Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - May 3, 1920, Winnipeg, Manitoba Manitoba free press Winnipeg monday Mays 1920 Romance and adventure in great North 1920 lift Hudson s Bay company today fifteen steamers and 155 trading posts required in company s fur operations of present pay will be another decade before Canada s development though rapid noticeably affects fur birthday finds old com Pany with its fur Trade its lands and its Chain of big department stores More flourish ing than Ever. And fifty five trading under this system Heads of in a t. Army which works m vast held o throughout Canada Stul Fui. Harvest had ratio and at Thor of Hudson s Bay company Ity in gradually ascending scale Simi of All commercially valuable i Lar to that of military lieutenant Story of Hudson s Bay co. Types of Northern posts and forts continued from 6. F or hearing animals. As Little Fox and its four foot Brethren those Winter covering is s ought by trapper naturally Retreat to farthest edges of settlement fur Trade is largely carried on out of sight of train Tram and touring car and locale of trading Post of is therefore very title different from that of 1720. York i factory on Bare and treeless site vivit n its sparse group of Plain White Sray buildings unchanged by course of decades that have expanded into tiie Oid Ihn von s Fly ports of . Is an out Tan Flint example of place that stands still through centuries to coming of steam and rail. Fifteen steamships on Ocean and River. Not now As in Days of eighty ears Back Are there o be found Hudson s Bay company posts by but a mighty merchandise major general and so on. But there Aro now no factors chief traders chief factors and so on. The head of fur trading Post has simple business title of Post and his position is similar to that of manager of a Branch store. As to method of trading it is much same As carried on except for improvement in meth ods of transportation under Iden tical conditions of wilderness Days. The old debt system of relationship Between trader and trapper is still in most cases continued Althou Gli in some cases trapper has become Independent and receives Cash for his product. Still shrewd Truk studies Hunters who bring in their fur packs knows ability of and where debt system is in Vogue knows just How much credit in each Case May be Given by com Pany to trapper. Recording furs. The Ledger sheets which record Best skins of All from Athabasca of Ritro. Staple articles of Turrif indians although a com Pany factors during first Century of Trade would Only admit two indians at a time to any Post to engage in barter of furs and were reluctant to allow even one Indian to sleep within Walls of a tort such was trustworthiness at tribesmen and their respect for honest treat ment that they received from English there was no occasion for this extreme caution. It wis very late in company s history and not until exigencies of Competition from other White men forced them to descend to that in Oregon of furs is yet run in Ocean Goin that ply out by Chudleigh and present number of trading posts somewhat exceeds even company Hail in he palmy Ancien fruitful last years be monopoly expired. Classification and grading tents of trappers Waterproof Bales Are same As those always used. There Are Verti Cal columns headed with . Name of fur bearing animal and horizon Tal columns under them giving memoranda As to number and Grade of skins. Very jubilant is Diane were Able to obtain rum in Exchange for their Pelties. The absence of firewater in Trade relations Between factors and fur nil liners together with uniform Hon est treatment no doubt accounts for ions period of quiet which extended from beginning of eighteenth Century until we a actor Date of Conquest. With exception of firearms goods i brought in three or More Shin that came from London every year to posts on Hudson Bay. Were quite Safe to put into hands of Sav age. When fur trader brought his pelts into store room of foil i he was Given a carved stick or Token which represented one Beaver skin value of a shilling in English Money for each Pelt or pelts equal in value to .1 Beaver Staple fur of North which from earliest flays represented criterion of value. After his curs had been estimated and of con he hold his stick Money he was Able far carried to buy goods which he needed for next season. If he had had Little or or Success previous Winter he in addition to canoes and York per entering some far and lonely still use narrower and Inland Waterways where ii Raight is shallow there Are needed today fifteen Large steamers to handle tin of great company. This includes Ocean going that in this later Day follow High pooped and Craft that on greater Inland have superseded paddle. And oar with puissant steam. Great Chain of fur posts Post like Lake Harbor or fort Chino displays to gaze of admiring but cautiously reserved Post manager one of those Beautiful pelts of Sil Vur Fox which if