, 1866-03-09
THE MONTANA TRADE.

we publish the IoiioWlnS syuOpsis VI INC
proceedings of an adjourned meeting Of mer-
chants in San Francisco, held at the hall Of
Chamber Of Commerce, on Friday, the 10th
of February, when they discussed the yari.
GUS routes from San Francisco to the Black,
foot mining region.
A report was made by the committee on
the Colorado route, setting forth its advan-
tages and giving resume of the resources
and population of the region of country
through which it passes. A report was also
submitted by the committee on the Hum
boldt route, giving estimates of distances,
and comparison of the times Of delivering
freight from the Atlantic and Pacific sources
of supply. The report states that this route
has the favor of the teamsters' association
of Sacramento, which embraces twelve hun
dred teams, of an aggregate value of three
million of dollars and tho committee recon-
mend that two expeditions of fifty OK teams
each be fitted out to traverse that route this
season with three tons of assorted merchan.
disc to the wagon, to show the people of
Montana and Idaho its practical advantages
Ihe report on the Portland routes makes
a comparison of these with the Red Bluff
route, and the comparative cost of transport
tatiSn of freight, as follows:
From San Francisco via Owyhes and Snake
river to Helena, l,l9O# miles cost per ton, S345.
From San Francisco via Portland and Snake
river to Lewiston, thence by land to Helena,
1898 miles cost per ton, 1920.
From San Francisco via Portland to Wallula,
thence by land to Helena, 1888 miles cost per
ton $275.
From San Francisco via Portland to White
Bluffs, thence by land to Helena, 1870 miles
cost per ton, $27O.
And recommended that the merchants of
San Francisco cooperate with the merchants
of Oregon in improving and demonstrating
the practiCability of the routes via the co.
lumbia river. And the following resolution
was adopted:
ReSolUed That whereas the people of Oregon
have hitherto manifested a spirit of enterprise
which tends directly toward opening all routes
been demonstrated that this is the Only route
over which goods have recently passed to that
country therefore, that we confer with the mer-
chants Of Portland as to best means of accom-
plishing the purpose in view.
Mr.. Convey, a prominent San Francisco
merchant, in introducing the above resolur
ton, said:
1t has been truthfully stated that trade will
ind its natural channels. The first goods taken
into Montana Territory from the Pacific coast
were from Lewiston, in the Fall of 1868. Since
then, owing to the more recent discoveries o.
gold and the increase Of population, supplies
were obtained from St. Louis, by reason of su
perior inducements Last Summer and Fall
owing to the difficulty of navigating the Mis-
| souri, river, sufficient supplies could not be OBJ
tanned to fill the demands of the county.
have in my possession some facts concerning
the amount of goods and means of ttansporta
81 navigation On TIE COIGmba 10 B1ackfoot tc
| which would call the attention of this meeting
| Over 100 pack trains ayeragng5O animals each
with 300 pounds to the animal, making an ag
| gregate of $50 TONS were sent from diferen
| points on the Columbia river to Montana. Tht
| cost Of transportation of these goods was no
less than S24O, 900 the value of the goods abou
81 ,2000 900, making the total value of goods lait
| down at Helene, during this one season, by tht
Columbia river alone, 81, ,44O, 900. The distanc
by land travel is 45O miles; the price of freigh
varied from l3 to l8 cents per pound. In view
of these facts, there seems to be but one conclu
sion, viz That we should give aid to that route
without disparaging any other, that has beer
demonstrated not only to be the most practica
BILE, but the only one over which merchandise
can be shipped to compete successfully with tht
St. Louis and Chicago trade.
*We think that this distance is under-est
mated7the Travelled distance being about 15C
miles further, making the distance $40 miles
instead of 100, as stated.
|