New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-05-20
LITERARY NOTES.

rbo Iune number Of 1.-THE Pail Mall Maya
,ne" contains an article by Mr.. William wal
dorf Astor on his great grandfather, John JACOB
Aston sketchng picturesquely the hre ana
achievements Of that celebrated pioneer II
was saws Mr. Aston, when New YORK was
rising from the ashes Of the conhagratlon or
1776 that poor German lad. whose name was
destined to become famous. arrived at that city
in November 1884. My great grandfather was
born in a peasants cottage in the village OF
Waldorf or Waldorf, the village In WOOD
near Heidelberg on July II, 1853 He received
the usual parish school education, and at the
age Of sixteen left home to escape stepmothers
IN usage. He set out on foot for the Rhine, and.
pausing for a last look at the familiar scenes
he was to behold no more for many years, made
three valuable resolves to which he adhered
through life-to be honest. to be industrious and
never to gamble" The youth went from Ger
many to London, and stayed there for four
wars but at the end Of that period during
which he rad learned the English language, he
sailed for America where he had the Fremont
ton of great fortune" Arrived in New-York.
| he entered the fur trade, and by dint OF hard
work and frugal living secured in dozen years
a commanding position in the market His OPP
erations were not confined to America. He was
the first Of our merchants, says Mr. Astor. Ito
conceive the idea Of habituay circumnavigat
ing the globe. sending supercargoes with Ameri-
can furs 10 England. thence carrying British
wares to China. and returning with tea The
protector of these maritime enterprises used TO
mediate upon them at leisure, considering their
every detail. and then. having set them in mo-
ton he left IT to his captains and supercargoes
10 carry them out. They were urged forward
without fear or hesitation and without advice
| d., Of hio -hilil
Jacob Aston was himself active in every drec-
tion advancing his business. His great grand
son says:
| the development of the commercial establish
ment Mr.. Aston building up called for his
| frequent presence among the Indian tribes with
which the fur trade was carried on. He was
obliged to be his own agent at the frontier
trading stations. making agreements for the de-
livery OF large quantities Of furs. and as his
dealings multiplied. 1t was no less necessary to
! regulate the affairs Of his agencies. In later
life he often spoke with enthusiasm Of the in
| cidents and adventures OF this period OF his
| career. II is easy to place before ones imagna-
ton the grandeur Of the scenes he then beheld
In their primeval oea6ty Through the forests
| OF Lower Canada, OF New-York and Michigan,
n walked guided by coureurs des bois.
times the first European explorer OF their re-
| cesees He traversed the Great Lakes with a
| band of Ontario voyageurs. ard shot the Sa ut
Sainte Marie In birch canoe with couple Of
Indians. He visited encampments on the st.
Lawrence ana al oaBina" Day, hHu DVhelu diohg
| the Mohawk Valley the last Iroquois wigwams
those final vestiges Of the intrepid Six Ma
! tcns Wherever he went he dealt with the
| CHEFS bargaining with them in a spirit Of fair
| ness and humanity, and forbiddng his agents
! ever TO sell liquor TO the savages. These jour
! neyings were continued through the summers
/ OF several years, and their area extended from
the Hudson 10 the copper rocks OF Lake Su-
perior Not many Europeans ever beheld the
! magnifcence OF American scenery thus In
| aboriginal Witness and few received from II
| m
| Traversing the history OF the settlement of