Note 136 — Chapter XXV · {IX} CONCLUSION OF THE SANTA FÉ TRADE
Reading edition
Some general statistics of the Santa Fé Trade may prove not wholly without interest to the mercantile reader. With this view, I have prepared the following table of the probable amounts of merchandise invested in the Santa Fé Trade, from 1822 to 1843 inclusive, and about the portion of the same transferred to the Southern markets (chiefly Chihuahua) during the same period; together with the approximate number of wagons, men and proprietors engaged each year.
Years. Amt. Mdse. W'gs. Men. Pro's. T'n to Ch'a. Remarks.
1822 15,000 70 60 9,000 Pack-animals only used.
1823 12,000 50 30 3,000 Pack-animals only used.
1824 35,000 26 100 80 3,000 Pack-animals and wagons.
1825 65,000 37 130 90 5,000 Pack-animals and wagons.
1826 90,000 60 100 70 7,000 Wagons only henceforth.
1827 85,000 55 90 50 8,000
1828 150,000 100 200 80 20,000 3 men killed, being the first.
1829 60,000 30 50 20 5,000 1st U.S.Es.—1 trader killed.
1830 120,000 70 140 60 20,000 First oxen used by traders.
1831 250,000 130 320 80 80,000 Two men killed.
1832 140,000 70 150 40 50,000 Party defeated on Canadian 2 men killed, 3 perished.
1833 180,000 105 185 60 80,000
1834 150,000 80 160 50 70,000 2d U.S. Escort
1835 140,000 75 140 40 70,000
1836 130,000 70 135 35 50,000
1837 150,000 80 160 35 60,000
1838 90,000 50 100 20 80,000
1839 250,000 130 250 40 100,000 Arkansas Expedition.
1840 50,000 30 60 5 10,000 Chihuahua Expedition.
1841 150,000 60 100 12 80,000 Texan Santa Fé Expedition.
1842 160,000 70 120 15 90,000
1843 450,000 230 350 30 300,000 3d U.S.Es.—Ports closed.
The foregoing table is not given as perfectly accurate, yet it is believed to be about as nearly so as any that could be made out at the present day. The column marked "Pro's." (Proprietors), though even less precise than the other statistics, presents, I think, about the proportion of the whole number engaged each year who were owners. At first, as will be seen, almost every individual of each caravan was a proprietor, while of late the capital has been held by comparatively few hands. In 1843, the greater portion of the traders were New Mexicans, several of whom, during the three years previous, had embarked in this trade, of which they bid fair to secure a monopoly.
The amount of merchandise transported to Santa Fé each year, is set down at its probable cost in the Eastern cities of the United States. Besides freights and insurance to Independence, there has been an annual investment, averaging nearly twenty-five per cent. upon the cost of the stocks, in wagons, teams, provisions, hire of hands, &c., for transportation across the Prairies. A large portion of this remaining unconsumed, however, the ultimate loss on the outfit has not been more than half of the above amount. Instead of purchasing outfit, some traders prefer employing freighters, a number of whom are usually to be found on the frontier of Missouri, ready to transport goods to Santa Fé, at ten to twelve cents per pound. From thence to Chihuahua the price of freights is six to eight cents—upon mules, or in wagons.
The average gross returns of the traders has rarely exceeded fifty per cent. upon the cost of their merchandise, leaving a net profit of between twenty and forty per cent.; though their profits have not unfrequently been under ten per cent.: in fact, as has before been mentioned, their adventures have sometimes been losing speculations.[A]—Gregg.