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1830
Wind River Rendezvous:
The pack train which left St Louis in April of 1830 under
William Sublette was unique. The
supplies were carried in ten wagons drawn by five mules each, and two
Dearborn carriages, each drawn by one mule.
These were the first wagons to proceed west along the Platte River
and thence over South Pass. Twelve
head of cattle and one milch cow were also brought.
There were 81 new recruits bound for the mountains along with this
train. The year 1830
also was the first year that there was any real rivalry to the firm of
Smith, Jackson and Sublette. An
American Fur Company supply train (Jacob Astor) under the direction of
Lucien Fontenelle, Andrew Drips and Joseph Robidoux also left St Louis in
the spring of this year. Warren
Ferris accompanied the American Fur Company train.
Sublette’s
supply train arrived at the Wind River Rendezvous in the middle of July.
Although the American Fur Company supply train arrived on the Green
River on June 21st, they failed to find the rendezvous, and
subsequently cached their goods prior to starting the fall hunt.
(Map) Joe
Meek writes about this rendezvous “ …Beaver,
the currency of the mountain, was plenty that year and goods were high
accordingly. A thousand
dollars a day was not too much for some of the most reckless to spend on
their squaws, horses, alcohol, and themselves…Pure alcohol was what they
“got tight on;” and a desperate tight it was, to be sure!””
For Smith, Jackson and Sublette, this was an extremely successful
year. A total of 170 packs of
beaver valued at $84,499 were taken. After
expenses, this left about $55,000 for the three partners, plus $28,000
still on the Ashley’s books as a credit from previous years.
Not a bad return over four years at a time when $100-$200 a year
was considered to be an above average wage.
Sensing that the
business was changing, Smith, Jackson and Sublette, sold out their
interest in the company on August 4, 1830, to Thomas Fitzpatrick, James
Bridger, Milton Sublette, Henry Fraeb and Jean Gervais and the name of the
company was changed to the Rocky Mountain Fur Company.
Smith, Jackson and Sublette would provide a supply caravan for the
new company, however the new company would need to send a representative
down from the mountains in the spring to complete the arrangements.
Smith, Jackson and Sublette left the mountains with about 70 men to
return with the furs to St. Louis, arriving there on October 10, 1830.
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