of that first Grade is Worth As High us to Hunter himself. Fur Trade going Strong. There can of course be no denial that Advance of civilization expansion of Canada s cultivated area to re Liz present scope of i and pushing up of railways into Mason s Bay company fur Trace one1 North As in peace River and near neighbourhood of North West Post Ana Wiles and stratagem practice by Cameron a gaelic nor Wester on Kildonan gaels would make amusing Reading had not machinations of these men rest Ilter in tattle of seven Oaks on Juno is 1s16, when governor Semple and Twenty of his men officers Hudson a Bay company and settlers were killed by a band of half Breeds under command of Bert Grant who was engaged by l be North West company to Soic fort Douglas drive out settlers and must be admitted that for Over a generation it handed out Justice to Small but Flouris King Community. Transfer of land and rights to Canada. With passing of years How Ever those old cays of. Hearty hospitality of Buffalo Hunting and 01 paternal government were to give place to a new order in which Hudson s Bay company was to Ceet. To Dominion of Canada its place Power its special rights and Privi Leges and its Prairie Empire. It is unnecessary Here to relate Well break up Colony. This half Breed known Story How pressure from Leader who called himself War i free traders and half Breeds from Den of Plains and who had sworn within and political pressure from Pany to secure a Legal title to this red River Empire. Where he made his mistake was in failing to remember unscrupulous character of directors of North West fur company. These men had acted on Assumption that no Legal process ran West of fort William they had aided and abetted their bullies to Rob and even murder their opponents in Trade. They stood in no Awe of a Noble lord and almost before Ink was dry on Selkirk s new title deed. were plotting to break him and his colonization project. Henceforth it was to be War to knife Between was grub staked company loaned so much until next season and to credit of indians be it said that before they were corrupted by rum and by Blandishments of eternal enmity to kind planters probably exceeded his instructions but after Battle he was warmly congratulated by North Wester agents and later on rewarded by Montreal directors of company without brought this to pass. Suf fice it to say that in october 1sg8. Tho company surrendered All rights that had been Given to it by Royal charter of 1670 and sex r. A _ elusive monopoly of fur Trade who exulted Over Moody outrage i which it obtained from and concluded that colonists who i British parliament on fusion of had been driven from their farms Iho two companies in 1s21. In con Down to Lake Winnipeg would never to iteration it received from i what future growth of tin West was to make a still More valuable in turn. The Grant of one of All arable land be tween United states and . Saskatchewan River Lake of two companies. Mackenzie was first of North West agents in Ingland to become an open foe. Promptly besieged with greatest vindictiveness he and his friends in Scotland did their Best to slander Selkirk s colonization scheme by word of Mouth news return. Selkirk s raid on fort William. But Relief for colonists and de feat for North West partners was nearer at hand than either Parry sup posed. Not two months had lapsed since massacre of seven Oaks when lord Selkirk As Avenger of blood arrived fort William with a Force of one Hundred soldiers lie Headquarters company and. Acting in capacity of a Justice of peace sent a messenger asking i for a Parley with William Mcgil Woods and Rocky mountains to say of valuable blocks of land some of which in to become City building adjacent to its chief paper letters and by pamphlets. Vray and of lick partners. At this Post at Mouth of Churchill River on Hudson s Bay. This is site great fort of Wales built about 1713, and destroyed by French raiders in 1? factory still As it within Walls rival White traders to South they always kept their word and paid their debts. The simple character of Commerce of wilderness and it is much same today As it was two Hundred years ago can be Gath ered from following list a Pound and a half of Gunpowder one Beaver one Blanket. Two bayonets one Beaver tour fire steels one Beaver one beavers twelve need Les one Beaver one four foot gun twelve beavers three knives one be Avci one one half ounces Vermi lion one Beaver. Other articles which were in constant demand by f indians were Combs egg boxes. Files glasses goggle., handkerchiefs laced hats rings scissors spoons beads hatchets kettles tobacco look was two and a halt centuries ago company s principal port on Hudson s Bay. Post North of Lake Winnipeg. Skins. The usual class of goods trinkets axes guns Etc. Were exchanged for these furs but most compelling article of All was rum -10.000 Gallons of which of Canadian West was buy Trade that me North West traders and Hudson s