100 
Indiana University 
charges and commission amounted to about thirty per cent of 
the sale price.^® 
By 1789 the Detroit traders had readjusted themselves to 
low-priced furs and were buying at a price that would enable 
them to make a profit in the London markets.^® Then came 
the establishment of a new constitution in the United States 
A typical statement from Todd and McGill to John Askin dated October 10, 1787, 
is in Askin, op. cit., as follows: 
“Recapitulation of Furs and Skins Received from Mr. John Askin of Detroit and 
how disposed of 218 packs containing 423 lbs. beaver, 112 Martin, 193 otter, 219 mink, 
33 fisher, 360 bear, 101 Cubs, 7422 deer. 38 1/2 lbs dressed leather, 5352 racoon. 7188 
mustrat . . . 368 cat & fox, 66 elk, 9 wolf, 7 tyger, . . . Mostly shipped to 
London, rec’d May 1 to Aug. 16.” 
A typical statement of Phyn and Ellice, London, June 2, 1783, ibid. “Account sale 
17 Bales Furs & Skins received . . . from Montreal on account of Messrs. John 
Askin & Co. Sold at Public Sale 26 & 27 Feb. 1783 viz: 
770 Racoons 3/9 
2 1/2% discount 
144. 7.6 
3.12.2 
140.15.4 
931 “ dam 
83. 4.2 
46 Bear 
76. 4.4 
69 “ dam 
56. 6.10 
95 Otter 
33/ 
152.16. 7 
910 Musquash 
12 1/2 
46. 4. 3 
109 Elk 
. . . .14/9 
78. 7. 7 
93 Martin a 5/=23.5— 73 Mink a 3/ ] 
48 Cat at 3/ 25 fishes a 7 | 
21 grey fox a 2/6 15 wolf a 9/ I 
^ ==59.9.6 
3 red fox a 9/10 J 
1 
Sold 
20 & 21 
March 
182 parchment beaver 
a 8/7 
less 
disc. 
150.12.9 
50 dam. “ 
a 5/5 
24. 5.10 
165 cub “ 
139 “ 
“ 7/6 
50.16. 5 
276 deer 
97.11 
276 “ 
97.11 
456 “ 
196. 7. 4 
487 “ dam 
. . 4/7 
108.16. 3 
596 “ “ 
. . 4/8 
135.11.10 
80 “ (215 lbs. half dressed) 
.. 1/11 
20. 1. 9 
909 Musquash 1/ 
1,772. 5.10 
Charges, etc. 524.17. 5 
Acct. 
1,247. 8. 5 
The firm of Todd and McGill is not mentioned in Davidson, The Northwest Company, 
but its members became members of the Northwest Company. 
An idea of the fall in the price of furs may be obtained from two statements of 
Todd and McGill one 
in 1783, the other dated October 10. 1787 
In 1783 racoons sold 
at 3/9 in 1787 at 
3/ 
In 1783 bear “ 
“ 34/ “ “ “ 
13/4 
In 1783 otter 
“ 33 “ “ 
11/ 
In 1783 elk 
“ 14/9 “ “ “ 
1/14 
In 1783 martin “ 
“ 5/ “ “ “ 
2/6 
In 1783 mink “ 
“ 3/ “ “ “ 
2/6 
In 1783 deer 
“7/and8/“ “ “ 
3/ 
See Askin, Papers, I. 
