American Fur Company

The American Fur Company or American Compagnie of the Furs was founded by John Jacob Astor in 1808 in the area of the Big lakes. The company grows at the point to monopolize the Traite furs with the the United States and became one of the largest companies of the country, it was one of the first large American Cartel S but made Faillite in 1842.

History

The American Fur Company starts in 1808 the trade of furs in Trading post S of the Midwest and area of the Big lakes as well as on the zone Pacific Northwest (the Peaceful North-West). The company creates subsidiary companies to conclude its activities in each one of these areas.

Subsidiary companies

The South West Company is in load of the trade of the fur in the Midwest , whereas the Pacific Fur Company operates in the Oregon Country .

Competitors

At the beginning, it is in competition with the large companies of Canadian fur skins and Britanniques: the Hudson' S Bay Company and North West Company .

Monopoly

During the Guerre of 1812 number of trading posts of the company are confiscated by the British. At that time it seems that the company is destroyed, but after the war the United States votes a law prohibiting the trade of alien companies on territory U.S. What removes the American Fur Company from its competitors Canadian and British, and offers a monopoly to him on Midwest and the Big lakes. In the years 1820 it extends its monopoly to the Grandes Plains and the Rocky Mountains. To preserve its monopoly, of small competitors are repurchased or led to the bankruptcy by the operations of the American Fur Company . Towards 1830, the company has an almost total control of the trade of the fur in the United States.

Decline

This appogée of the company will be of short duration. Feeling to come the decline from the mode of the fur, John Jacob Astor withdraws company in 1834. This one is divided into two entities and the Pacific Fur Company becomes independent. The division of the Midwest continues its activities under the name of American Fur Company , and is then directed by Ramsey Crooks.

To reduce its expenditure the company starts to close number of its trading posts . During the years 1830, competition reappears. At that time the raw material (furs) starts to miss, the Indians who were the principal providers having been driven out more in the West or straightforwardly exterminated. in the years 1840, the Soie replaces the fur in the European fashion. The company does not manage to integrate all these factors and in spite of efforts of diversification in other industries like the mines of Plomb, the American Fur Company goes bankrupt in 1842. The goods of the company are distributed between several smaller companies whose majority will go bankrupt in the years 1850.

Random links: