The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1896-08-22
COLUMBIA RIVER
IS THE HARBOR
Where Will BE Handled the Shipping
Of the Coast Of the Great
Northwest.
HOW ASTORIA WAS NAMED
John Jacob iitor's Expeditions Engineer
4. 4 Sehta.k's Opinion Of the hdTbor
and Its Possibilities Success
CroNas Ast0fias Effort.

Convinced that a fortune awaited
commercial investments in the far wesi
on the North Pacific coast. and thai
the fur trading Of that region should
not be left 10 the Hudson Bay Co. Johr
Jacob Astor. in New York. In June, 1910
drew up articles Of agreement between
himself and Mr. Alexander MKay
who had accompanied Mackenzie in his
expeditions to the northwest coast OF
America In 1853 and 1893. Duncan
NJ Dougall. Donald M'Kenzie and Mr.
Wilson Price Hunt, Of New Jersey, for
the purpose OF fitting out expeditions
by land and sea 10 the mouth OF the
Columbia and establishing fur trad
ing station there. as well as a line OF
stations across the continent. The firm
name under which these gentlemen
were associated was THE Pacific Fur
Co" Mr.. Astor was TO be the head Of
the company and manage its affairs in
New York He was to furnish vessels,
goods. provisions, arms. ammunition,
and all other requisites for the enter
prise at first cost and charges, provided
they did not at any time, involve an
advance OF more than four hundred
thousand dollars The stock OF the COM
pany was TO be divided into a hundred
equal shares, with the profits accruing
/ thereon. Fifty shares were to be al the
disposition Of Mr.. Astor. and the other
fifty TO be divided among the partners
and their associates. Mr.. Astor was TO
have the privilege Of introducing other
persons into the connection, as part
nerS two Of whom. at least, should be
cOnVersant With the Indian trade, and
none OF them to be entitled TO more
than three shares. Annual meetings
OF the company were 10 be held at the
Columbia river, and the association, II
sllcCessful was to continue for twenty
years, with privilege 10 the members
Of abandoning and dissolving II with
in the first FIVE years, should IL be
found unprofitable. For this term Mr.
Astor cOvenanted to bear all the loss
thar might be incurred: after which all
the partners were to bear their due
proportion. Mr.. Hum was chosen as
resident agent on the northwest coast
for the ifrs1 term of five years Such
are the leading conditions of Astoria's
great expeditions which resulted in the
four ding Of Astoria al the mouth of the
Columbia.
Mr. Astor was first imbued with the
idea Of his undertaking by the reports
made OF the government expedition un-
der Lewis and Clarke, who in 1904 sue
ceeded In ascending the Missouri pass
ed through the stupendoIs gates Of the
Rockies, hitherto unknown to the white |
man; discovered and explored the up
per waters of the Columbia, and fol- |
lowed thar river down to its mouth. |
where their countryman, Gray. had an
chored about twelve years previously.
Astor's scheme was to establish a chain
II trading posts along the Missouri and
the Columbia, TO the mouth OF the lat
.er. where was to be founded the chief
rading house or depot. Up to the time
II 1892 little or nothing was known Of
he Columbia river. but in that year
captain Gray, of Boston, entered the
liver in the vessel Columbia. Soon
! number of vessels were engaged in
rading along the coast and disposang
Il the furs in China. where Capt. Cook
he great navigator. discovered they
we're very valuable. The Hudson Bay I
company also was not long I'm estab-
shing itself on the Columbia
The expeditions were planned by As
or in the furtherance Of his great 1
cheme. one by sea, the other by land. 1
he former was to carry out the peo- .
lie, stores ammunition. and merchan- I
Use, requisite for the purpose of ex- c
loring the line of communication r
cross the continent, and noting the i
laces where interior trading posts
light be established. X
Under the leadership of Mr.. M'Dougal a
ho was empowered by Astor to act Il
'r him in the absence of Hunt, the c.
her partners, with clerks, artisans and W
full supply of stores, set out on the C
Zip Tonquin, Capt. Thorn, on Septem- a
sr Sth, 1910. After hard voyage they Il
rived in the Columbia March %, 1911. p
n the 18th of April Messrs. M'Dougall ri
I'D Stuart decided to pitch the new re
aiding post on Point George and NAM ca
it Astoria. They were assisted in ri
eir explorations by old Kink Concom-
chief of the Chinooks. :
The expedition by land, under Mr.. AS
RS principal agent and deputy, Mr..
illson Price Hunt, was fitted out in
ontreal and commenced its perilous
nrney by canoe from that place in
ly, 1910. The route was up the St
lwrence, the great lakes and down
e Mississippi to st. Louis, thence up
e Missouri. After securing additional
pplies and men the party left st.
'uis October 21st. After a Journey
ed with tremendous hardships and
my dangers the party of intrepid