Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 3.djvu/264

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L. E. Pratt.

osition which was accepted; the result was the opening of a store in connection with the factory, which was continued for some time and resulted in an increased demand for the factory goods.

In September ('59) I put up quite a large invoice of goods to be exhibited and sold at the California State Fair at Sacramento, which was successful, receiving from the fair a fine diploma on silk in a fine frame for first woolen goods manufactured on this coast. The goods were all sold at a fair price, Charles Crocker of San Francisco being the principal purchaser. From this introduction orders were received from California until the Mission mill in San Francisco was in operation in the following year. At about the same time I made a tour through the Sound country with samples. Succeeded in getting a number of orders; though small, they answered well as an introduction of the goods, as it afterwards proved. Having made a thorough distribution of the goods and being satisfied what the result would be, turned my attention to the manufacture through the winter. More wool having arrived than expected as the result of the exchange plan, there being about 80,000 pounds more than could be consumed before the new clip, I sold it to a San Francisco firm at the rate of 20 per cent above cost. The proceeds from this sale and from a small contract for blankets for the Indian Department yielded an amount of money which enabled me to pay the indebtedness of the company in San Francisco and Portland for soap, oils, dyestuffs, etc., and procure for the winter a supply of the same. May 1, quite a large supply of goods on hand; wool had commenced to arrive; soon found goods were being exchanged as fast as made; commenced running a part of the machinery nights on the first of August ('60). Found that we had a surplus of about 25,000 pounds of wool, which was sold to a San Fransisco firm