USA > Washington > History of Washington; the rise and progress of an American state, Vol. II > Part 29
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With these facts so well established as they are by authen- tic records, made at the time, it is apparent that the charge made by Mr. Fitzgerald in the House of Commons, that the Hudson's Bay Company had "so exercised its monopoly, and so wielded its power, as to shut up the earth from the
be hoped that these Indians will become as good as those of the interior. A Clallam chief arrived but could not see me owing to the number of Indians. There were about two hundred and fifty men, women, boys, and girls in the dance; every one peaceable. The Indians present belonged to eight different tribes.
"Aug. 3Ist. The men have kept at rest and the natives were also attentive to their devotions."
After Mr. Kitson arrived and took charge the missionary work was continued. He says:
"Feb. Ist, 1835. We had a great party of Indians about us today. This morning the chiefs attended on me for the purpose of getting infor- mation of living well, and as there was a young man who understood the Flathead language among the party, I thought proper to give them instructions respecting our duty to the Giver of Life, as also their duty to one another. All that I said was taken in good part and fair promises for the future."
STEAMER BEAVER.
The first steamship to enter the Pacific, and the second to cross the Atlantic. She was built at Black- wall, England, in 1834, launched in 1835, and came around the horn to the Columbia, where she arrived in 1836. She was sent from the Columbia to the Sound, and for many years afterward cruised along the coast, in the service of the Hudson's Bay Company, going. as far north as the Russian possessions. She was finally sold to a logging company in 1874, by which she was used to tow logs, until she went on the rocks on a small island near the entrance to the harbor of Vic- toria.
398
THE RISE AND PROGRESS
Douglo was regularly Teddifl HaNAFfice of the Episcopal
-dosta is find asw 9de
boymnie oda prodye .. sidrottA' Wopk mododi denDumbrum .baro& ont. of sidmulos ont fort tra asw ode
WETT Jasoo off gro Joden Was a resbyterian. Heron gaibgK. vnsymba du datendabntHeyamploprabetart Gompany
oda doidw vd,Argi ni vasqmos griggol s of bloe vilsna
about friV lo poderiads andoneticicas med forstisches natives at other poste where they had served as they were at Nis- qually. (me of Dr. Tolmie's daughters is authority for the statement that her father was very much interested in missionary work and at one time thought seriously of re- signing from the Company in order to engage in it.
With these facts so well established as they are by authen- tic records, made at the time, it is apparent that the charge made by Mr. Fimgerald in the House of Commons, that the Hudson's Bay Company had "so exercised its monopoly, and so wielded its power, as to shut up the earth from the
be hoped that these Indians will beo me as good as those of the interior. A Ciallam chief arrived but could not see me owing to the number of II .ns. There were about two hundred and ty many women, boys, wo girls in the dance; every one peaceable. The Indians present Mikegod to eight different tribes.
3ist The men have kept at rest and the OR ves were also -ther devotions."
Abi . Koww wwww and took charg . issionary work was
"T . Un We had a great party . Indians about us today. Ttended on me for purpose of getting infor- outêm v Cy wy. ved as there was a jong man who understood the fuel . wong the party. Uwught proper to give them in trum nyas cor duty to the Gryns of Life, as also their duty to on aout . 0 fl I said was tak a good part and fair promises for the future"
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OF AN AMERICAN STATE
knowledge of man, and man from the knowledge of God," is not altogether true.
On November 12, 1836, the steamer Beaver made her first appearance at Fort Nisqually. She was the first steam vessel to appear in the Pacific, and she was engaged in trade along the coast from the Columbia to the Russian settlements for nearly two years before the Sirius and the Great Western made the first complete trip across the Atlantic under steam. She was a sidewheeler, as all the early steam vessels were, and of one hundred and twenty tons register. She was built at Blackwall in England, but crossed the Atlantic and came round Cape Horn under sail, carrying her engines and boilers as freight. She arrived at Fort Vancouver in the spring of 1836. Her engines were of the low-pressure type, built by the old firm of Bolton & Watt, and her paddle wheels were small and set well for- ward. The hull was of oak, and built rather for strength and durability than for beauty or speed. She carried a crew of thirty men, and six four-pounder cannon, and was also well supplied with small arms. The decks were pro- tected by a netting which prevented Indians and other strange people from coming on board except by the gang- ways, and no more than thirty of them were ever allowed to come on board at one time, unless accompanied by their wives and children. After leaving Vancouver she never returned again to the Columbia, but was employed exclu- sively in carrying freight between Nisqually and the other posts of the Company on the coast, and to the Russian posts farther north. After the headquarters of the Company were removed to Victoria in 1849, that city became her home port. When not engaged in collecting furs, or dis- tributing supplies among the substations, she was employed
400
THE RISE AND PROGRESS
in a general trade with the Indians along the coast and among the islands, and for this purpose she was provided with counters and other arrangements for displaying goods, as well as with room for storing them. Wilkes examined her with a curious interest while he was at Nisqually in 184I, as steam vessels were still something of a novelty in that day. His chief criticism was that she had but small capacity for carrying fuel. But this defect was a matter of but little consequence in a region where wood could be had in abundance at the water's edge everywhere, and where the ship could be laid close along shore any- where. As often as there was need to do so, the ship was tied to a convenient tree or stump, and the crew sent on shore to cut wood, and when a sufficient supply was obtained she went on her way until there was need to repeat the process. It is quite safe to say that in no other time or country did a steamship procure her fuel supply in a similar way.
Besides the Beaver the Company had, at one time or another, five small sailing ships engaged in trade along the coast. These were the Cadborough, Vancouver, Llama, Dryad, and Nereid. They were nearly all of less than one hundred tons register. The Vancouver was wrecked on the Queen Charlotte Islands in 1834, and the officers and crew escaped with great difficulty.
Although Fort Nisqually was originally established as a fur trading station, it in time began to be apparent that another kind of business could be profitably carried on there. The broad expanse of excellent grazing land, which surrounded it on every side, gave promise that cattle and sheep could be profitably raised there, and as early as June 1834 three cows, with their calves, and a bull were landed
401
OF AN AMERICAN STATE
there, from the very ship that had rescued the two Japanese from the Indians at Cape Flattery. These were all very wild, and were probably of the kind known as Spanish cattle, because they had been brought recently from Cali- fornia. In June 1835 Plomondon brought up four other cows, with their calves, and five horses from Fort Vancouver. In July 1838 the Nereid brought the first stock of sheep received at the fort. She left San Francisco with eight hundred on board, but only six hundred and thirty-four were alive on her arrival. Other ships brought cattle from California after Mr. Slacum's time, and in 1841, according to a manuscript in the handwriting of Mr. A. C. Anderson, who was in charge at Nisqually in that year, a considerable herd was driven across the mountains from Forts Colvile and Walla Walla. They came up the Yakima River to the mountains and then crossed by the "Sinahomish pass," according to the manuscript-probably the Snoqualmie pass, in the opinion of Mr. Huggins, who was the last of Mr. Anderson's successors as factor in charge. In these several ways the herds at Fort Nisqually, which in later years amounted to eight or nine thousand cattle and nine or ten thousand sheep, were started.
But the business of farming and stock raising was entirely foreign to that for which "the governor and Company of Adventurers of England, trading into Hudson's Bay," was organized. Their business was "to trade and traffick" in furs, and while they were given "the fisheries within Hudson's streights, the minerals, including gold, silver, gems and precious stones," and were in fact made the pro- prietors of all the territory watered by the streams flowing into Hudson's Bay, to hold it "in free and common socage," that is as absolute owners, they could not acquire any real
402
THE RISE AND PROGRESS
property in lands possessed or claimed "by any other Chris- tian prince," nor could they do business in any such country except by special license. They were doing business on the coast by virtue of such a license. It had been granted in 1821, and gave the Company the exclusive right, as against all other British persons or corporations, to trade in the country west of the Rocky Mountains. It was to run for twenty-one years, that is to say fourteen years beyond the time fixed for the termination of the first treaty of joint occu- pation, which was to expire in 1828, and under which the country was to be "free and open to the citizens and sub- jects of both countries upon equal terms." When this license was about to expire the Company petitioned for a renewal with enlarged privileges, and in support of this request its officers made some statements which are interesting at the present day, as showing how faithfully they were respecting the rights of citizens of the United States to equal privileges with themselves in the country occupied. For example Sir J. H. Pelly, who was at the head of the Company's affairs in London, lays particular stress upon the service the Com- pany has rendered the mother country, "in securing to it a branch of commerce which they are at present wresting out of the hands of foreigners, subjects of Russia and of the United States of America"; and expresses the confident expectation that with care and protection the British dominion may not only be preserved in this country, "which it has been so much the wish of Russia and America to occupy, to the exclusion of British subjects, but British interests and British influence may be maintained and ren- dered paramount in this interesting part of the world." Sir George Simpson also wrote a letter to accompany the petition, in which he says: "The Possession of that country
SIR GEORGE SIMPSON.
