Subject Guide
Mountain West
Malachite’s Big Hole
Ashley’s Contract Prices:
When William Ashley sold his company to Smith, Jackson and Sublette in 1826, he agreed to provide supplies to the newly formed company, at rates agreed to by contract. These rates are considerably higher than prices for the same goods, in St. Louis, sometimes at a markups of 1,000 percent. Although it had been several years since the partners of the new company had been down to St. Louis, they still must have known how extreme Ashley’s markups were. They obviously considered it worthwhile to not have to devote attention to this aspect of the trade. The list of goods and prices shown in the contract are given below.
Although very high, these are still wholesale prices. Smith, Jackson and Sublette would have added their own markup to these prices before making the goods and supplies available to the hunters and trappers at rendezvous. This list has been published in The West of William H Ashley.
|
Ashley’s Price List | ||||||
|
Item |
Units |
Price |
|
Item |
Unit |
Price |
|
Gunpowder 1st & 2nd Quality |
pound |
$1.50 |
|
Rings, Finger |
gross |
$5.00 |
|
Lead |
pound |
$1.00 |
|
Beads, assorted |
pound |
$2.50 |
|
Shot |
pound |
$1.25 |
|
Vermillion |
pound |
$3.00 |
|
Blankets 3-point |
each |
$9.00 |
|
Files, assorted |
pound |
$2.50 |
|
Blankets, Green 3-point |
each |
$11.00 |
|
Rum, 4th proof, |
gallon |
$13.50 |
|
Cloth, Scarlet |
yard |
$6.00 |
|
Bridles, assorted |
each |
$7.00 |
|
Cloth, Blue, common quality |
yard |
$4.50 |
|
Spurs |
pair |
$2.00 |
|
Knives, Butcher |
each |
$0.75 |
|
Horse Shoes & Nails |
pound |
$2.00 |
|
Blankets, 2.5 point |
each |
$7.00 |
|
Pans, tin assorted |
pound |
$2.00 |
|
Guns, Northwest Fusils |
each |
$24.00 |
|
Handkerchiefs, assorted |
each |
$1.50 |
|
Kettles, tin |
pound |
$2.00 |
|
Ribbons, assorted |
bolt |
$3.00 |
|
Kettles, sheet iron |
pound |
$2.00 |
|
Buttons |
gross |
$5.00 |
|
Axes, Squaw |
each |
$2.50 |
|
Looking Glasses |
each |
$0.50 |
|
Traps, Beaver |
each |
$9.00 |
|
Flints |
dozen |
$0.50 |
|
Sugar |
pound |
$1.00 |
|
Awls |
dozen |
$0.25 |
|
Coffee |
pound |
$1.25 |
|
Tobacco |
pound |
$1.25 |
|
Flour |
pound |
$1.00 |
|
Kettles, Copper |
pound |
$3.00 |
|
Alspice |
pound |
$1.50 |
|
Buckles, Iron |
pound |
$2.50 |
|
Raisins |
pound |
$1.50 |
|
Fire Steels |
pound |
$2.00 |
|
Cloth, grey, common quality |
yard |
$5.00 |
|
Fruit, Dried |
pound |
$1.50 |
|
Cloth, flannels common quality |
yard |
$1.50 |
|
Soap, Washing |
pound |
$1.25 |
|
Cloth, Calicoes, assorted |
yard |
$1.00 |
|
Soap, Shaving |
pound |
$2.00 |
|
Cloth, domestic cotton |
yard |
$1.25 |
|
Tobacco, 1st Quality James River |
pound |
$1.75 |
|
Thread |
pound |
$3.00 |
|
Bracelets, steel |
pair |
$1.50 |
|
Worsted Binding |
pound |
$15.00 |
|
Wire, large brass |
pound |
$2.00 |