mon empire. The partial failure of crops impoverished many of Brigham Young's flock. The animosity between the Mormons and Gentiles affected the business affairs of many merchants of the latter complexion. Mormon traders more and more monopolized trade. A senseless overstocking of the market in the course of 1858 and 1859 also produced a ruinous competition; in fine, the profits of most Salt Lake traders became exceedingly scanty. Of late several very disastrous failures have even occurred, and trade was at so low an ebb during the past summer that several of the largest dealers moved their stock out of the country -a last and desperate resort, the cost of transportation being the all but principal item of expense in the overland traffic. Exclusive of government freight, not over a hundred and fifty wagons with merchandise left the border for Utah this year, so large are the stocks yet remaining on

hand.

The most powerful stimulus received by the commerce of the great Plains, was the verification, in 1858 and 1859, of the momentous fact of the existence of large and individually paying deposits of precious metals in the southern ranges of the Rocky Mountains. During the heedless, irregular rush of men and matters that signalized the first stages of the Pike's Peak gold fever in the first half of 1859, nothing like a systematic trade was carried on. In the fall of the same year, however, when material life had assumed a more settled aspect, and the certainty of the permanent settlement of a populous mining community in the newly-discovered Dorado could no longer be doubted, commerce commenced flowing through regular channels.

Many of the leading merchants of Leavenworth City, Atchison, St. Joseph, Nebraska City, Omaha, and Council Bluffs fitted out large trains, loaded with heavy stocks of goods, and opened branch stores in Denver City, which place they soon created into a sort of commercial entrepot for the supply of the necessities of the mining population. The extent of the Pike's Peak trade at that time may be best judged from the fact that over six thousand people spent the last winter in the gold region, every material want of whom had to be supplied from the States.

But active as the commercial intercourse between the Rocky Mountains and the border States was during the latter part of 1859, it was multiplied at a marvelous rate in the course of the present year. The new grass had hardly commenced sprouting when an impatient host, eager to pounce upon the supposed mineral treasures of the mountains, undertook the pilgrimage across. For weeks a mighty human tide kept rolling in unbroken waves over both the Southern, or Arkansas, and Northern, or Platte, routes, towards their golden goal in the South Platte region. From the middle of April until late in June a continuous string of wagons was stretched over the road leading from the different Missouri River towns to the base of the mountains. At least sixty thousand people moved in that period, with their goods and chattels, over the Plains. All these tens of thousands had to be fed, clothed, and lodged, and hence hundreds of regular freight wagons were going to and fro all summer, in order to enable the Pike's Peak traders, not only to meet the momentary wants of the population of the land of gold, but also to lay in stocks suflicient to see them through the winter, during which the overland freighting inevitably ceases.

A very consequential agent in the development of the commerce of the

Plains proved the three overland mail, passenger, and express routes opened during the last five years, viz., the Southern overland mail and passenger route from St. Louis, via Fort Smith, through Northern Texas and Southern New Mexico and Arizona; the New Mexican mail and passenger line, from Independence, Missouri, to Santa Fé; and the two express and passenger lines of the Central Overland California and Pike's Peak Express Company to Denver and Salt Lake cities. Formerly the New Mexico and Salt Lake traders were obliged to travel with their trains, when making their purchasing trips to the East. Their correspondence had also to be forwarded in the same slow manner. During the winter, communication with the States was, for the same reason, absolutely closed. Now, both their persons and letters are landed on the borders in as many days as they formerly took weeks. Of late, a mail and passenger line has also been started by the Western Stage Company, between Omaha, N. T., and Denver City, so that there is now a daily opportunity to cross the Plains from the Missouri River to the gold fields of the Rocky Mountains over passenger lines, whose coaches travel at the rate of 150 miles per day.

THE CENTERS OF THE DIFFERENT BRANCHES OF THE OVERLAND TRAFFIC.

To begin again with the New Mexico trade. In its infancy the traders started upon their annual trips, as already related, from the vicinity of the present Missouri town of Boonville. Even those residents of St. Louis who joined the early expeditions, came up the river with their goods in so-called Mackinaw boats, and stopped at the same point. The town of Independence was, however, founded soon after the beginning of the trade, and speedily became the great outfitting center of the overland traffic. It held this commercial ascendancy from 1832 to 1838, during which period it commanded all but a small fraction of the profits arising from the New Mexican trade. Its merchants accumulated vast fortunes, and their prosperity brought about the development of Independence into one of the most flourishing and beautiful towns in the West. But "westward is the course of empire." Independence held its own as long as it remained without more westerly rivals. The birth and growth of Westport and Kansas City, directly west of it, caused the scepter of monopoly to slip from its hands. Already, in 1834, Messrs. Bent and St. Vrain landed a stock of goods for the New Mexico market at Francois Choateau's log warehouse, just east of the present site of Kansas City,* and from that time the transfers of the New Mexican trade from Independence to its two immediate western neighbors took place in annually enlarging proportions. Since 1850, nearly all of it has passed over to them. But few wagons are now sent out from Independence to New Mexico during the shipping season.