Born in Rosshire, Scotland in 1792. In his youth he was employed as a clerk in the London office of a firm engaged in the West India trade, but finally he entered the London office of the Hudson's Bay Com- pany, and in time was sent to America to manage its affairs. He succeeded in terminating the fierce com- petition between his company and the Northwest Company, and finally in combining the two, when he became the most autocratic of all the Hudson's Bay governors. While in the service of the company, he twice crossed the continent and once made the circuit of the globe. He died at La Chine, near Mon- treal, 1n 1860.
4012
THE RISE AND PROGRESS
nomedosbaochianed "by any other Chris-
Atoy aid nl .coer aththosedorddersin si atany such country s to gointo nobnod adt cerfzab s mbavolams aerian business on od when iud sheit sibul tasW oft mi begsono mi -mon ved a'noabit of is no nosfoi ant beting been granted eti sgensm of soirom Acot dupa anvy sinet ni bas unsight, as against isit odt waitsnimist af bebygyoua 9H. . aTisfts to trade in the jagwatTon odt bis "vnsqmoo and noswjed noifitsq persons or. corporationis.
of new ows art gitimidhockey team manyasqhowas to run for ved a'noabuH art. Hello pitsipgtus from om atamasdrs beyond the
,Yasqmos gift to sofvisa. odt mi slidW .comsvog
-HOM ison onid' s.t. tsobsib He ipdata »dt lentiuanieder which the
" free and open to the citizens and sub-
tries upon equal terms." When this license
pire the Company petitioned for a renewal wwh ewart privileges, and in support of this request its officers oude e statements which are interesting at the prevent day, wwwing how faithfully they were respecting the right of coorvos of the United States to equal privileges with thenthen in the country occupied. For example Sir J. H. Pelly, who was at the head of the Company's affairs in London, lays particular stress upon the service the Com- pany has rendered the mother country, "in securing to it a branch of vommerre whoh they are at present wresting war of the hands of foreigners, R www and of the United States of America". and exams the confident pitation that with care and protection the British d mmosøn may not only be preserved in this country, "which er he been so much the wish of Russia and America to www,wo die exclusion of British subjects, but British ( **** + ) British influence may be maintained and ren- derb mot in this interesting part of the world."
Su Go impron also wrote a letter to accompany the peunon, w which he says: "The Possession of that country
OF AN AMERICAN STATE 403
to Great Britain may become an object of very great import- ance; and we are strengthening that claim to it (indepen- dent of the claims of prior discovery and occupation, for the purpose of Indian trade,) by forming the nucleus of a colony, through the establishment of farms and the settle- ment of some of our retired officers and servants as agricul- turists. "
But the English government could not give the Company the increased privileges it thus asked for, without doing violence to the convention for joint occupation, which had now been renewed, and was to stand until a year's notice was given by one party or the other of a wish to terminate it. That notice she was not willing to give. Her interest lay, or seemed to lie, in the direction of continuing the present arrangement as long as possible. No American settlers except a few missionaries had yet made their appearance in the disputed country. If the Hudson's Bay Company was succeeding so well in wresting it from the Russians and Americans, under present arrangements, it was well enough, and perhaps better, to leave, them as they were. Its retired officers and servants who were turning settlers might, in time, become numerous enough to possess the land, and so perhaps render British interests paramount, as Mr. Pelly had suggested. So the license of the Company was re- newed, without change, for another period of twenty-one years.
