USA > Oregon > Sources of the history of Oregon > Part 8
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I am yr obt Servt Nathl. J. Wyeth
II.
Cambridge Oct 5th 1831
Bro Charles (Baltimore)
I have received your favour in reply to a former one of mine. The expression of good feelings that it contains you may be assured are gratifying to my feelings, p[a]rticularly un- der present circumstances.
All earthly things are uncertain and none more so than those, the accomplishment of which depend upon others and this is the case in regard to the expedition to Oregon, there is no other doubt of my going except the failure of the whole concern but as
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this is possible I do not wish you to take the trouble to come here to utter your last speech and dying confessions at present. The moment I find there is any certainty of their going I will write you.
My plan is to go out there and carry with me what property I can spare after leaving a support for my wife, and do what I can with it. It will perhaps not much more than get me there, and after finding what can be done in the fur trade, or other buisness, write to friends, whom I shall prepare before hand, to send me the means of doing buisness, of these friends I mean you to be one, Leond. another, and a third here. More I can have if wanted but would rather confine myself to these, and what money I can make for myself or those in whom I have an interest
NJW
III.
Cambridge Oct 5th 1831
Bro. Jacob (Howell Furnace N. J.)
Yours of the 22nd ulto is at hand. Many women are going, but for my own part I would not carry one in the first expedition they will of course ride, the route is practicable for horses. I will make riding provision for your wife I fear no difficulty on the route for any one, but some for the first year after getting there. Would it not be better to defer marrying un- til your wife can get out there by means of the second expedition? The amt. of salary which you will receive is not worth the trouble of asking about. If the expedition is successfull you will reap a rich harvest from the buisness of the country if otherwise you will loose your time, the salary which Kelley refers to will be paid you for services as an appendage to an army and the duties of your place will not admit of general practice because your corps will be moveable. I will pay over the $20 for your acc.
The expedition does propose to leave this the Ist Jany. but most of such appointments are delayed beyond the time set, all you have to do is to close your accounts as fast as you can, and I will inform you as soon as I know myself the time when it is necessary to start from your place to meet us. All the prepara- tion I will make for you. Surgical instruments clothing &c we will purchase on the route in the cities through which we pass, and if requisite and with your leave draw on Leond for what is necessary for your fixtures. The route will take in Boston, N York, Philad. Balto. Cincin[n]ati St Louis, thence in a right line acrost to the Rocky Mountains overland to near Santa Fee where there is a pass in the mountains thence a N. W. course to meet Lewis river down which we go to the Columbia river, the place of our destination distance from St Louis about 2000 miles. The ble]st manner you can invest your property except what is requi-
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site to equip you for the Journey is to leave it at interest as a re- sort in case of failure in your objects out there. Books are too cumbersome to carry out, the knowledge must go in your head the books can be got by the second expedition, and the instru- ments we can purchase in five minutes when I meet you in New York. The first expedition are all to be soldiers, as much land as wanted can be bought of the Co. 200 acres is to be a privates portion what the officers are to have I have not enquired.
N. J. W.
IV. Cambridge Oct 17th 1831
To Col J W Neil Boston
Dear Sir In the absence of the Genl. Agent for the Oregon Colonization Society I take the liberty of addressing to you the following queries viz Whether any persons which I may induce to join the first expedition will be attached to my Company. Whether it is expected that a person receiving the appointment of a Surgeon is expected to pay the Society $20 mentioned in their 3rd Circular as a loan and whether there will be a surgeon appointed to each Company and if so whether a brother of mine who has received an assurance from Mr Kelley of an appointment will be connected with my company.
