The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1886-06-11
The Red River Cart

DEAR SIR:-l have lately assumed
charge of the chronological Department
of the National Museum. Among the
precious relics found there is Red river
cart and harness. l am about to give
this prominent place in the museum
and would be glad if you will write me Il
long letter describing the use of this
apparatus and tell me anything YOU may
know interesting about it. Very truly.
O. L. Mason, Curator.
Pembina, Dakota, June 9th, 1886.
OF. Mason, ESQ:
My DEAR SIR:-Yours of the 18th of
April was duly received, hut was mis-.
placed and only found few days since.
The fist authentic account l find of
the Red river cart is in the appendix of
the History of Minnesota, by Rev. E. ID.
Neill. lIesays: "One Mr.. Henry, n north
west fur trader, OH the 4tll day of May,
1901, left Grand Portage, OH Lake
Superior. with the winters hunt and OH
the l5tl, of September planted garden
somewhat late for a gar,len,) Oh the
north side of the Pembina river, where
he established a new post, at point
between that stream and the Red river.
INVENTION OF TIE RED RIVER CART.
"Sept. goth, lSOl.-Wc now have !.
sort of cart which facilitates our tlans-
portation very much. 1t is about
four feet high and perfectly straight, the
spokes being placed perpendicular with
out the least leaning outwards and only
four in each wheel. These carts will
carry about tive pieces and each drawn
by one horse"
So much to the first description. Now
We must trust to our Imagination as to
whether the present regulation cart was
made in one jump, ortwo, or more. Say
from four spokes to six, then TO eight
and then to twelve, where the last im-
provement rested and as found them
on my first interview with the aforesaid
vehicles. You see, we have know
ledge of the four spoke one in lS0l-S5
years ago. That then must have answered
the limited trade and business of the
early traders and settlers, but as business
increased it required a stronger convey
ance for their uses. Hence the improve
lnent OH the old four spoke.
The one you have in the institute is Il
good s;lmple Of the now Red river cart,
but if ! remember rightly, it has some
iron about it, whereas the genuine cart
WAS made of only two materials; wood
and buffalo raw-hide, tie hubs when
split being bound up with the raw shin,
wet and stitched with the same material,
and when dry it became us tight us an
iron band. No tyre was used In dry
times when the felloes and spokes get
shaky and loose the cart is run into Il
lake, stream or swamp and left there
until the wheel was swollen tight. \
cart will carry from 500 lbs. to 400 lbs,
or more i'll a pinch, drawn by one OK or q
good pony or horse. They were used
by the traders to transport merchandise,
fur, &C.. To their inland posts from The
river trading or furnishing points. The
settlers used them for their Summer and
fall hunts for procuring provisions on the
great northwest plains in pursuit of the
buffalo. or the meat they made pemican
and dried meat, and robes from the skins
OF the COWS and young bulls. In the Fail
tongues were salted, smoked and dried
and were sold as an article Of commerce
to the Hudson Bay Company and the old
nor-wcsters until the latter were emerged
into the Hudson Bay Coy. and since 1874
the free American traders lave been
here and divided the trade with the
self constituted lords and owners of this
great northwest. have seen as many
as 800 carts in one brigade on their
way TO the plains, owned by Ilalf-breed
hunters, who would load them with
pemican and dried meat, say eight sacks
peniican, averaging iUolhs. totI.e sack, or
twelve bales of dried meat, G0lbs to the
bale, in each cart, the most Of which
they sold to the traders for their wants in
merchandise for themselves and families.
The prices they received for the pcmican
and dry meat ran from twc end onc-llalf
cents per pound up to twenty-five cents,
while was i'll the trade. The hunters
lived free and easy life and their wants
were few. The Hudson Bay Co. had the
very best of goods and charged reason-
able prices.
"The Breeds" occupation isgonc. The
buffalo are almost extcrninatcd. The
fur trade is played out and the old cart
ia n thing of the past. Please guard
yours well and preserve it from the
moths and decay. Rase up the axle,
turn the wheel and listen to the music
she made in the ollem times.
made the first innovation on the old
cart by boxing the hub of the one FOR my
own use. Soon after w. IT. Moorllead,
the next old timer to myself, put boxing
in all Of his carts and thereafter boxing
became al article of commerce in orr
trade. Carts from here to ST. Paul and
back would require from three to fonr
axle-trees without boxing. With boxing
one axle would make two round trips.
On our vast plains our voyages are
brought 10 stand on the
banks of some small stream or coolie
that is not fordable on account ofheavy
rains. Liie icing at sea with no land IN
sight, there ls not even Il email willow to
be seen. Then the voyagenrs will lake
two or more carts apart, rs the occasion
may require, and lash the wheels strong
ly together, then tie the bodies on the
wheels and the raft is ready to launch.