Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-10-24

that 1t fired the imagination OF tnonaS
jefferson until he got to think or IL as
his own idea. Time has not dimmen OUT
rather mellowed its splendor, Tor II gave
to the world one Of the tragedies tnd'
never will be forgotten and that MARKS
a rugged chapter in American history. BY
the camp fires in the far northwest ana
in the Canadian wilds the story OF the
Tonquin has been told and retold until
1t is a part of the folk lore OF the people
of the forest and the plain.
Too bad that such a brilliant undertaK-
ing did not have a successful termination
but even If it did not fulfill the expecta-
tions of it's originator it brought to the
name of Aston a fame that Is enduring.
Measured by the conditions of a century
ago and those of today. the project OF
Astor far surpasses those of any latter
day captain of trade, transportation or
finance. He planned real winning OF
the west, a peaceful conquest OF great
dnuTs full the establishment of a long
chain of trading stations that Wouid
blaze the way for civilized man ana open
the door of opportunity for countless mil
lions, and beyond the west itself ne
reached out to give to America the trade
of China and practically the control or
the Pacific. To do it all he asked no AID
Out of his purse he drew the money 10
pay the cost.
John Jacob Astor had come to the
United States in 1888, an immigrant from
Waldorf a village on the Rhine. He ex-
pected to become a piano salesman, but
while the ship that brought him over was
icebound in the Chesapeake he heard
enough from one Of his fellow passengers
to convince him that in this country there
were far more possibilities for him as a
dealer in furs than as dealer in musical
instruments. When he got to New YORK
he started in at once as a buyer OF pelts.
At that time the business was In sad dis
order In earlier days the French had
controlled the trade Through Canada.
the Ohio valley, the great lakes and Mis-
sissippi the French trappers ranged, and
their product found its way to Montreal
When the English drove the French from
Canada and new system of trade came
with a new order Of men, the trappers
found it difficult to adjust themselves to
altered conditions. Hardly had affairs
spendthrift but hardy French vOyageurs
become accustomed to their new masters
than the war of the revolution came on
and at it's close the business was In the
French war. In the northern part OF
Canada the Hudson Bay Company was
In control but it was not aggressive al
that time. Far more business was done
by the independent merchants OF Mon
treal, who, a little later merged their in
terests. formed the powerful Northwest
Company, and controlled the whole lake
region and the territory west. The men
In the Northwest Company were Scotch
men, and they Were the real lords and
rulers of the Canadas. There was a
smaller concern, known the Mackinaw
Company. that operated in the upper Mis-
sissippi valley. New York, in the days
of British control. had fair trade, but
the revolutionary war had driven away
the British merchants.
Patiently and carefully Aston wen,
about building up a trade on his own &C.
count. He sought no alliances and looked
for no favors. He traded with the In.
dians, the French and the English Oc
casienally he travelled to Canada and pur