Appendix LV
Hypothetical Operation of the 1834 Powell-Collier Santa Fe Venture

Foreword - Preliminary Notes

Dates: We have only one documented date concerning their Venture:- the 14 Apr. 1834 signing date of the Powell-Collier Contract, as analyzed in detail in Massey Appendix LIV "Powell-Collier 1834 Contract for a Trading Venture to Santa Fe, Mexico."  All the rest of the Log-Book dates are estimated from the travel rates explored in Massey Appendix LIII "Logistics of  Santa Fe Travel."

Mileage: I have used verbatim the table published by Gregg and available in Massey Appendix LII "History of the Santa Fe Trail."

Other Sources: For miscellaneous information, I have drawn heavily from: Louise Barry, "The Beginning of the West," Kansas State Historical Society, Topeka, Kansas, 1972; Robert L. Duffus, 1903, "The Santa Fe Trail," Longmans, Green and Co., copyright renewed 1958, by R.L. Duffus, David McKay Company, Inc., New York; and Encyclopedia Britannica - 11th Edition.

Critique: As this specific Santa Fe Trading Venture included 6.Benjamin Franklin Massey's epic trip from Santa Fe, "On horseback and alone," the most interesting adventure in B.F. Massey's varied career, I have tried my best to develop logical answers to the many questions phrased and hinted at in my sources . Obviously, I had very few facts to rely on, and I was forced to create several scenarios. Obviously, I had very few facts to rely on, and I was forced to create several scenarios to answer these questions as best I could.

I may well be criticized for being too imaginative, but I am reasonably happy with my Appendix LV.

Last Minute Warning: Although the Log Book dates are spelled out very accurately, they are only as accurate as my hypotheses and estimates are believable, and must be used in this context.

As the Caravan travelled only six days a week, reserving Sunday for rest, my log-book dates are basically on a weekly basis.

Comment: I have spelled out the details of this momentous 1834 Venture to create background for the Massey Appendix LVII - "B.F. Massey - His Experiences as a Powell Brothers employee during the years 1831 through 1834," even though producing Appendix LV before LVII seems like putting the cart before the horse.

Date	The Chronological Log-Book Record
14. Apr.1834	[Wednesday] The Powell-Collier Santa Fe Trading Venture contract is signed at St. Louis, Mo. by Joseph Powell, Peter Powell, James S. Collier, Edward S. Langstroth and F.J. Stewart. I feel that the wording of the Contract hints at the signatories want to start the trip West promptly, possibly by May first, when the Spring rain shall have ended. the Powells had already re-packed their Trade Goods in readiness for loading them on a river boat for the trip to Boonville, about a two day trip.
	B.F. Massey was not present at the Contract signing. He had been sent, I believe, by the Powells, on a Mission to Pittsburgh, or possibly as far as Philadelphia, to procure additional high-value, high-profit manufactured items, to add to the goods already packed. B.F. Massey had been chosen by the Powells to represent them in the trip West and in disposing of the goods at Santa Fe by Collier, if he returns from his Mission "in time to join the Company" at Boonville for the start West.
	The Powells had also packed the equivalent of one or two wagon loads of goods to be delivered to John Roubidoux at his trading post on the Missouri River where St. Joseph was set out in 1851, and practically on the Trail route West at Independence, Mo.
1 May 1834	B.F. Massey reached Boonville in time to rendezvous with the Caravan Company and assume his duties as Powells representative to work with Collier.  Collier had meanwhile secured delivery of the big Trail Wagons and the Ox-teams and spare oxen required for the trip West.
10 May 1834	Wagon loading had been completed, teams hitched, horses mounted and with Collier and Massey in charge, the Caravan take off for Independence, Mo. - 100 miles away: but ten days later than the originally hoped-for starting date.
14 May 1834	[Sunday] With fresh teams, and wagons in brand new condition, and on the best maintained stretch of the Trail, the caravan, at max ox-team speed of 18 miles per travel day, put 54 miles behind them.
21 May 1834	Still traveling at their best speed of 18 miles per day, the fresh ox-teams added another 54 miles and were now 109 miles from Boonville, reaches Independence, Mo.
23 May 1834	Collier and Massey deliver the Powell goods to Mr. Roubidoux, a stones throw from Independence.
29 May 1834	At this average speed of 15 miles per day, the ox-teams put 60 miles behind them from Independence.
2 Jun1834	After 6 more days at this 15 miles per day pace, the Caravan is now 150 miles from Independence and had already made a short stop at Council Grove, 148 miles from Independence, for a traditional shake-down inspection of equipment and animals.
9 Jun.1834	[Sunday] Another 6 days at 15 miles average speed, and the Caravan is now 201 miles from Independence.
16 Jun.1834	Six more travel days at their 15 miles average speed, and the Caravan is 300 miles from Independence, and past the Pawnee fork of the Arkansas River.
23 Jun.1834	Another 6 days at the average 15 mile pace, the Caravan is now 390 miles past Independence and has passed the ford of the Arkansas river.
30 Jun.1834	Another 6 day march at the 15 mile pace, and the Caravan is now 480 miles past Independence, has crosses the Cimarron river and the Middle of the Cimarron.
7 Jul.1834	[Sunday] The going on the Trail gets tougher and the Teams can only cover about 12 miles per travel day; their 72 miles this week has taken them 552 miles from Independence, and past the Cimarron River to McNeal Creek.
14 Jul.1834	Another 72 miles travel week, the Caravan is now 624 miles past Independence, and Almost to the Rio Gallina at Las Vegas.
28 Jul.1834	Still another 72 mile travel week, the Caravan is now 768 miles from Independence, and only another 12 miles to go to Santa Fe.
Note	Some traders chose to sell their Goods to the early-bird buyers before they actually reach Santa Fe itself, but the more canny Traders wait until they reach the City, where they can bargain for and get, full price for their Goods.
29 Jul.1834	James Collier, assisted by B.F. Massey enter the center of the City and commence their bargaining efforts.
6 Aug.1834	The sale of their Goods well under way, Collier and B.F. Massey face an unforeseen problem:- the Fall season had been extra rainy, the Trail was soggy wet, and an early winter freeze-up was in the forecast, and snow was expected to close down the Trail. Winter travel over the Trail was considered impossible. And even if they were to start back East over the Trail, and were lucky, the thousand mile trip back to St. Louis would take 13 or 14 weeks, getting to St Louis around 15 Nov.1834.

