Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1942-12-19
LITTLE ANIMAL
HURRIED GROWTH
OF NORTHWEST
FUR TRADE, WITH BEAVER DOM
NANT, BROUGHT MEN
INTO COUNTRY


end Of the eighteenth century, 1t
would have remained an unknown re-
gion much longer, had there not been
a demand for furs, a demand so r-
gent that men Of culture and refine
ment willingly renowned what civil
ization offered, to go into the wilder
ness and spend their lives with saw
ages in order to satisfy this Whim OF
fashion.
The Hudson's Bay Co. was organ
lied to supply the fur market, and en-
listed IN its services such men as Dr..
Mclaughlin, David Thompson, Peter
Skene Ogden. Henry, and others from
the ranks Of the educated and laid
them. unprotesting victims to be sure,
on the altar Of profit
Beaver hats we're the rage IN Europe
then, as silk hats were later, and many
beaver could be found in the new
world These animals were plentiful
near the North Atlantic coast, until
killed. OF like the Indians, driven
further west as the population in
creased. we are not told that beaver
was used for coats or fur trimming
II NAV have been that the enormous
hats of the day exhausted the supply,
for the market never seemed to be
overstocked.
Fur Fashions Tickle
Fashion in furs is tickle as in every
thing else. In the Middle Ages we 90
not read Of beaver furs. Ermine is the
fur of kings, and miniver that Of those
of the commonalty able to indulge IN
a luxury of this description, and mini
yer may have been a patchwork OF
flIrs of different kinds, although to-
dav Siberian squirrel fur maSquerades
under that name.
The Hudson's Bay company had
long done a thriving business in bea-
yer fur before American companies
ATTEMPTED to enter into competition
with it the earliest Of these being tne
Northwest Co. which was at length
forced to merge with the London
company, after bitter fight ana
much blood had been shed on both
sides.
The London co. was not disposed to
do much in the exploring line, and
this was what caused them to lose TO
the rival company, such adventurous
spirits as David Thompson, and others
who were curious to learn more OF this
western country. The Northwest COM
uany shared in this feeling, seeing
chance to make greater profits IN
region which had not been exploited.
On entering new territory, post
was established, generally surrounded
bv a stockade, and other precautions
taken TO enable it to Withstand at
tack BY Indians. Here dwelt the fac
tor or head clerk. and other en-
uaoyees, and from 1t went out parties
Of fur hunters, later to return there
With their seasons catch. To the post
Indians were encouraged to bring IN
furs. where they were stored, unsn
they could be sent east.
Had to Keep Moving
Beaver was the fur sought, alao ar
ticles were bought and sold, with
beaver skin the standard OF exchange.
Continuous trapping IN one vlclnlty
naturally exhausted the supply OF
beaver, and 1t was then necessary To-
move on; build another fort; and so
on to the end of the fur trading chap
ter of that period
It was Indians who supplied the
buffalo robes which were later sent 70
market. These, being bulky, and dif-
ficult of transportation from the IN
terror. seemed to be of secondary I'M
portance in the eyes of the fur hunter. \
His business was to trap beaver. In
his search for beaver, he overlooked
other fur bearing animals, now held
tn he OF greater value. One Of these
was the mink. Audubon was surprised
tn learn from Richardson that traders
osnIv took mink skins to accommo-
date indians with whom they wished
Ia remain on good terms, and after
btlving the skins, they did not SEND
them to market, but burned them
Earlier. there was some demand for
mink skins, when they sold for about
50 cents each. But mink fur did not
appeal to the popular fancy for hats.
Therefore they were destroyed.
Audubon tells Of mink skin given
him by Charles Choteau: 1T was OF
a beautiful silver-gray color, the Iur
of which is quite different from the
ordinary coat of the animal" Because
of their rarity such skins could find
a market. six Of them" continues
Audubon. when they were united,
win make a muff worth at least a
hundred dollars" and muffs were
larger then than they nave ever deem
since.
found another competitor in the
American Fur Co., and the famous
naturalist visited Fort Union, it did
not pay to send mink skins down the
river. Although the fur was said 10
he elmer than that of the marten."
the latter evidently was Of greater
commercial value. No mink or fox
skins we're held to be desirable; 1t was
beaver the trappers sought.
AS might have been expected, the
more enterprising Northwest company,
for a time caught more beaver, but It
was not long before the Hudson's Bay
Co. discovered this. and wherever
the Northwest Co. built a fort, within
a short time a post of the older COM
pany would be found in its vicinity.
This state Of affairs only terminated
when the two companies became one.
Egaaf In Mountains