Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1911-01-05
Something About Furs.


worlds people wear for garments still
comes from North America, despite the
great changes which have occurred on the
continent, especially within the list 80
years, by the settling Of what was FORM
erly a wilderness. The value OF the year.
ly fur hunt on seas and land throughout
the world is about $25,0O0,0O0. Of this
amount Canada and Alaska contribute
nearly one e-fifth, not because Of the large
number Of skins secured by the hunters,
but because so many OF them are rare and
valuable, for we must remember that the
seals taken in the waters of North Amer
ica alone represent very large sum each
year
This history OF the HudSon'S Bay COM
pany might be called history OF the
American fur industry, because since i
was formed back in the seventeenth CEN
tury, this corporation has had IFS agents
and hunters scattered over an enormous
territory. Over a century ago it had no
less than l60 trading posts and ''facto
rieS"-the term factories meaning stations
in charge OF its factor or buyers.
1t not only obtained furS from most of
that part Of Canada which is north and
west of the great lakes. but many thouS-
and peltS were received from the Pacific
northweSt-that portion of the United
States comprising the States of Oregon,
Washington and Nevada-at that time al
most unknown TO the white man.
In those days Winnipeg was the Fead-
center of the Hudson Bay company, the
log fort which ii constructed being the
foundation Of the present city. Long
since the fot became a ruin, and is now
a landmark surrounded by public park,
modern and proSaic brick building con-
tanning the company stores, warehouses
and officials taking its place. No longer
is this the head-center, tor civilization
has crowded the fur hunter and trade far
ther and farther north, until Winnipeg is
only one OF the minor stations OF the great
corporation.
Seven hundred miles to the northwest
of it is Edmonton, the largest market for
"raw furS" in the new world, the capital
of Alberta, and the most northern point
on the North American continent to be
reached by a continuous line OF railroad.
Ii is located on the Saskatchewan river al
the terminus of a branch OF The Canadian
Pacific, which leaves the main line at
Calgary. Practically its only rival in the
whole northwest is Prince Albert, in
Saskatchewan. Picturesque, yetmodern,
and an outpost OF empire, Edmonton in
the old days was an important settlement
in that section, the extreme northwestern
market in the fur country. Edmonton
has now developed into city OF 1900
people, and extending for many miles
around if are the homes OF the farmers;
but as already stated it is the greatest fur
market, and to it comes the bulk OF the
skins obtained in North America by the
Hudson Bay company and other OF the
great fur corporations.
The industry is now divided into
branches. But few of the skins are Sc
cured by the buyers direct from the hunt
erS and trapperS, most II them being OBJ
tanned through the fur traders who yearly
make expeditions into the wilderness and
obtain d load, often for supply OF
provisions and clothing, and perhaps no
money whatever changeS hands. In the
spring, when the ice and snow COM
menCeS to thaw, the agents OF the big
concerns. the free traders and the few
trapperS who have cared to bring their
flrS as far as Edmonton or Prince Albert,
begin to move back to the north country.
The objective point OF many OF the trad
ers is Fort Resolution, post on Great
Slave lake, nearly 1000 miles north OF
Edmonton, as the trail leads, and some
thing like 400 miles south OF the arctic Cir
Gle. Fort Chippewayan, on Lake Atha-
basca, is another important roSt also on
the edge Of the fur country; and there are
a number of posts in the interior along
the Mackenzie river, which flows from
Great Slave lake into the Arctic sea. The
most northerly post is Fort Mcpherson,
on the Peel river, 2,000 miles north OF
Edmonton, and approximately $50 miles
above the arctic circle.
Each company OF traders takes a large
supply of provisions and goods for barter,
in addition to its own stock of foods,
guns, etc, and the journey in covering
the GOO miles to Fort Resolution, or the
greater distances to the more remote
posts, is one of great difficulty and hard
ship. The first 90 miles out OF Edmon-
ton is overland to Athabasca landing on
the AtfabaSca river, where flat boats and
canoes are taken and the trIp-to the fur
country begins in earnest. The route lies
downstream all the way.
The traders come back TO Edmonton
more heavily laden than when they went
away. The peltS obtained by barter di-
rect from the trappers or collected from
distant posts are packed in bales weigh
ing about 100 pounds each and loaded on
the canoes and flat boats. Then the fight
against the current all the way back TO
AthabaSca landing is commenced.
But if the men who do this part OF the
work have hard task, the lot OF the trap
per is infinitely harder. He must pursue
the sources of his livelihood with the Ut
most cunning, varying his methods, from
lodging bullet in the vitalS OF a bear or
other large animal in such way as will
not injure the pelt, to setting the subtlest