Bay company would tight any such project with every ounce of political take n up by Canoe from Montreal in pressure that they could exert in a single season. In addition to Stead of ridiculing lord s directors and officers of this great j there was one men ber of ing glasses shirts shoes stockings and thimbles. Now a Days Tea acid sugar Are required by most re Mote red Man. The coming of Active Competition until fall of Quebec in 1750 Only a Small number of co Reurs Des Bois outlaw French canadians who defied restrictions on Trade imposed by authorities of new i France molested Long reign of Hudson s Bay company. La Veran Drye and his Stalwart sons had pushed into Prairie country in thirties of eighteenth Century and had built Flimsy posts at Tore Rouge Portage la Prairie and a few other Points tout these fell into ruin a few yeas later and no serious attempt by French to secure fur Trade on Plains of West. Trading concern there were go clerks 71 interpreters , and 35 guides. Although Hudson s Bay company had awakened from its Century sleep and had begun to contest Field with this Overland rival it proved to be but a match for it in Enterprise Ana ing and beginning of nineteenth Century saw old. Mother of Rupert s land at of her fortunes. Joor Dar club who proposing. Tried to tempt Selkirk toy that they should unite arrested Mcgill Possession of fort where they found Bales of furs which had been stolen from Hudson s Bay com Pany and what was More important names of half 11 still a list of . Breeds who had taken part in shooting of Semple and his Mer volumes have been written concerning this High handed action on part of lard Selkirk. It involved Pilgrim fathers of k1ldonan f it was a moving Story of Advent o second Charles of Ture told t scottish House of Stuart that was responsible for creation of Hudson s Bay company it was Book of adventure written by Alex Ander Mackenzie that intrepid discoverer of a pathway across can Pacific that tired Ada to Thomas Douglas on fort Garry grounds. In courtyard of old upper fort. Note shuttered windows and round shot piled behind Cannon. Only to take a map of Canad glance at multitude Points fur fade posts Are indicated. Hun Canada s famous Northwestern Laie Chain for instance they run in Fiu almost continuous line from fort at Arctic Edge of cuisine it to fort Alexander on oas1, Side of Lake Winnipeg and or 0 Lunor Wie. In District fan present southernmost fur Trade Metlis at North Bav Ontario. Let in ii astern part of. Canada extra tone posts Are at Davit s Inlet and it Trisha. On Labrador coast Dape Dorset and Lake Harbor Biffin Island. There is hardly a intr. Hudson or .i.-Ime. Fraytet has its Thrifty group of with hag and 01 tic Fine old company afloat. Nuno we and fifty years experience has made Hud Donseay company pre eminent and auctioned year by year on i Oil ii Market according to old Pitsios. Are pick of tace Wold s yield. Very rare and of a Arft pelts yielded by posts and Many a Bah Liniai in h ize coming from Reary Tutlo n wintry of to no eskimos. Contains no literally almost to licit arc Ift in Gold. It is True that Jie trading monopoly of Hudson comply has Long since expired out tiie in first class for my Section ensured by experience and foam Gatior. Can never lapse wet r me so among fur dealers swat com pan today occupies1 a places Nign As supreme latter of Jolly no commissioned officer system former or Bani Antion of company has not m Force nov for Over a decade Tudson Bay districts mean that Urs will gradually become More scarce. At present Pelt Buffalo is about Only one plentiful formerly that is now wholly off Market and it is probable that fur Trade will nourish without much change for next ten years. Increasing prices will during that period offset decreasing yield and value of business done As is Case today will make up for gradual shrinkage in volume. But great company besides its Dominion vide Chain of department stores has other assets and not least of these is its legacy of land. Hudson s Bay land policy Hudson s Bay company participates to extent of one twentieth in total area of. The Prairie provinces. Of this approximately seven million acres of ands of not until Canada came into tremendous task of endurance helped to bring supplies by Canoe from Montreal to . Sis Katche wan a Dis Tance of some Miles m which there were 200 rapids and 130 port Ages involving incredible toils and perils it is surprising to find How Manv individual traders were willing to take risk. That profit was commensurate with a cups wilderness is seen in fact that Thomas Curry a Hardy Scotchman their capita and with Aid of their friends effect a. Merger of two trading companies and thus have a Complete monopoly of fur Trade. Tills would have been on excellent plan would have paved Way for peaceful colonization and would have saved years of misery and hardship but unfortunately sir Alexander Mackenzie who made this suggestion was entirely