An answer to these particulars and also any information which you may be disposed to communicate in regard to the certainty of an expedition at all, the numbers which may be expected to go in the first expedition the route to be taken after leaving St. Louis, the time when to be commenced &c &c, and also when I may call on you to confer upon these subjects will be thankfully received by
Vr. obt. Servt. Nathl. J. Wyeth V. Cambridge Nov 11th I831
Brother Charles (Baltimore)
Will you have the goodness to collect the information required for answering the questions below and as soon as practicable forward me answers to them. This infor- mation I have no doubt you will easily obtain from many of your neighbors and customers who are in the tobacco buisness either as planters or venders of the same, be pleased to give your an- swers as definite as possible and be certain that it is correct as it is required in order to the raising the article as one of trade be- vond the Rocky Mountains and a mistake would be bad buisness.
Ist Should it be planted as early in the season as to be entirely out of the reach of Frost, or will it bear a slight degree of it.
2nd How should the seed be planted in the field where it is intended to grow? or in beds to be transplanted?
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3rd In what scituations and soil? with manure or without? in a dry or wet place?
4th How thick will it thrive
5th what mode of culture is required weeding? training, gath- ering at what time
6th [What] method is used to cure it and how kept after it is cured
7th How is the seed obtained at what time gathered How treated and kept and what is the ordinary quantity required per cwt. of the product usually
Beside these queries be good enough to make any remark which you think will be usefull in the culture of the plant.
As time passes on the project of emigration assumes form and shape, and a nearer approach toward certainty. I think there is little doubt of my going, for I find that I can get good men who will follow me on a trading project, on the basis of division of profits, and this thing I will do (if I can) if the emigration fails. I believe I can find other men who will for a certain other share of profits furnish all the money wanted which will not be great, for I mean to have a cargo ready there, before a vessell leaves here and the investment will be only the trading articles sent out, the return cargo will pay the freight, and possibly be in time to meet the notes given for the articles sent me. It is about 10 months voyage there and back. It appears to me that if I can find means to get the men out there with articles of trade suf[f]icient with their exertions as hunters, smiths &c to obtain a cargo, that finding persons to send out a vessell and cargo of trading articles on the strength of it will not be dif[f]icult. This I have no doubt I can accomplish to the extent of 50 men with equipments, and articles of trade as many as they can carry with some iron and steel for our smiths to work up, and traps for catching furs, and with them I have no doubt I can scrape together a cargo for a vessell of 150 Tons in the course of a year. After having done this of [or?] so nearly done it as to be sure of doing it I shall write home for the vessell and an invoice of articles of trade, which from my then acquired knowledge I shall be competent to do.
Present my respects to all your folks wife and little one, tell Charlie I am going where I can catch him a wild horse to play with I think the Idea will take his fancy much
N. J. W.
P. S. Will you have the goodness to send me what informa- tion you can respecting the route from your City to Pitsburg, and thence to St. Louis by way of the river. Name the distance, fare. and mode of conveyance from Balto. to Pitsburg the fare down the river whether the boats will take Horses and Wagons whether they will reduce the fare in consideration of our number sle[e]p- ing on deck &c or not, with the times required to make the dif-
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ferent routes with any other information you may be able to add. I wish to know also if the boats go in the night.