Scenario: I believe that at this point, Collier and B.F. Massey decided that a return trip East over the Trail in Winter was out of the question. I think that they decided to follow their Contract instruction and to dispose of Merchandise, Wagons and Teams for Gold. Collier and his horse-borne crew to remain in Santa Fe over the Winter, the whole crew to be paid their wages, or enough of them to hold them over the Winter, and Collier and the remainder of the crew to join another Caravan returning East in the Spring. Collier to retain all the payroll records and trading records for taking to the Powells. B.F. Massey was to pack all of the balance of the Gold proceeds on his horse and to carry it South to Juarez and East to Vera Cruz. From Vera Cruz he could go by steamboat to New Orleans, and then by steam-driven paddle boat up the Mississippi to St. Louis.

At this point our narrative, we have a sticky question:- how much gold will B.F. Massey have committed himself to carry? Is it an unreasonable weight, or one that could be carried in saddle bags on his riding horse?  Here I have a list of very shaky dollar estimate to work with, and rely on [little] firm data to back me up.

Gold Weight Guesstimate Scenario:

Powell Investment in Venture:  $20,000 Goods packed 14 Apr.1834 at St. Louis, per Contract.  $3,000 High value items by B.F.M. in Pittsburgh.  $8,000 Travel Costs of Wagon and Teams by Collier at Boonville. $31,000 Total Value for sale at Santa Fe.

Market Value in Santa Fe: Here again, I have to pile guess upon guess, but we have a little background to work with.

In 1824 a Trader named Cooper carried back East $100,000 in Gold, plus $10,000 in furs for an investment in trade gods of $32,000, a multiplying factor of 3.1.

I feel that the combination of Collier and Massey could do better that this; Collier had, for sure, made several trading trips to Santa Fe and was an experienced successful Trader; Massey had been trading for the Powells since 1831 and had made at least one trading trip to Santa Fe.

I credit them with the ability to earn a 3.5 mark-up, in which case they would come up with $108,500.

I will assume that Collier will retain $8,500 of this to carry himself and the Caravan Crew over the Winter, leaving $100,000 in gold for Massey to carry back to St. Louis.

Weight of Massey's Gold Load: At $20. per Troy Ounce, the $100,000 would weigh 500 Troy Ounces or 240,000 Grains. At 7,000 Grains per Pound avoirdupois, his gold load would be 34.29 pounds.

The Total Load for the Horse: Massey's horseback trip from Santa Fe to Juarez and then along the Old Spanish Trail to Vera Cruz would take him through many sizable Cities, and an endless string of small native villages, so he would have no real need to hunt for game or camping facilities; he could secure food and lodging wherever he needed them. So he would not have to carry equipment other than his revolvers.  Massey weighed only 137 pounds, so the total load the horse would carry would amount to less than 200 pounds; less than the weight of a large man.

