
can never pay that tax, and that hereaf-
ter they will be obliged to avail themselves
of the boats and ships of the Company
We presume Congress will look into this
matter, and discriminate in their favor
unless there exists good reasons for a
contrary course.
The cold is sometimes excessive in the
settlement. Mercury freezes once or
twice every year, and sometimes the spir
it thermometer indicates a temperature
as low as 50 degrees below zero. When
such low temperature occurs, there is
pervading haze or smoky appearance
in the atmosphere, resembling generally
diffused yellow smoke, and the sun looks
red as in sultry evening. As the sun
rises, so does the thermometer, and when
the mercury thaws out and stands at 10
or Is degrees below, breeze sets in and
pleasant weather follows-that is, as
pleasant as can be, while the mercury
keeps below zero as continually as fish
is in his own clement, and coming up a.
bove the surface just as often.
For weeks, sometimes, the, wind Will
blow from the north-temperature say
from to 10 below suddenly it shifts
into the south, and for six hours the
thermometer viii continue to fall,
phenomena which meteorologists, per-
haps can account for. Another; when, In
summer, the wind blows length of time
from the north, it drives the water back
and Red River will have its banks full
in the dryest season. The same thing
occurs when the wind blows from the
same direction in Winter, although the
sea and river are frozen, unbrokenly, ten
/ feet thick. TO the north mole.