Oregon Historical Quarterly/Volume 10/Number 4 Documents

DOCUMENTS. Carnegie Institution of Washington. Washington, D. C. Department of Historical Research. J. FrankHn Jameson, Director. The Editor of the "Oregon Historical Quarterly," Dear Sir : I lately found among the papers of my uncle, who died four years ago, the letter of which I inclose a careful copy. The writer was his elder brother, my father, John Jameson of Massachusetts. I have thought that its list of wholesale prices in Oregon in 1852 might be of some interest to students of economic conditions in that early period. My father, who was born in 1828, went out in 1851 to Oregon, going in a sailing vessel to San Francisco and' thence by steamer to Portland. After a brief stay there he went to Buteville. I see that in this letter he spells it "Buteville," but I had always understood from him that it was properly spelled Butteville. I do not find the name in the Postal Guide, but the village was in existence some years ago. Indeed, I think you printed nine or ten years ago the reminiscences of an ancient French-Canadian who had lived there some sixty years and whom my father, to whom I showed the article in your Quar- terly, remembered very well.^ These few months in Buteville were the only part of my father's life that was spent in commercial pursuits. He came back to Massachusetts in 1852, studied for the bar, taught for several years, and then practiced law. He died in 1905. The brother, ten years younger, to whom the letter is addressed, was subsequently Dr. R. Edwin Jameson of Boston. Very respectfully yours, J. F. Jameson. The Carnegie Institution of Washington, November 27, 1909. I F. X. Matthieu is no doubt the man to whom Dr. Jameson refers. See Quarterly, Viol. I, pp. 73- 104. — Ed. Quarterly. John Jameson 391 Buteville, Marion Co. Tues. Aug. 17, '52 Dear Brother Edwin, I must commence with asking you to ask father to be sure to send me the Boston semi weekly Atlm from the receipt of this till the middle of November or until all the election returns are in except California. Some time ago father asked me to send you a price current. I will transcribe from my Invoice Book the wholesale prices which I paid for my goods. The retail price (my selling price) is from 25 to 100 per cent above this. Freight from Portland here is about $20.00 per ton some by weight & some by measurement. So you see if / only sell enough I shall make a very good profit. I cannot stop to arrange them in the proper order. Womens shoes pgd 83 — i.oo Kit boots pr 2.66 Grain " " 2.50 Cowhide " 3.00 Youths brogans " , 75 cut tumblers p doz 1.75 — 2.00 Linen check .20 — .26 Gingham 18 — .25 delaine ( 27* — .47 Lawn I3>4 — .25 Prints I 10 — .20 Irish linen 37)^ — .54 Diaper & towelling ,. . . .162-3 Linen thread pr lb .1.00 — 1.50 wh spool cotton pr doz , 65 — .75 Sad Irons " lb 08 Essences (oz) pr doz 37 — • .75 Saleratus 09 Sugar Manilla 09 " China 10 " B Havanna 13 " White 14 white flannel 45 392 Documents Sheeting ii — .16 table cloths, aDl'd... 1.25 Brk Satinett 75 Kentuck Jean 38 Pins pr doz .65 — .75 white wove drawers. .1.33 red flannel " ,. . . 1.33 white shirts : 1.33 fancy " , .62 Hudson Bay" 1.25 Tobacco .25 — .50 Chintz i 10 Coffee 13 — .15 Bed spreads 2.00 white linen table cloths 1.25 Coarse Sack coats 3.00 common " " 6.00 Fine " " 8.00 Misses hose (worsted) , 37>4 Ladies cotton " .18% white hats (fine fur) .3.12^ " " common 1.08 Blk brush hats 1.50 Mens cloth caps i.oo " oil" " 50 Soap brown pr lb 10 — .12% " toilet " " 25 Butcher knives 25 — .50 dining knives & forks pr doz. ..... .5.00 Powder pr lb i.oo Soup tureens ,. .2.00 Rice 06 — .10 Blk glazed cambric .09 Fig'd Alpacca . . . . .55 red flannel 35 Shirt buttons pr gro 75 John Jameson 393 Hickory shirting — .13 writing paper pr ream 4.00 Sewing Silk pr lb , , 8.00 Starch 10 Tea 45— 62 14 Allspice 50 Ginger 10 Hooks & eyes pr gro 37^ Camphor pr lb 75 Percussion Caps pr 1000 1.25 Mould Candles .20 Adamantine 50 Sperm " 62)4 Needles pr M 3.00 dried apples 12 — .14 raisins (cask) pr lb 10 — .12 Salt Liverpool " " 031^ Pork Mess pr bbl 30.00 " Oregon" " 35-09_ Cigars Havana pr M .25.00 — 40.00 English Walnuts pr lb 20 Candy Stuarts " " 50 tweed 72 Lead (for bullets) 14 tin pans pr doz .2.00 — 6.00 " wash bowls 42 Blankets pr pair 4.75 tacks pr doz papers i.oo Screws pr gro , 75 Nails cut 10 Nutmegs pr lb i.oo common brass candlesticks 50 Syrup (Sugar House) gall 50 Vinegar pr gall ., .25 Pepper Sauce pr doz 4.50 Mustard " " 4.50 394 Documents Grindstones 5.00 tobacco pipes pr gro 2.00 wooden pails 45 Hoes & handles 75 Brooms pr doz 3.00 Fry pans 62>^ Grain Sacks , 50 Collins axes pr doz 20.00 Shingling hatchets pr doz , 9.00 Axe " " " 9.00 Bench " " " 24.00 Augers pr qr in 20 Claw hammers per doz 6.00 — 15.00 Iron table spoons per doz i.oo " tea " " " 35 Padlocks 42 Door latches 162-3 Iron wedges pr lb 12 Beetle rings " " 12 Log Chains " " 12^/2 Wrapping twine" " i.oo Matches " gro 2.50 Castor Oil pr bottles 62 >^ Shovels round point 2.00 Chocolate pr lb 25 Common bowls doz. 2.00 Small " " 1.50 Large yellow bowls doz 6.00 white bowls doz. 3.33 deep dishes " 3.50 — 7.50 blue edge pudding dish doz 4.50 white " " " 6.00 blue edge platters " 7.50 white " " 9.00 Creamers white " 4.00

" colored " 3.00

Pitchers yellow " 4.50
Pitchers white pr doz 9.00
cover'd chambers " " 5.50
Blk tea pots " " 6.00
White " " 9.00
" Sugar bowls" " 7.50
Yellow " " " " 6.00
Soup plates pr doz 2.00
dining " " " 1.75
Breakfast" " " 1.50
Tea " " " 1.25
Preserve " " " i.oo

I have omitted many articles I keep but I guess your list is long enough. My sales at present are very small as all the farmers are harvesting. I take in & pay in goods or cash, chickens (alive) at .75 to i.oo a piece; Eggs at 50 cts doz; butter at 40c; wheat at 1.75 bus & Oats at 75c. And now my dear brother I must close with a little good advice. Be not an eye servant but do just the same when Mr. Davis is out as when he is in ; Obey your dear parents & obey them cheer- fully & with alacrity. I hope to hear of your going to sch[ool] again soon for you are losing the most precious days of your life. If you ever think of coming out here, study French. It is a very great disadvantage to me not under- standing it. And now My dear Ed, good bye & may God Almighty bless you & may you try & serve him better & better as you grow older.

Yours truly

John Jameson

Write soon.