Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-03-13
The Merchants of santa Fee.

tue Louis OiODe-DenlOcrat. IT,
Vast fortunes have been made by many of the
merchants OF Santa Fe, especially by those OF
early times, some Of whose number are now en-
joying their wealth In regal splendorin the gaudy
have passed to that bourne whence no traveller
returns, while few Of the number are still here
adding more shekels to already wellflled Golfers,
From modest beginning in the way of stocks
valued at few thousand dollars, some of the
mercantile fraternity increased the quantities of
their goods TILL they carried stocks whose values
gravitated from one-quarter of a million to
million dollars. Remoteness from the base of
supplies, coupled with the difficulty of speedy
replenishment, was the cause which impelled
the traders to fill their large stores and ware
houses with such enormous supplies Then,
too, this was the headquarters of an ex-
tended military district, and the army was
largely furnished with supplies at this base.
This in itself caused many man to become the
happy poSsesSor OF clever fortune. Many
interesting stories are frequently related as to
how spectators and contractors fixed up mat
posals in answer to the advertisements of Uncle
Sam for meat, wood and other supplies. The
ingenuity Of these people to get big prices and
eGualed in INGENUITY bv the manner T in WRicS
saries doctored things during the rebellion,
SO that their pockets might be well lined
with filthy lucre as reward for the cuteneSs
OF their questionable transactions OutSid
of army supplies and the local trade with
the citizens or the territory, vast scope o
to Texas and Arizona, which purchased very
heavily. Pelts and wool were frequently given
in exchange for the nect SSarieS OF iife and upon
these commodities the merchants realized
handsome profit when they shipped them to
eastern houses. Even to-day vast trade iii
pelts, hides and wool prevails greatly enricaing
both the ratSers OF the products and the fact or.
who largely handle them Prior ID the rail-
extending beyond the Missouri Bonneville for
long time monopol!Zed the Stnta Fe tad
Then it moved westward to Lexiugt,n AMI In
dependence Kansas City afterwards secure
the most of il, but during the war 1t drifGe
over to LeavenwOrth. Win the close of the
rebellion some Of the merchants grayi-
tated back to Kansas City, while others
went still further east. purchasing large
ly of the heavy mercantile houses of st.
Louis. Latterly these establishments have
been doing thriving business at this point and
other localities throughout the territory. AL
most daily some OF their commercial travellers
may be seen soliciting and securing orders for
no mean amount OF goods. In this connection
1t may be we'll to mention that. after con Sdara-
bic Importantly the territorial legislature at its
recent session. reduced the license rates OF CON-
mercial agents coming from abroad from 5000 to
SEQ The rapid development OF towns along the
Atchiscn, Topeka and Santa Fee road, especially
to the south OF this city, Will greatly enlarge
the trade OF the territory with both st. Louis
and Kansas City, the points at which our mer-
camille community appears to have It's largest
and most important TRANSACTIONS.