Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1935-04-13

ter developed into industry 10 bring
them Injuries IN EDITION to is pre-
vious function OF pradiug sInulv their
food, shelter and closing,
The sale Of guns al Ammunition TO
Indians was omitted rom the Aneri-
can Fur company trasn0 system. The
natives obtained theL Firearms from
the Hudson Bay compaV and from In
dividual traders. Houver o1yns oe-
casionally. were loaned y the Ameri-
can factors to Indians lnnoeed "a be
trustworthy. each gun Be returned
at once after use in h. particular
hunting expedition in irnAediate con-
temptation. It is REASONABLE TO sup
pose that some of those Aaned guns
we're kept by the Indians, cher really
lost or on pretense Of theinoss.
The principal articles Of nkchandise
were blue and scarlet blakets and
cloth, sheeting, bed-ticking material,
knives, fire-steel pieces, meta arrow
points, brass wire, beads. bras tacks,
wide leather belts, silver ornan1nts for
the hair, shells. axes, hatchets, Obacco
and alcohol. Alcohol was prohibited In
the INDIAN country after the sumner
Of 1884. Nevertheless, it was smugled
into the trade to such an extent bat
enforcing officers never could keepup
with the violators of that law, SOFT
made but little difference in the Of
portunities for the Indians to Obtain
liquor when they wanted it--or wheI,
the liquor traders could induce them
to buy it.
st. Louis was the wholesale source Of
supply for merchandise. In the earlier
times the goods were brought up the
rivers in mackinaw boats. But in 1882
the first steamboat arrived at Fort
Union, and thereafter the steamers
brought all supplies. The downstream
shipment Of robes and furs, though,
continued to be mainly by means Of
mackinaw boats propelled by manual
labor at the oars. The standard crew
was Of five men for each boat, and the
trip down from Fort Union to st. Louis
ordinarily was made in about 80 days.
The usual salary for the manager Of
a trading post was $500 per year, with
food and shelter provided. Carpenters
and blacksmiths received pay ordinar-
lily fixed at about $500 per year. Boat
men or other laborers working from st.
Louis up to the post, remaining there
at work, then working down the river
to st. Louis, spending from is to 10
months at the entire round of employ
ment, had scale of wages due Of
s220.
All Of the pioneer trading posts were
constructed and operated on the theory
that Indians could not be trusted for
free access to the post. In the course
Of the trading barely g few at time
we're admitted inside the gates Interior
ioors or gates barred them from access
20 any room but one large room where
hey assembled for their trading Com
monty, a hole about Is inches square
was made in wall between the as
sembly room and the merchandise
store room OF rooms. The hole usually
vas about five feet from the floor,
lust about the level Of the average
mans face. Through this hole all OF
he business was transacted.
These were the beginnings OF our
lind Of civilization Of the Indian tribes
n the American northwest. There they
earned their first lessons in wanting
Kings that necessitated effort beyond
heir old-time ways to obtain them.
Thus they took their initial steps into
,ur channels, the channels wherein no
,ody ever has enough, but always Is
triving for more.