VI. Cambridge Nov 12th 1831
Brother Jacob (Howell Furnace Monmouth County New Jersey) In case the contemplated colonization project should fail it is still our intention to go to the new Country in which case we shall form ourselves into a Trading Company in furs. It is the object of the present letter to ascertain whether in such case you will follow us in your capacity as surgeon your compensation will be a certain share of the profits of the concern and your exertions in forwarding the interests of the concern will be required not only in administering to our own men but also to the Indians the payment for which will go into the common stock your answer is wanted immediately if in the affirmative I will take care that an equitable share of the profits is obtained for you in the contract and other requisite provisions made for you
I am &c N J Wyeth VII. Cambridge Nov 14th 1831
Brother Leonard (New York)
I write to request you to collect what information you can in respect to the route up the Hudson and through the Canal to Buffaloe thence by the Lake to Erie on Lake Erie and thence by the Canal to Pitsburg thence down the Ohio to the Mis- souri Branch and up to St Louis
Any information you can gather respecting these routes will be valuable and is wanted in order to the fixing of a route for our troops We wish to know if any deduction will be made in con- sideration of our numbers say 50, what are the rates of passages usualy paid a person and per Ton for Baggage up the Hudson to the Canal what are the rates on the Canal for person and Bag- gage at what rate they travel on it whether they travel all night whether any saving could be made by marching during the day and taking passage during the night, and whether their rate of traveling is faster than the march of men, what the expence of toll is on the Canal for a Boat with 50 men and their Baggage, what is the facility of going from Buffaloe to Erie and by what means and what rates of fare and what distance and the time re- quired for the voyage, what the Length of the Canal from Erie to Pitsburg and the other queries relative to the Hudson and the Erie Canal as above, also what information you can obtain in regard to the river route from Pitsburg to St Louis. If in your way you can also give me some information concerning the route from N York to Pitsburg by way [of] Philad and Baltimore making as little Land traveling on said route as possible also bear in mind in our
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travel we cook for and lodge ourselves and will for suitable compensation or reduction of Fare do any work that will not retard our passage and require nothing but the uper deck if these things would lessen the expence.
If the Colonization Society go through with their project I shall go out in their service if not I shall get up a Joint Stock Trading Concern (if I can) and go on with a similar plan but on a smaller scale the details of which I will give you as far as settled when you come this way which I hope will be before the ist Jny we shall not probably start before Ist April from this place provided we go out on the last maned [named?] plan [No signature.]
. VIII.
Cambridge Nov 28, 1831
Saml S. Hamilton Esq (Washington)
Chief clerk of Bureau of Indian affairs Sir
Having in contemplation to undertake an expedi- tion to the west of the Rocky Mountains for the purpose of trade, and to that section of the coast claimed by the American Govt. I am desirous of obtaining information in regard to the Laws regu- lating Indian trade. In the course of the contemplated expedi- tion transactions may be had with tribes this side of the Mountains.
It is the object of the present communication to request of you the favor of pointing out to me the best mode of obtaining this in- formation, or if it is embodied in a Pamphlet form at your office to forward the same to my direction. In case I have applied to the wrong person for this information will you have the goodness to send this letter to the proper person and much oblige
Yr Obt Servt N. J. W.
IX. Cambridge Dec 4th 1831
Brother Charles ( Baltimore)
Your favour of 28 Nov is at hand and contains all the information that is wanted and for which I am much obliged to you, but as one good turn deserves another I will trouble you to be on the lookout for a man who is competent to rearing Tobacco and who will Join our expedition on the terms hereinafter mentioned as the foundation upon which all the others are to go for the terms are to be all alike with the exception of myself and the surgeon. The plan now proposed by me is to have nothing to do with the Oregon Society, but to form a Joint Stock Concern composed of 50 persons who are to be bound to each other for the term of 5 years for the purpose of following under my direction the trade and buisness of that Country in all its branches selecting those for which we deem ourselves most competent and which appear to us to hold out the best prospects and to be de- termined upon on the spot all expenses are a charge against the
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amount of proceeds, Freight Charter party Cost of goods and all disbursements of every description the residue after this deduction is to be divided into 50 equal parts 8 of which are to be mine 2 are for the Surgeon and Doctor and the remaining 40 are divided equally among the men. I am to procure all credits wanted for the ex- pedition and all disbursements necessary for their fitting out with the exception of their personal equipments and expences as fur as Franklin Missouri.