materialistic in his views. He was opposed to settlement of West As being detrimental to fur Trade. It was no doubt these conversations in Montreal that gave Selkirk idea buying a controlling interest in Hudson s Bay company in order to acquire right to take in colonists to Lake Winnipeg country via Hudson Bay. He purchases Hudson s Bay Stock to astute financiers of that Day have seemed sheer mad Ness for anyone to sink his Fortune in Hudson s Bay Stock. Shares were Selling at one fifth of Price they had brought in earlier years what with open warfare Between com Pany and its energetic rival in West fortunes of vast enter prise which had formerly been a Gold mine for its shareholders were now at lowest ebb. Shares could be noting it up at a Low figure but what was Good of acquiring a concern which was travelling As fast As it could to bankruptcy court but if his scotch friends thought that even after Selkirk had gathered a conference Selkirk of colonists Mackenzie in Vray and two other partners for com fluted his Cousin a customs officer j in seven Oaks affair. T he at Stornoway to delay sailing of partners meekly submitted to arrest vessel by every Means in his Anil Selkirk s soldiers promptly took Power. The first ceremony in Manitoba but in spite of every nefarious de sign to prevent sailing of colonists and to lure them Back to land 10g of original 120 began a voyage which lasted from july 26 to september 1811, longest and Sto Miest in history of Hudson s Bay company. It was too late in. The season to make Long journey to Banks of red River so miserable settlers had to undergo Rigours of their first Winter in wilderness in log huts that were specially constructed for them on Banks of Nelson River. The Long and terrible Winter wore away at last and by August so 1812. Captain Miles Macdonnell. A Glengarry Highlander of l per Canada with first detachment of Twenty three men Nineteen of whom Selkirk settlers arrived at Forks of red and Assiniboine. They pitched their Camp on Side of River where St. Boniface now stands and pompous Macdonnell proceeded to take Seishin from Hillier a Hudson s Bay official of 116. 000 Miles of Prairie land deeded to lord Selkirk. With Al-1 eclat that could be devised with officers under arms and colors flying and with discharge of a Small Field piece at Climax of Cert Ronny Macdonell received from Himmier a handful of Black Prairie Loam to Hudson s Bay com Teu various parts and uie Teu criticism in various parts of Lula. But it May be Itiat sides made very Well out of trans action. Forty years of Empire building. Few of critics of Hudson s Bay company in England or Canada have Ever fully realized what Empire building was effected in those forty years when sir George Simpson was planting outposts in tiie Wilder ass. A Whoso Romance of explore him in Law suits extending Over a period of years. The guilty were not punished owing to political Power of North West partners. Lord Selkirk himself was drawn into a maelstrom of trouble and defeat and suffered a serious breakdown in health which led to his Early death in Switzerland on nov. A 1820. In setting and circumstance Selkirk s raid on fort William was picturesque incident in later history of Hudson s Bay company. Historians unanimously agree that in his resort to violent methods Selkirk made mistake of his career but it must be acknowledged by Skene Ogden who Beaver for company in Idaho Nevada and As far youth , where at one Timo by agreement with 3iexico company had a fort where san Francisco new sir Ihmels Douglas who built fort Victoria As Solomon Iii gorgeous Temple by using wooden pegs no without driving of a single Nail Robert Campbell who explored upper Yukon in a terrible lonely journey of Miles John Bell who discovered lower Yukon am built first Post on Peel s River which runs into Delta of Mackenzie and last but not least lion Hudson s Bay Steamer of Tion is associated with names of v to such men As John Mcloughlin. The i i in. Hudson s Bay Factor Ai fort Vancon v ver who More than any other Man held British Columbia for British signify change in ownership. Al though North West company charge of port i cleared in one season like b Scotchman he was he re on his winnings not choosing to canny tempt Fate a second time. The paddlers swarm into fur country what with invasion of immense country of Hudson s Bay company but of i Selkirk had gone Fey he never Canadian West. Although there was a romantic Strain in blood or Douglas it was not. Tho picturesque life of wilderness which wove a spell about him As he read Macken Zie s Book. Nor was it lure of fur Trade which had lined pockets of Mackenzie other part ners in North West company it was something higher and nobler which engaged tie thought of Young Earl of Selkirk. It was dream Canada might Ibec Orue Home of landless crofters of Highlands and starving peasants of Ireland. Because he had compas Sion on multitude because he was a humanitarian an idealist