Of the two successful competitors, Kansas City has now the largest benefit from the trade. Its accessibility and direct water communication with Eastern markets have made it the point at which not only a large portion of the goods yearly forwarded is sold, but also nearly all those bought farther east are disembarked, stored, and reshipped on overland trains. Westport, which is only three miles southwest of it, likewise enjoys a considerable share of the trade. Being situated directly on the verge of the Kansas prairies, it offers greater inducements as a mere starting point than Kansas City; but for receiving and buying, the pref erences are decidedly in favor of Kansas City.

Although a considerable portion of the goods annually exported to New Mexico is bought in Kansas City and Westport, the bulk of the yearly purchases is made in St. Louis. Few only of the largest traders make direct purchases in the Atlantic cities.

The Indian trade centers mostly in St. Louis, and is controlled to a large extent by the aforementioned firms of that city. Both the New Mexican and Indian traders are very steady customers. Their relations

to the wholesale houses with which they deal are generally of so old and intimate a character that a change hardly ever takes place. The furnishing of the Indian goods bought by the United States government for gratuitous distribution, being annually given out under contract to the lowest bidders, it cannot well remain concentrated at any particular point. The transportation to the different Indian agencies on the Plains is also undertaken by contractors, and hence no habitual shipping point exists. Most of these goods are, however, landed and loaded at Kansas City.

The Utah trade has sought the more northwesterly Missouri River towns as starting and outfitting points Most of the supplies for that market are brought up the river on boats to Omaha and Florence, where they are transferred to trains. The latter town especially has been the favorite point of embarkation of the Mormon trade and emigrants. Large outfitting houses for the particular benefit of the latter have been established, and the greater portion of the Salt Lake carrying trade is done here. The government supplies for the military posts on the route to and in the Territory of Utah are, however, loaded by the contractors at Fort Leavenworth and Atchison.

The Salt Lake traders buy their goods in St. Louis, Philadelphia, New York, and Boston. They patronize only a small number of houses. The Latter Day Saints among them are very particular to deal only with such Gentiles as, from long acquaintances, are known to them to be friends of the Mormon cause.

The least concentrated branch of the overland commerce is the Pike's Peak trade. There is not a place on the Missouri River that, however small, is not represented among the traders of the gold regions. But Leavenworth City can claim to do more business in that direction than any other town, from Florence down to Kansas City. The reason of it is, that all her merchants have branch stores in Denver City, and that two of the largest overland transportation firms are located in the place. Atchison and St. Joseph rank next, being the westernmost railroad termini of the Union. They have both become the most favored starting points of the gold seekers. In this they have a considerable start of Leavenworth. Their railroad advantages have also made them much sought for loading trains. As far as trade itself, however, is concerned, they still have to yield the palm to Leavenworth, although many of their merchants have likewise a profitable business intercourse with the mines. Kansas City has traded remarkably little with the Pike's Peak country. This is probably owing to the absorption of its carrying capacities by the New Mexico trade. Nebraska City is much resorted to by Pike's Peakers, as a convenient starting point, and has also some trade with the gold regions. The same can be said of Plattsmouth. Omaha City and Council Bluffs enjoy extensive and profitable trade and lively traveling intercourse with the mines, both being nearest to them of all Missouri River towns and cities.

Leavenworth City, Atchison, and St. Joseph are all three termini of the passenger and express line of the Central Överland California and Pike's Peak Express Company. Omaha is that of the mail and passenger line of the Western Stage Company. Kansas City is as yet without direct communication with Denver City.

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE OVERLAND TRADE.

The wants of a country are always regulated by the means of its people to satisfy them. The New Mexicans, although inhabiting a region of great agricultural, mineral, and pastoral resources, cannot be said to be a wealthy people. It is true there are men of fortune among them, but this number appears insignificant when compared with that of the people at large. The average well being that one finds among all classes in the United States does not prevail in New Mexico, where the means of the people barely suffice to eke out a most frugal subsistence.