This plan I have adopted in preference to hiring all the men and taking Capital at the halves, for which I have many offers, because I think that hired men would not effect so much as those who have a share of the profits, and probably could not be kept together at all, in consequence of which Half profits would not amount to as much as my present plan gives me, also the scitua- tion I would be in would be more difficult and attended with more risque as pay of men would amount to a large sum and would have to be paid profits or no profits. This plan obliges me to raise some 5000$ for articles of trade, munitions of hunting, stock for manufacturing and the like including horses from St. Louis to carry baggage, and a few provisions $2000 to $2500 I shall have to borrow of you and Leonard, for I will not ask it of any one else even if I go without it and if you agree to lend it to me you will get it again if I ever return if not charge it to my acc. in the next world this money will be wanted on my draft from N. Or- leans or St Louis given about the 20th April. Will you write we whether you can lend me this sum or half of it as soon as con- venient The residue say 2500 to 3000$ I shall have of my own that I can spare from the support of my wife. With regard to the vessell and cargo of Trading articles I cannot order them to advantage until I know the trade which will not be until I have remained in the country a short time, and I shall not order any- thing until I have on hand a return cargo of the results of our ex- ertions, and of the first stock taken with us, as a pledge to offer those persons who charter me a vessell and which being insured on their passage home will answer as a remittance to pay for the articles sent out by the vessell whichif purchased at a credit of a year they will be in good season to pay for, and this buisness too I am in hopes to manage between you and Leonard, and I do not see as you need run any risque in this last matter except of my good faith, as the operation will be predicated on the amount of avails which we have at the moment of our ordering actually on hand and to which may be also added all that will be collected between the time of ordering the vessell and her arrival. When you an- swer this letter which do soon answer what you are able to do in this matter also. In addition to the offer Mr. Jarvis made me of assistance in New York last summer, he has again offered me by letter any assistance which I may want. This is very good in him and will be duly remembered, but I do not wish to avail myself
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of it if I can avoid it which I am confident that I shall be able to do. Something however depends upon your answer. The reason why I wish not to accept of Mr. Js offer is that I have no claim upon his kindness and I can offer him no prospect of profit as for the first five years at least all the profit which I can spare must go to those who earn them, but after the expiration of the first term my acquired knowledge will be such as to war- rant me in taking charge of a buisness in which it would be safe and profitable to invest money to a large amount and then those who assist me now will receive their reward, but at present men have not confidence enough in the enterprise to embark their persons in it unless they can have a large share of the profits.
I think you had best abandon the idea of coming on here this fall or winter at least until further news. It is most probable I shall pass through your city on my route to Pitsburg. As far as I now know a packet from this to your place will be the best plan.
My best respects to wife and remember his uncle to the little Boys.
I am afftly yrs Nathl J. Wyeth x.
Cambridge Dec 5th 1831.
Brother Leonard (N. York)
Since writing you last I have received from Jacob an order on you at sight for $600. This I obtained from him on account of his outfit which I can make to more advantage for him than he can for himself $roo is the extent of what I shall spend for him on this account, and this sum will be wanted about Ist April certainly not before, and can probably be taken up in Bal- timore of Charles for in all probability our route will be by pack- ett from this to Balto. direct and thence to Pitsburg. The resi- due of the Draft please retain in your hands in the same manner as though it had been accepted by you, this in order that he may not make a pretext of the expedition for spending the little re- maining money he has and which if given to his order will be en- tirely useless to him and to the expedition.
The colonization Society have so far altered their plan as to join the first and second expeditions into one and both go by the way of St. Louis, Platte River Lewis River Lake Timpanagos,* Columbia &c. This plan I do not like as women and children can not get started from St Louis before the Ist July. They do not propose to set out before the ist June and there will be at least one months falling off from the time set. This with the un- avoidable delay of such a cavalcade will make the Ist Sept. before reaching the pass of the Rocky Mountains at the head of the
*"A map of the Internal Provinces of New Spain" given with Coues'"Ex- pedition of Z. M. Pike" practically identifies this with the Great Salt Lake of Utah.
