The daily intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Territory [i.e. Wash.]) 1876-1881, 1881-07-01
DAILY INTELLIGENCER.
Friday, July /. 1881.
xoR=H PACIFIC EXPLORATION.


NORzH PACIFIC EXPLORATION.
The dissolution Of the Pacific Fur COMPANY
vas followed IN ls1i by the entire xith5ra "a
I OF American trading vessels from the North
sestCoast and Of American traders. ,rsppers and
hunters from the territory west Of the Roc ~
Mountains The urgent demands Of Western
men secured the passage by Congress in ApFf,
1916. Of an act regulating the Indian trade
By its provisions none but citizens Of the United
States were permitted 70 trade liz the Indian
country This enactment occasioned the re-
tirenent Of British traders from United states
territory east Of the Rocky Mountains. and
secured 10 citizens Of the United States the ex-
elusive enjoyment Of the far and Indian trade
in that immense area drained b. the Mississippi
and Missouri rivers and their tributaries.
John Jacob Astor had continued at the head
Of the North American Fur Company. whose
main led Of Operations embraced the regions
vatered by the Upper Mississippi and Missouri
rivers. American traders had ventured into
The Northern provinces Of Mexico. and had
established trade between Santa Fe and 81
Louis Ia 1872 the Columbia Fur Company
was projected by members Of the Northwest
Company. dissatisfied with the coalition in 1921
Of the Hudson Bay and Northwest Companies.
y was bot snort lived: soon merging itself into
the North American Fur Company.
VIM. H. Ashley, OF ST. Louis, who had suc
eessiully prosecuted the fur trade in the Upper
Missouri country, determined upon establishing
trading posts west Of the Rocky Mountains. In
the spring Of 1923, he left the Missouri frontier
with a party Of mounted men, and a large
Quantity OF trading goods and merchandise
transported BY pack animals. He assembled the
Platte river 10 its source. exploring its north
ern branch, TO which he gave the name Of the
Sweetwater. He crossed the Rocky Mountains
ia latitude 42e 20 north, and summered upop
Green river, branch Of the Colorado Of the
West. For many years this continued the
rendezvous OF the American Fur Company. In
1924. he again crossed the Rocky Mountains by
the South Pass and Journeyed TO Salt Lake.
To q netghboring smaller lake 10 the south east
discovered by Ashley, he gave his name Hav.
ing built fort and established trading post
upon Lake Ashley. he left one hundred men to
winter, and retained 10 st. Louis, Hitherto
Ashley had transported his trading goods by
pack animals. In 1926, be fitted out another
expedition TO Fort Ashley. accompanied by a
six-pounder drawn by mules. Seven months
were occupied in accomplishing the journey
and return OF the party TO st. Louis. The safe
transit OF the Rocky Mountains with the gun
was accepted as the demonstration of feasible
wagon road.
In three years the collection of furs at Ash
ley's Post, realized at st. Louis. one hundred
and eighty thousand dollars. Having amassed
large fortune, in 1927, Ashley sold out 10 the
Rocky Mountain Fur Company, composed of
David jackson, VIM. sublette and Jedediah s.
Smith. Captain William Snblette was the lead
ing spirit. Each partner had been in charge of
annual parties trapping and hunting, in and
west OF the Rocky Mountains. returning at the
time and to the rendezvous agreed upon before
setting out. About the time of Ashley's retire
ment from the fur trade. independent Of indi-
viduai enterprises, several small fur trading
companies had been formed. The success at
Fort Ashley stimulated renewed activity: at
least six hundred trappers were employed in
the Rocky Mountain trade. To such extent
was the spirit Of competition carried that a man
attached to one company risked his life if he
disposed OF turs to rival trader or company.
The free trapper" could only deal for
the season with the company who had secured
his services and By whom he had been furnished
his outfit
10 addition to the North America and Rocky
Mountain Fur companies, there were the st.
Louis company and number OF lone traders
and free trappers." Conspicuous among
these were Robert Campbell, j. o. Pattie, Major
Pitcher, Col Charles Bent. VIM. Bent, Capt.
John Cant, Milton Sublette and others. Expe-
ditions extended into Mexico, Sonora and Cali
fornla, sbut seldom entered within the recog
nized helds oil. the Hudson Bay Company. ST.
Louis was the headquarters of the Rocky Moan.
tain trade, except the North American Fur
company, whose headquarters were at New
York. The Rocky Mountain Fur Company had
existed since the spring OF 1924. During that
year Smith with five trappers had crossed the
Rocky Mountains and trapped till fall on the
headwaters OF Lewis Fork or Snake river.
They met q party of Hudson Bay Company
trappers returning to Flat Head Post, whom
they accompanied and with whom they passed
the winter, returning 70 rendezvous in early
spring Of 1895. With party Numbering abont
forty, Smith pushed westward, crossing the
Sierra Nevada Mountains and established a
camp on the American Fork of the Sacramento
river. lie distributed small trapping parties
on the tributaries of the river, who met with
such success that Smith was enabled to return
In October with several bales of heavy skins.
In 1876, THE Rocky Mountain Fur Company
resolved TO prosecute the trade in the countries
bordering on the Pacific, despite the opposition
OF The Hudson Bay Company. In the Snake
river country the number of men emplo, ed was
increased TO between five and six hundred, En-.
couraged by the success Of the previous wear
smith with large party set out for the country
west OF Great Salt Lake. Having gone too far
west 70 feel assured OF q safe return over the
great desert with his reduced stock Of provs
ions and exhausted animals, Smith pushed for
ward to the Pacific. designing TO go TO the Col
umba and follow up that river aud meet his
partners In the Snake river country. To obtain
horses and necessary supplies with which 10
execute his purpose. be went as far south as
San Diego. thoroughly exploring the country as
he journeyed. The native Calfornians REGARDED
all strangers.with jealousy; those coming from
the United States were regarded with especial
suspicion: smith was unable TO purchase what
be needed until he had procured from General
Echania, the military commander of that Presj
dio, passport, allowing him to remain In the
country. and to return TO his camp. This was
secured TO him by the influence of several Amer.
can shipmasters then trading upon the coast of
California who certified TO his honesty and thai
his objects wse entirely harmless. That eer-
nncate shows the route Smith had pursued-it
explains his continuance In the country airing
the winter lS26-7-it accounts for his determiee
nation to go northward TO the Columbia-or
presents the reason for being granted passport
70 pursue trapping IN that diFectien As Smith
started with the purpose Of reaching the Pa
ciic and going thence north 10 the Columbia
river, and thence inland to meet the partners in
the Snake rsyer-the plea of necessity was
prooaoiy resorted TO In consequence of the
unexpected hostility Smith encountered In Cali.
forniA. That singular document reads:
we the Undersigned. having been requested
oy capt. Jedediah .. smith 70 state our opinion
regarding his entering the Province of Califor-
MIA. do not hesitate fosay that We have No Sonh,
bat that be was compelled to. TOR want of pro'
Visions and, water having entered 40 far in,o ~.
beaver country that lies between the latitnSss
OF AZ and AZ west. that be found Il impossbls
70 return BY the route he came, Is bis horses
had most OF them persisted for want of food
and water: he was therefore under the necessitS
OF poshing forward TO California--lt being the
neared place where be could procure supplies 70
enable him 10 return.
We further state as our opinions. that IN,
account given BY him Is circumsfantially corrert
and that his sole object was the huntin. and
trapping OF beaver and other furs.
We have also examined the uassnoyts ~,