Date
13 Aug.1834	The disposition of Merchandise, Wagons and Teams completed, Collier an Massey took leave of each other. Collier and the Caravan Crew remained in Santa Fe, and Massey set off on his long ride, "On horseback and alone," as has been so often mentioned.
	Massey's route was from Santa Fe, via Alberqueque, San Antonio and El Paso; then across the Rio Grande to Juarez, then in Mexico, to Chihuahua, Torreon, Zacato, Aqua Calinta, and Moulin and finally, to Vera Cruz a trip which measures 1,500 miles.
	I believe that Massey, with his horse having a relatively light load, traveling 6 days a week, and resting himself and his horse on Sundays, could have made 18 miles a day, or 108 miles per week, could have made this long trip in 14 weeks from Santa Fe.
17 Nov.1834	B.F. Massey arrives in Vera Cruz.
24 Nov.1834	It probably took Massey a week to sell his horse and secure passage on a Ship across the Gulf of Mexico to New Orleans, where no doubt he sent word to the Powells that he was safe and sound in New Orleans with the proceeds from the Venture.
1 Dec.1834	I give B.F. Massey a week to clean up, rest up, buy some new clothes, and enjoy the life of New Orleans, and then book passage on one of the many paddle steamers plying between New Orleans and Pittsburgh.
	There was a report of 230 River Boats in operation on the Mississippi at his time, booking passage [would have been] no problem, and the trip up-river was a quick and easy one.
4 Dec.1834	B.F. Massey delivered his bag of 34 pounds of gold to the Powell Brothers at St. Louis, writing Finis to his part in this Trading Venture.

I will surely be well criticized for being so imaginative in crafting this scenario of B.F. Massey's part in this Venture, but I am reasonably well satisfied that I have created a plausible and believable story of B.F. Massey's greatest personal adventure.

Open and Unanswerable Questions: Although B.F. Massey has written FINIS to his personal part in this Powell_Collier 1834 Trading Venture, he has left us no records of the final outcome of the Venture itself.

His Reminiscences, as Recollected by his son in Massey Appendix XXIX say that in 1835 he returned to Kent County, Maryland for a family visit, and while there was stricken by an attack of Rheumatoid arthritis, and remained there, a helpless invalid for two years.

His Reminiscences include no reference during this 1835 - 1836 period to the Powell Brothers or to the 1834 Trading Venture.

We, of course would like to know the final outcome of the 1834, but we have nothing at all to go on, and I am unwilling to rely solely on my imagination, so, I will simply have to state my list of questions and let it go at that.  Perhaps some Historian will take and interest in the Powell Brothers, as Merchants, or as personality and provide some answers, but as of 1987 this has not been done. I have already suck my neck out a mile trying to compute the load of gold that B.F. Massey lugged across Mexico.

So, let me list here a number of questions that I would hope can be answered some day in the future:

The Powell Brothers Total Capital Investment: The only firm figure that we have is the $20,000. of goods already re-packed and ready to be loaded on the docks at St. Louis on 14 Apr.1834. To that figure I have added my best guess figure for the goods I feel B.F. Massey was sent to Pittsburgh for, the Wagons and Teams that Collier was, by Contract, to add at Boonville. But we have no knowledge at all of the costs of the labor for the trip, of other costs required to get the Caravan to Santa Fe and back again. I have played around with a lot of guess figures, but I have found them all unsatisfactory, and even worse that many of the figures that I have already hypothesized; and I elect not to make them a part of this Appendix.

B.F. Massey's Rewards From the Venture: A clause in the 14 Apr. 1834 Powell-Collier Contract provides that B.F. Massey was to receive a share in the Net Profits of the Venture, but the amount of the share was not spelled out. B.F. Massey's Reminiscences contain no mention of any direct benefits that he may have received, but we do know that in 1837 the Powells provided him a stock of merchandise, on credit to be sure, for him to establish a Retail Mercantile operation in Fayette, Missouri.

Collier Performance and Rewards: I have hypothesized that Collier and the Nucleus of the Caravan crew remained in Santa Fe over the 1834-1835 Winter, returning East with probably another Caravan as soon as the Trail was passable. Did Collier and his crew arrive home as planned? Did Collier carry back with him the Payroll and other records needed by the Powells to compute their Capital Investment and profits?  Did Collier receive his One-third of the Venture net Profits as spelled out in the Venture Contract?

The Powell Brother's Profits from This Venture: Unless some Historian is able to dig out the financial records of the Powell Brothers, if in fact they even got into any of the Missouri Archives, we will never know the answer. And there is no sense in me trying to hazard and to guess an amount, although I would believe that their Venture yielded a handsome reward.

After a quick trip up the Mississippi,  B.F. Massey delivered his $100,000 in gold, his news about James Collier's situation in Santa Fe, and run-down on his trip back to St. Louis.

Review:  As you are well aware, this whole Appendix LV is strictly hypothetical; no statements would stand up in a Court of Law. As B.F. Massey went back to his old home in Kent County, Maryland, and was bedridden through 1835 and 1836 by a crippling attack of Rheumatoid Arthritis, we are denied any remembrances he might have made to his son during this period, so we are left with open questions:

Unanswerable Questions: 1 Did James Collier get back to St. Louis successfully, with the remnants of the Caravan Crew, and with his payroll and other records? 2 What was the Net Profit of this 1834 Venture to the Powell Brothers? 3 What direct financial benefits or bonus did B.F. Massey earn for his part in the Venture? As we have been unable to find any record of the operation of the Powell Brothers in any of the Archives on the Missouri Historical Society, we must perforce, leave these questions dangling.

Any attempt on my part to answer them would be futile; these would be even more guesses that I would have to make than these in this very guessy Appendix LV, and I just don't want to stick my neck out still further.