Fortunately for the generality of the New Mexican, the smallness of their means is compensated by a simplicity of physical habits that enables them to manifest content and happiness in spite of poverty. It would be hard, indeed, to find a relatively poorer, and at the same time happier, people than that of New Mexico. It can certainly live on much less, and enjoy much more, than Anglo-Americans.

The New Mexicans devote comparatively more of their means to the outward than to the inward body. They are fond of spirituous beverages, but not particular about the character of their food. They know little of the so-called pleasures of the table. Their dress, however, is the object of great care and expense. Both males and females delight in showy adornments of their persons, and this propensity shapes the character of the trade to a great degree.

In the early days of the foreign traffic with New Mexico, when the wants of the natives had not yet been qualified by a contact with AngloAmerican habits and customs, the variety of imported goods was rather limited. Groceries and flash calicoes constituted the main stock. The gaudier the colors of the latter, the better favor they found. A buff-colored kind was especially popular. As the intercourse between New Mexico and the East grew more intimate, the goods introduced from year to year became more varied, and now very few articles that merchants in the Western States keep on hand will not be found in the assortment taken out by the New Mexican traders.

There are, however, some peculiarities in their importations. They consist in an uncommonly large demand for calicoes, bleached domestics, and hosiery, particularly for female use. The number of white stockings bought by the Mexican women is said to be astonishing. The diminutive character of their pedal extremities renders a prevalence of small sizes necessary. For the same reason, dealers in shoes that do business with New Mexico traders, have articles in this line expressly made to meet the tiny requirements of the senoritas in this respect.

Fancy dry goods are introduced on a limited scale only, the few people of wealth being the purchasers. What few are imported are, however, usually articles of a very costly quality.

Of late large quantities of ready-made clothing and furnishing goods have been consuined by the New Mexican market, thereby indicating that the old Spanish notions of dress are giving way to the Anglo-American style of garments.

The settlement of many Americans in New Mexico has for some time induced the annual import of considerable quantities of Eastern flour into that Territory. It is true the amount of breadstuffs ordinarily raised in the valley of the Rio Grande is sufficient for the home demand. But the primitive mode of working up the wheat into flour, still adhered to by the natives, makes it incompatible with Anglo-American stomachs. The foreign flour is, of course, held much higher than the domestic.

Pork in its various forms, such as bacon, hams, &c., also constitutes a leading article of import.

In former years the exports made from New Mexico, in exchange for Anglo-American goods, were principally gold and silver coin and bullion and mules. The latter branch has at this time all but dwindled away, owing to the extensive mule breeding in several of the Western States. The exports of precious metals have also greatly decreased during the last few years. The cause of the diminution is the paralysis, from various causes, of silver and gold mining throughout the Territory. The surplus of both coin and bullion has been carried off by the steady draft for the purposes of commerce, and the balance now extant in the Territory is barely adequate to the wants of the inhabitants. Eastern payments, which but a short time since were wholly made by consignments of coined and other silver and gold, are now made by the New Mexico merchants through drafts on the sub-treasurers of the United States, obtained from the military and civil officers stationed in the Territory.

The falling off in the export of the enumerated articles has been made up by an increase in that of others. Thus, the exportation of wool has above all been carried on very largely during the last five years. In 1859, nearly nine hundred thousand pounds arrived on the Missouri River from New Mexico, and this year's shipments are expected to exceed one million. The excellent natural pasturage of the Territory is likely to make sheep breeding one of the principal native pursuits, and steadily swell the yearly wool clip.

Mexican wool is worth about 14 cents per pound on the Missouri River. Its export largely benefits the transportation houses that do freighting for New Mexico traders, inasmuch as it secures return loads to them--an advantage not enjoyed by the overland freighters to any other portion of the country west of the great Plains. The freight is from four to five cents per pound.

Goat and sheep skins also constitute an already important article of export. Some thirty thousand, worth about twenty five cents each, were brought in last year; also some dry hides, tallow, and a variety of furs.

The value of the merchandise taken into New Mexico this year is estimated by competent judges at about two millions of dollars. On this investment a profit of about forty per cent is realized. In past years traders were not satisfied with less than from one to four hundred per cent. Competition has now cut down the enormous exactions of yore. The number of Anglo-American traders, large and small ones, is about two hundred and seventy at the present time.

But a comparatively small number of native Mexicans are engaged in merchandising. The leading houses among them are several of the Armijo family, perhaps the wealthiest in New Mexico; Perea & Co. and Joseph Mercure, all of whom are located in Santa Fé.

The value of the exports from the Territory during the present year about $400,000.

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