a i eat i o his he was Des tined. To become governor of All grades four million have Al ready been disposed of Anil to a very charter Large extent brought under cultivation. The says an old Ern Loyee has in an a ostentatious manner from very outset of its land Selling activities and pied a policy encouraging and colonization on its land giving first preference always to setter or Farmer Whoso in securing this land was for development Pur poses. It has not at any specifically encouraged Sale of its for speculation purposes and it Happy record of having amongst its friends and customers thousands of Well to do Farmers who in Many cases frankly admit that had it been for patience and leniency of Hudson s Liay company in carry ing them along und even in s a b paying taxes on their behalf during trying periods when and verse crop prevailed and Low prices could be grains they would have been Corn Ronen lakes and Rockies by individual trappers of French scotch and big birth on whom Hudson s Bay company bestowed derisive epithet and who m turn snapped their fingers at olo woman of North with her Blanket gentlemen adventurers were forced to give up their life of ease and to push Inland to fight Tor their waning Trade. So ser Ous had Hudson s colonizer Bay com Pany first of West and is so signed . Charter Competition of paddlers be come that dividends of com Pany faded away to nothing and s Ock fell from to it was time for company to Wake up. Agents were sent on recruiting campaigns to Highlands of Scotland and to Orkney to secure men enough to fight unscrupulous rivals on every waterway of Northwest. Five ships a year left London for Hudson Bay and 330 traders whom company called patroons were Vearly despatched South and West to outbid paddlers in a commercial a that became fiercer every year. When Scotchman fought scotch often happens to dreamers of great dreams to be harassed and reviled by men of his own generation to lavish a colossal Fortune his dream and. Worn out in body and mind by exertions to die of a broken heart. Selkirk meets fur traders at Montreal although Selkirk established two colonies in Eastern Canada one in Prince Edward Island and other balloon in Western Peninsula of Ontario his heart Wasi set on a and Orkney men commanding Sich Hudson s Bay posts As Brandon Iii Region and traced with indians and eskimos before to fort Garry As chief com missioner. The tide of american set tiers drove company out of Oregon and adjoining states but if in Glissie government officials he led th.? of company s factors whole Pacific coast Clear Down to Mexico Anil Northwest states from to Montana might have been part of British Empire to Day. As it was company secured for us both British Columbia and Yukon and either one of these ser vices was Worth Many times Over which Dominion govern ment paid for its lands and for cancellation of its charter. Still keeps its place in Sun. Since Riel rebellion of Liss when several of trading posts in Northwest. Fort Pitt and Battle Ford for instance were in Battle zone and others were threatened by Riel and his Indian allies officers of Hudson s Bay company have ceased to be gentlemen adventurers and have led a Placid existence. Only excitement that attends their lives now a Day whether in big department stores in Western cities or in Remote posts within Arctic Circle is commercial Competition. For Many years other fur companies hav a competed with them for Pelties of Indian or Eskimo . And since War returned Soldier ured by soaring prices paid for raw skins has gone into North fur lands in considerable num Bers. But great company still Virti staining in City store and Wilder Ness outpost its ancient traditions of faithful service and honorable Deal ing flies old . Flag As prone Lyas Ever and in these increasingly modern Days manages keep its place in Sun. Although much of pomp and poetry of have Dos appear to it still re Mains most pict Ronnoc company in Canada and one of Best Man and most powerful corporations in world. It is now years Onge but its Eye is not dim nor to strength Xvi Natl w. T. Allison. 894 cases in april there were sd4 cases disposed of in City police court during april acco Ding to monthly report is sued saturday by c. H. Pc won. Chief it police. Four Hundred and ninety two persons were summoned to appear. 210 persons were summarily a of Voyageur. Out on River York boat rigged with a most. Birch bark canoes Are drawn up on .shore. Of draped skins Dot Encampment. was president of new Council Many of . Officers were old officer s of Hudson s Bay company. Judge Thorn who interpreted Law was a paid official of com Pany it was but natural therefore that whenever settlers were charge a with illicit trading in furs truer ests of company were not sacrificed. This government has been called an oligarchy but while it was not constituted by. Popular vote it c p r Tcath Gra link a tract for 19 Onfry line West arc wan. Sank., Bavo been a. Dutt ;