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Platte River and this is but half way and it is necessary to reach the place of Destination a sufficient time before the Ist Nox to make provision for the winter as about that time a great part of the Indians from whom supplies might be had as well as the great- er part of the Birds and Beasts leave the country for southern quarters and the fish leave the River for the Sea, and a party so composed and so large will call for all the exertions of all the men attached to them, and then leave much undone that might con- duce to the comfort of the party, and in this way it will be at least a year, and I fear longer, before we shall get any time to de- vote to the purposes for which we go out viz. making money, and for this they offer only the poor advantage of 200 acres of land, which is hardly a quid pro quo, beside which there is some dan- ger that they may get into so much dificulty as to be obliged to return, which would be an entire defeat of our enterprise, for it would be hard to get men to travel over the same ground twice. It is quite as much as I can do to get good men the first time and after one failure it will not be possible to get them to start again.
These considerations have induced me to delay entering into any agreement with them until the last moment, and not then unless I am better satisfied with their arrangement than I am now. If the advantages appertaining to the Society can be obtained without a material sacrifice of my own objects I will join them but not otherwise.
My plan (in which I have proceeded so far as to raise 26 men) is to raise 50 men to go out to that country so early as to leave St. Louis on the Ist May 1832 for the purpose of following the trade of that country in all its branches for which we deem ourselves competent. Many of these men are manufacturers in the various branches of iron work man- facturing of arms and ammunition and a few to cultivate such ar- ticles as are of use to ourselves and in the Indian trade such for in- stance as tobacco. The proceeds of the exertions of these men are to be divided into 50 equal parts, 2 of which are to belong to Jacob if he goes out as surgeon or to whoever is surgeon 8 to my- self and 40 to the 48 remaining men or at the same ratios for a diferent number of men. I am to furnish all the camp equipage and trading articles necessary for our first outfit to the extent of 5000$, and to procure credit for the Co. for a vessell and an Invoice of trading articles to be ordered to that country when a quantity of avails sufficient to secure the payment for the same has been collected. The first disbursement of 5000$ as well as the freight and cost of articles sent out and all other disburse- ments of every description are to be deducted from the gross pro- ceeds before the division mentioned above in other words for fur- nishing the use of 50005 in cash, and the required credit for ves- sell and Invoice of articles for which I have the goods to pledge I am to have the exertions of 7 men beside myself. This though
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not.a large share of gross profits is a good share of nett profits, and I shall have to strain some to accomplish my part of the con- tract. 2500 or 30005 of the cash I have on hand the residue I must borrow and I hope to be able to get it between you and Charles. I also hope to get you or Charles to manage the getting me a vessell to bring the articles I send for and bring home those I have collected. The vessell may be taken up and the freight to be paid on the delivery of the home cargo and thus far managed without money, and probably the goods sent for might be purchased on an obligation to pay at the end of the year or on the return of the vessell and the consideration for length of credit made in the price, and for security the home bound cargo insured, an invoice of which I will send you when the order is sent for the vessell and the goods. If you feel disposed to favor me so far as to lend me on Ist April next the whole or half of the cash wanted over and above what I have say 2000$ or 2500 if the whole and. 1000 to 1500$ if you can furnish but half and take up- on yourself to manage the sending out of the vessell, you would favor me by answering in the affirmative. I know it will be in- convenient for you but at some rate or other I must accomplish it and I at present know of no other means without I resort to Mr. Jarvis who has recently made me an offer of assistance by letter but I feel an almost insuperable objection to using him or puting myself under any obligations to him. I have offers of plenty of cash for half profits but in this case so small a share of profits can be offered the men that good ones cannot be induced to go and hiring must be resorted to and I apprehend that a set of hired men would make my scituation very difficult. They would desert me, would be idle while in the employment and if not their pay alone would take a large share of the profits and render my then half profits a smaller sum than my present 16 per cent. besides the greater dificulty of getting up an expedition on such a foundation.
Please write me what time I may expect you this month or when I may think of seeing you if you cannot come this month. It is quite requisite that I should see you before I to and I appre- hend if I see you at all it must be here for unless your informa- tion is more favorable than I expect in regard to the Canal and Lake Erieroute I shall take packett from here direct to Baltimore.
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