The stockholders of the Fur Company now organized a subsidiary corporation, the capital stock of which was sub- scribed by themselves and their principal employees, and transferred to it all their farming and stock-raising proper- ties. The prospectus of this company, issued in London in 1838, just after the older company had failed to secure
-
404
THE RISE AND PROGRESS
the enlarged privileges asked for in its renewed license, describes the Puget Sound and Columbia River countries, particularly the district situated between the headwaters of the Cowlitz River and Puget Sound, as being "highly favorable for raising flocks and herds, with a view of pro- ducing wool, hides and tallow, and the cultivation of agri- cultural produce." The association was to be under the protection and auspices of the Hudson's Bay Company. Its operations were to be confined to the country west of the Rocky Mountains, and its capital stock was to be two hundred thousand pounds sterling, divided into two thou- sand shares. During the pendency of negotiations as to the title of Oregon, the management of the business was to be conducted solely by agents resident in England, and John Henry Pelly, Andrew Colvile and George Simpson were named as such managers for the first year. The first general meeting of stockholders was to be held in London in December 1840, and within said month in every year afterwards. The Puget Sound Company was to pur- chase of the Hudson's Bay Company its stock of sheep, cattle, horses and implements of husbandry. The three agents in London were to select the managing agents in the district, and fix their salaries, but any agent so appointed was to be under the superintendence of the officer of the Hudson's Bay Company managing the fur trade in the district. Neither the Puget Sound Agricultural Company, nor any person in its employ, nor by it taken into the district, was to be permitted to trade in furs and peltries while in the employ, or under agreement with, the Puget Sound Com- pany. The agents were to retain authority to dismiss any employee violating this arrangement, and remove him out of the district, to the point where his services were
405
OF AN AMERICAN STATE
engaged; and all employees were subject to the condi- tions, restrictions and regulations of the Hudson's Bay Company.
Dr. McLoughlin visited London in 1839, and Dr. Tolmie was there either at the same time or a little later, and during their visit or shortly after, all the arrangements for trans- ferring the farms, together with the herds of cattle, sheep, horses and hogs then at the several stations of the Hudson's Bay Company in Oregon, to the new concern, were per- fected. Dr. Tolmie was made manager, under the super- vision of Dr. Mc.Loughlin, and was to carry on the fur trade with the Indians for the parent Company at Fort Nisqually. Arrangements were also made for enlarging and improving the herds, both of cattle and sheep, and some fine stock animals were purchased and sent out. From that time forth the betterment of the herds was looked after as carefully as the most thoroughgoing stock breeder of the time could have desired. Dairying was started on an extensive scale; at one time more than two hundred cows were milked at the fort. The butter and cheese made were sold to the Russians, or sent to England and the Hawaiian Islands.
As Mr. Astor had foreseen many years earlier, the business with the Russian stations had now grown to be very prof- itable. Dr. McLoughlin had realized its possibilities from the first, and had steadily enlarged the Company's farms at Vancouver and on the Cowlitz in order to supply it. Its steady growth, and the difficulty of supplying it from Fort Vancouver, on account of the dangers of the Columbia Bar, and the long tedious trip up the river, had made the establishment of a supply station on the Sound desirable. The establishment of this station had opened a way to supply
406
THE RISE AND PROGRESS
this trade, as well as the Company's stations in the interior and along the coast, without encountering either these dan- gers or delays, and the trade throve accordingly. In some years the grain sold amounted to fifteen thousand bushels, while the sales of vegetables, beef, mutton, butter and cheese were correspondingly large. Wool, hides and tallow were, for the most part, sent to England.
To conduct this business a large number of employees were required, but the Agricultural Company, like the Fur Company, procured its labor very cheaply. It brought out from Canada a large number of Canadians, French, Scotch, and Orkney Islanders, all of whom were indentured for five years, and paid at the regular company rate of seven- teen pounds sterling per year, mostly in goods at prices fifty per cent. above cost in London. It also employed a considerable number of Hawaiians and Indians. Most of the Canadians were married to, or living with, Indian women, and these women worked in the gardens and dairies, and did the sheep shearing each season, for the food and clothes which the Company supplied them.
