WHOLESALE PRICES. 161 
From 1831 to the present date, prices have 
scarcely averaged, for medium calicoes, thir- 
-seven cents, and for plain a cottons 
-one cents per yard. Taking assortments 
round, 100 per cent. upon United States costs 
were generally considered excellent sales: 
many stocks have been sold at a still lower 
dered this the most agreeable and profitable 
branch of the trade. 
held — comparatively few senna 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 
cent. upon the cost of tocks, in wagons, teams, provisio 
hire of hands, &c., for hae conan across the Prairies, A! 
rtion of this remaining unconsumed, however, the ultimate loss 
on the outfit has not been sate than half of the above amount. In- 
Pee of purchasing enn some — a r nthe from freighters, 
umber of whom pore und on the frontier of Mis- 
cue, ready to rele heioie = ieee: Fé, at ten to twelve cents 
per pound. From thence to Chihuahua the wn ag of freights is 
six to eight a pir rae mre or in wagons, 
rage of the traders has rarely exceeded fifty 
pe oe ee eicartia ions chandise, leaving a net profit of 
between twenty and. fe code & Per pe though their profits have not 
unfrequently been in fact, as has before been 
mentioned, atvenusen ve esata been losing specula- 
tions. (4) 
a pg 
bj jestine to 1 myself, "T feel cashed tate, that, in 1841, I pu 
lished, in the Ga Iveston “ Daily vetiser,” a table of the Santa 
Fé trade from 1931 to 1840 inclusive, of which that of Mr. Mayer 
erabraces an exact c parton I have since m niet ‘additions, and correct- 
ed it to some extent, but still the correspondence is such as seemed 
to require of me this explanation. 
14* 
