Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1865-12-21
sEoIarl Jacob Aston.
His Vast Plan for CoIOniziag Ast0ria-A aagnif'
LAS icens Conception.

Jsmes Parton, the historian, gives the
following account Of Astor's greatest oper-
atoms.
Tbe browning glory Of Mr. Astor's ner-
camille career was that vast and brilliant
enterprise which Washington Irving has
COMMUNICATED in "Astoria." No other SIN
ole individual has ever set on foot q scheme
so extensive, so difficult and so costly as
this: nor has any such enterprise been car
ried out with such sustained energy ana
perseverance, To establish line OF trad
inr posts from st. Louis TT" the Paclhc, q
four months journey in a land OF wilder.
ness nrairie, mountain and desert. to found
a nermanent settlement on the Pacific coast
as the qrard depot Of furs and supplies-to
arranoe a plan by which furs collected
should be regularly transported to CHINA,
and the ships return to New York, laden
with tea and silks, and then proceed once
more to the Pacific coast to repeat the Cir
Quito maintain all parts OF this scheme
without the expectation of any but remote
profit, sending ship after ship before any
certain intelligence of the first ventures mad
arrived-this was an enterprise which had
been memorable if it had been undertaken
by wealthy corporation or powerful gov
eminent instead Of private merchant, IN
aided by any resources but his own.
At every moment in the conduct of this
magnificent attempt Mr.. Astor appears the
great man. His parting instructions TO the
captain of his first ship call to mind those
of Gen. Washington to st. Clair on q similar
! occasion. Gall the accidents that have yet
/ happened" said the merchant, "arose from
90 much confidence N the Indians" The
! ship was lost few years after, by the dis
regard of this last warning. When the
news reached New York of the massacre OF
the crew and blowing up Of the ship, the
man who few into a passion at seeing lit
tie boy drop wine glass behaved with o
| composure that was the theme of general
admira ion. He attended the theatre The
! same evening and entered heartily into the
| play Mr.. Irving relates that q friend nav
ing expressed surprise at this, MIR Aston
replied.
"What would you have me do? Would
you have me stay 81 home and weep Tor
what cannot help p
This was not indifference: for when, after
nearly two years of weary waiting, he heard
of the safety and success OF the overland
| expedition, he was so overjoyed that he
could scarcely contain himself.
| "I felt ready" said he, "to fall upon my
*
A touch in one of his letters shows the
absolute confidence he felt in his own judg-
mAnt and abilities, confidence invariably
| exhibi ed by men of the first executive
talent:
sWere on the spot" he wrote to one Of
his agents when the affairs of the settle
ment appeared desperate, land had the
management of affairs, | would defy them
all : but, as it is. everything depends on
you and the friends about you. Cur enter
Prise is grand, and deserves success, and
hope in God it will meet il. If my object
were merely gain of money, should say
| think whether it is best to save what we
have and abandon the place" but the thought
like dagger to my heart"
He intimates here that his object was
not merely "gain of money" what was
it then?
Mr. Irving informs US that it was the de-
sire of fame We should rather say that
when nature endows man with remark
able gift, also implants within him the love
of exercising it. Astor loved to plan vast,
far-reaching enterprise. He loved it as
Morphy loved to play chess, as Napoleon
| loved to plan a campaign, as Raphael loved
to paint, and Handel to compose.
| The war of 1872 foiled the enterprise
{. But for that war;" MIR. Astor used 10 say,
{. should have been the richest man that
ever lived" lie expected to go on spend
ing money for several years and then to
gain a steady annual profit of millions. IT
was, however, that very war that enabled
him to sustain the enormous losses of the
enterprise without injury to his estate, or
even Il momentary inconvenience During
the first year of the war he had the luck to
receive. two or three cargoes of tea from
China, despite the British cruisers. In the
second year of the war, when the govern
ment was reduced to borrow at 80, he in
vested largely in the loan, which, one year
after the peace. stood at 100.