The sheep-shearing season was something of a festival, and always ended with a dance and general good time, as did the harvest season. There was a regular harvest home celebration each year, according to the English custom. Christmas, New Year's day and Good Friday were always kept as holidays. No work was required of any of the employees on these days, except to feed and care for the work animals, and on Christmas and New Year's all the men were invited to the chief factor's room, where they were given a "regale" of cake and rum. Generally each was given a half-pint, or sometimes a pint, of the latter to carry away with him. Not much of this was reserved for
FORT NISQUALLY.
This fort of the Hudson's Bay, and later of the Puget Sound Agricultural Company, was established on the shore of the Sound, near the mouth of the Nisqually River, in 1833, and was famous during the earlier years after the American settlers came to the territory. It seems to have been established with the expectation of making it a center for colonizing the Sound country, and so increasing the British hold on it. It was a center of special interest during the Indian war.
THE RISE AND PROGRESS
no tule, as well JAUQUIOntJANy's stations in the interior
vilsuper sny 18 Ntmson off issn brudd affaldnay. In some arsttilsa adt gariuh enountedwtonsifs anthonisand bushels,
noitstosqx 9dt dfiw bodaild stag need sist of am992 JI butter and chezrino Brudd ont grisimages roligfaso signidendis and tallow wer, aforttheti no blodideigiftet thiasstori oa bs
To conduc Osiness a large ifumber of employees were required, Inm the Agricultural Company, like the Fur Company, prorund its labor very cheaply. It brought out from Canada a large number of Canadians, French, Scotch, and Orkney Ielanders, all of whom were indentured for five years, and paid at the regular company rate of seven- teen pounds srainy per year, mostly in goods at prices fifty per cent. abone cost in London. It also employed a considerable number of Hawaiians and Indians. Most of the Canadian were married to, or living with, Indian women, and these women worked in the gardens and dairies, and did the bep shearing each season, for the food anil clothes which the Company supplied them.
The sheep-shearing scaron was something of a festival, And always ended with a dance and general good time, s All The harvest mayon. There was a regular harvest home wwwration each jear, according to the English custom. Ofsewas, New Year's day and Good Foodlas were always at holidays. No work was myword of any of the wo tommy on these days worry wo Bed and care for the mumals, and on Chiismu and New Year's all the e invited to the chief factor's room, where they We won A "regale" of cake and rum. Generally each KAL Ym 4 Kall-pint, or sometimes a pint, of the latter to wwry wwat wah him. Not much of this was reserved for
407
OF AN AMERICAN STATE
medicinal purposes, and in consequence, not much work was expected from anybody on the day following either of these holidays. Except on these days no liquors were ever allowed to anyone, and none was sold either to whites or Indians.
It was apparently with the expectation of surrounding this station with a number of settlers, who should occupy homes of their own and still be more or less dependent upon and subservient to the Company, that the Red River Colony, heretofore alluded to,* was brought out from Canada in 1841. Just who induced these families to come to the coast, or why they were induced to come, is not clear, from any account we now have of their coming; but their treatment after their arrival here shows that there was a want of harmony somewhere among those who were in authority in the management of the Company's affairs, and that an undertaking which might, if well managed and steadily persisted in, have resulted in peopling western Washington with Canadian settlers who were loyal to British interests, and so greatly strengthened the British claim to this part of the country, was needlessly brought to disaster. Mr. Pelly's letter, previously quoted, which accompanied the petition of the Hudson's Bay Company for a renewal of its license with increased privileges, boasts of what his company had done to "wrest the trade of the country out of the hands of foreigners," and declares its intention to encourage the settlement in it of its retired servants "and other emigrants." This at least suggests that he, and his fellow directors, were at the time considering some undertaking of this kind. It may have been suggested by Dr. McLoughlin in 1839, or by Dr. Tolmie, who was there at the same time or later. There was reason why these and
* See Chapter XVII, page 486, vol. I.
408
THE RISE AND PROGRESS
other officers and stockholders of the Hudson's Bay Com- pany should begin to be anxious about the settlement of the country. American missionaries had already appeared and begun their work in it. They had shown that the way was open, and that other American settlers could easily follow them. Congress was showing a renewed interest in Oregon, and Mr. Linn had, in December 1839, introduced his resolutions suggesting, for the first time, that donations of land be given to encourage the settlement of the country by Americans. If there ever was a time when England could have gained anything by colonizing the country, that was the time.
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