The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-05-13

the Macken

+ trading station on the Mackenzie
our business i'm furs. We are selling
goods as fast rs we can get them. we
Import them by the car load. and they
30 out as RAPIDLY as they come N. we
have sold several car loads OF American
cotton within the past few months. and
have now on hand car loads Of hardware
and general supplies. There are alto
rcthcr about seven hundred retail stores
in this immediate territory, and nearly
all Of them have sprung up IN the laat
Ave years The settlers who are coming
in have plenty Of money. They want the
best goods, and are not backward IN
buying" H.,
The Fur Trade.
During our conversation asked Mr..
Rcvillon to tell me how fur trading is
carried on in this part OF the world. He
replied:
"Nearly all the furs sold are brought
In by the Indians, and we buy or trade
direct with them. We know the goods
they most prize and ship them In wagons
10 Athabasca Landing, where they 90
by the different wa terways TO our various
posts. The Indians bring the skins TO the
posts and exchange them for the goods.
it is all a matter Of barter NO money
passes and each fur is valued at so many
skins. The standard OF value used TO
be a. beaver. every fur being worth 50
many beayers This valne was created
bv the Hudson Bay Company. and It IS
said that they sometimes got extrava-
CANT prices for their goods through the
Ignorance Of the Indians. According to
ono story the trader would take n inusket
and stand 1t on end and then require
pile OF furs high enough TO reAch me
ton OF the gun In payment LOT e, IN
that way thousand dollars worth OF
beaver skins might be gotten 10Y y ~ =,
rnn. That kind OF trading has all passed
nwny and the Indians now get q far
v,l,ia for their furs. The-tskin which
now forms the unit is worth from 80 to
n ccnts according to the distance OF
tho trading post from Edmonton. the rate
increasing on account of the freight.
How the Indians Sell Furs.
"But does the savage understand the
value of his furs?'
K eyes, indeed, and he understands now
to ret it. He is not an easy man 70 aea'
with. and no must be handled ~ ms wv ',4
peculiar way. Some Of our traders 'lsi.
{the indian camps carrying boxes of goods
with them, EAL SuCIi N'h''SN' !
mention trading upon their arrival, ag!he
white trader tells his Indian frlenas tii,t
ghc has come out to make frlendiS ,cA'i.
No asks after tho health of the tribe ana
al each mans wife and fanny. ~
smokes with them and talks ABOUT Wy
Weather and other things for hours ana
hours. Indeed, night often passes pc
fore any. business Is mentlorea. -,
ncxt day the trader may ASK ono VI .i,o
Indians II his luck has been GOOD, ana y
5hn saws YES 1t is tho sign that ne mas
~. "a 'Is willing to trade. II he says
~ thn white man goes on smoking,
Af,or = time tho Indian may thaw out
ona mil n mink skin from INSIDE ms ~
fonat and ask the trader what no VII W,
er,,a ~, III II the price Is right ne VIII
sai, n nut lf not, nc will bring forth no
,,,nro s,,ins and the business dealings nr'
ended for that visit. II ne IS sat'si,eu
Ia NAV null out another mink, srau4.
nllv giving up all he has Tor saie' iis ~
has 10 be treated diplomatith.iy,, "s e,,ni
sonsitive and suspicious and IT taxes s h'''
to handle him
Money in Fur Trading.
"Do the indians make much money -
that way?'
.yes,n I have known braves who MADE
.u,o 81 three thousand dollars Sear'
mo average Indian does well, ho"eye.'
t. Ia nets three or four hundred. but
much or little, 1t is all the same Ihese
Indians do not know how to keep lno!e!'
they have them, ana they eat UP tlselt
barter their furs for goods as soon n !,
they have them, and they get UP .ne't
supplies as fast rs they can, Ihey IVY
tho most eXtrayagant things, know
nm indian for Instance. who received VI
0oo for some furs. The first thing he did
was to send to Quebec for plano, Wh,ch
cost him, all told. q thousand dol1ars ~
fore 1t was delivered, ITO tald not KHoW
how TO play 1t, and after a few days ne
toro It apart to see how 1t worked,
when an Indian receives inc 9yalue OF
his furs he always divides with his
friends and family. He brings his con-
nectIons together and they eat until they
have consumed tho most of his supplies.
II is wonderful how much mn Indian can
ont at such q time He Will stuff him
self all day and be ready for another
dinner at night. At the same time ne
is able to 60 long time without FOOD
The famine seasons nre usually IN the
summer, when game Is scarce
Indians in Debt.
us much Of tho trading done on
| credit?" 80. (, /,
eyes We have to advance outAlts and
\ supplies. The Indian takes these on into
! the woods With HIM, and when he comes
| back he turns In his furs and pays UP FOR
| what he has received and usually trades
! the balance for more goods. The most
\ of the Indians are In debt the greater
part OF the time and this Is so also with
the traders. We supply the goods any