Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1875-07-30

peas can be grown in great quantities and OF
very superior quality. From this place a
steamer IunS through Lake Winnipeg
four hundred miles to the mouth of
the Saskatchewan, where it is met by
another steamer, which last year went up
that river seven hundred miles, and Gov
Grahame tells me they hope to get up IF
teen hundred miles this year with it. The
Saskatchewan, as you are aware, takes its
rise in the Rocky Mountains, about latitude
SO, ard longitude IL.
HUDSON BAY COMPANY.
Tie history Of the Hudson Bay Com
rany is a history Of this immense country
north Of the 18th parallel, which Is greater
in extent than the United States This
company was incorporated and endowed with
certain privileges and rights in virtue OF
charter granted by King Charles the Sec
onl, in the year l570-over two centuries
ago. BY it. charter, the possession Of the
territory described as Rupert's Land, which
consisted Of the whole region whose waters
flowed into Hudson Bay, was given to this
company. while its operations as a trading
/ company extended west to the Pacific and
north 10 the Arctic Oceln-its most North
western port being nearly 5000 miles
from it. headquarters a. this place. The
c1ntro. of the Hudson Bay Companys
Affairs is vested, under the charter, in a
governor, deputy-governor, and FIVE direc-
tors. al annually chosen by the stockholders.
in November, who reside in London, and
delegate their authority to an official Iesi-
dent in their American possessions, called
the Governor of Rupert's Land. His com
mission extends over all their colonial PCS
sessions. and his authority is supreme. He
is advised by council. composed Of the
managers of the several departments, which
meets once a year. Until very recently,
the rules and regulations adopted by this
counci, have been in effect the laws by which
the whole country has been governed and are
- still To- a great extent. Tae chartered ter
rilories and circuit Of commercial relations
Of this company. are divided into four vast
sections, named the Northern, Southern,
Montreal, and Western Departments Of
these, the Northern Department Is situated
between Hudson Bay and the Rocky
Mountains, whose headquarters were former
ly York Factory On Hudson Bay, but are
now Fort Garry. The Southern Depart
ment, whose headquarters are Moose Fac
tory, l. situated between James BlY and
Canada. The Montreal Department com
prises the business of the Canadas, its head
quarters being Montreal and the Western
Department, embraces all west of the Rocky
Mountains, It's headquarters being at Veto
ria, Vancouver Island.
The Northern Department includes the
hGlk Of the territory aud where the most
important business of the company IS trans
acted. Upon it the burden Of the govern
ment Of all falls, and its great extent neeeS-
states great inland depot of supplies, and
since the route has been adopted through
the United States, within few years, for
the importation Of their goods, Fort Garry
has become tne great centre OF it, opera
ti0ns-where it, main offices are kept and
where the governor now resides. Former
ly the sapp.ies and eoo!s for the company
all came from Eng,aud, By vessel, direct to
York Factory, on Hudson Bay but since
the construction of the railroads in the
United States, the route has been changed,
and they are now forwarded by one Of the
lines from New York under contract and de-
liyeren To the steamers Of the company at
Moosehead, by,the Northern Pacific Railroad
AMI thence taken 10 Fort Garry to be dis
tri5utei 20 their several districts.
All the departments above named are
managed by resident officer who is called
the chief Factor: and these are again sub |
divided into districts. each embracing a
territory a. large Is New England and New |
York. superintended by an officer in each |
district. Each district has its forts or posts |
at points on rivers and other places most |
favorable for trade, where an inferior Off |
Ger has charge OF the business-the divisions
corresponding to our states, counties and /
towns. The posts and forts, where goods |
of all kinds are kept and sold, are number |
ed by hundreds, at great distances from |
each other, and from the headquarters, in |
some eases there being communications
with them but once year, and yet the |
whole system is 50 complete that the state
OF the accounts of the officer in charge of the |
most remote and smallest post is known at
the general Office, and ne Is neld account /
able for every piece ofeo)1s ~hich passes in
to his hands. \ system of rewards and pro
motions Is practiced as an incentive to |
faithfulness and honesty. No one can be |
eligible to the most inferior post until he has
been clerk some years. nor to that Of Il Fac
tor until he las occupied an inferior posi-
ton twelve years; the result of which l.
As the governor tells me, they have hardy
ever had case Of defalcation The pres
ent governor, James A. Grahame, Esq, was
in the cnmpany'S service thirty-fye years
before he became governor, going through
all the grades OF service and travelling all
over the territory in every direction, be-
coming familiar with the locality Of most of |
the posts and the mode OF Transportation to
each. He was Chief Factor OF the West
ern Department when the writer was at Vic
toria, in lSG9-having then been there
twelve years.
After reaching the principal depots by
steamboat, then comes the great expense
and delay Of transportation of the goods to
the yarious posts according to the character
OF the country by canoes, by carts,
by packs On horses, by packs on men : backs,
by sledges and dogs, and every other
way conceivable. The goods are all put up
in London, in packages of ninety pounds,
beioe they leave for each subdivision, so
as to be handled easily, no matter what the
mode of conveyance.
rs is well known. the trade of the COM
pany consists principally in exchange of
goods with the natives for fnrs, although
they are sold u others, also Each
store, together with the buildings necessary
for the residence Of the officers and EN-
ployes at each post, i enclosed within
high wall or stockade, TO protect them in
case of an attack by Indians. Only goods
of the best quality are imported, and these
sold at lair prices in exchange for furs, at
fair prices. also-the result of which is. the
company have seldom had any trouble with
the natives. The furs taken in at the
several trading posts are sent ill once
year to the headquarters of the four de-
partments. and thence all, except buffalo
robes. shipped to the home Office of the
company III London, where they are pre-
pared for market and sold at auction, once a
year. All the fine furs which are sold in
New York and other cities, are purchased in
London at the sale. The company will i'm
port via Red River route, this year, probably