St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1910-03-19

whole Pacific frontage with excepting by
ties of blood and interest-and enjoying. like
us, the rights of self-goverment"
company formed and two expeditions set out
for the mouth of the Columbia river by land and
the other by sea-
The land expedition barely got through alive-it
perilous undertaking. with accidents by food and field
But the route by the water feasible
The town founded and became a center OF
commercial activity. Had Astor been the ground to
take personal charge city like Seattle would have
boomed and blOssomed on the Pacific so years ago.
There came grand grab at Astoria and it each
for himself and the devil the hndermost
stampede System and order went by the board. The
strongest stole the most usual but all got little
And England's gain in citizens loss.
Aston lost million dollars by the venture. He smiled
calmly and said 1.-THE plan right, but my were
weak; that is ALL The gateway to China will be from
the northwest. My plans right. Time will vndi
cate my reasoning"
When the block Broadway bounded by Vesey and
Barclay streets was cleared of its plain twostory
houses preparatory to building the Aston house. wise
men shook their heads and said cts too far town.
But the free bus that all boats solved the diff
Guilty and gave the to hotel all the world
Astor worth ten million, but personal de-
light in sitting in the lobby Of the Astor house and
watching the dollars roll into this palace that his brain
had planned
Astor tall, thin and commanding in appearance.
He had only halucnation and that that he
spoke the Egsh language The accent he at
80 with him in all it's pristine effugence 49, mo
pody would know / vas Cherman-aind't it," he used
say Yet where John Jacob was English with
out flaw.
In all of his dealings he uniquely honorable and
upright. He paid and he made others pay. His word
was his bond. He not charitable in the sense of
indscrminate giving ITO give something for nothing
is to weaken the giyer Of his favorite sayings
That this attitude protected misery spirit it is
to but it is not wholly his later years he
carried with him a book containing record of his
possessions He would visit certain piece of property
and then turn to his book and what cost him
ten or twenty before To realize that his pro-
phetc vision had been correct to him great
of satisfaction
His habits of the best. He went to bed at nine
o'clock and was up before six At he was at his
office He knew enough to eat spaEingy and to walk SO
ne was never sick Millionares rule, woefully
ignorant. Up to certain sum, they grow with their
acquisitions Then they begin 70 wither at the heart
The care of fortune is penalty. advise the gentle
reader to think twice before accommodating millions
John Jacob Astor was exceptional in his combined
love of money and love of books. Fitz-Green Haleck
his private secretary hired basis OF literary
friendship. Washington Irving close friend too
Astor died, aged &c. 1t natural death-a thing
that very seldom occurs The machinery all down
at
up in the financial way he should CO. He was studious
methodical conservative and had the good sense to
carry out the wishes of his father His son. John Jacob
Astor, very much like him, only of more neutral
tint The time is now ripe for another genius in the
Astor family. If William B. Astor lacked the courage
and initiative of his parent he had more culture and
spoke English without an accent The son of John
Jacob Astor, second, is William Waldorf Aston who
speaks English with an English accent, you know
John Jacob Astor besides having the first store for
the sale OF musical instruments in America organized
the first orchestra of II players brought over
leader from Germany and did to foster the love
of music in the New World.
Every worthy Maecaenas imagines that he is great
painter writer sculptor musician side tracked by
cares thrust upon him by unknd fate John Jacob AS
Tor once told Washington Irving that it was only bust
ness responsibility that his being novelist:
and at other times he declared his intent to take up
music as profession as he had gotten all of
his securities properly tied up And whether he worked
out his dreams or not there is doubt but that thew
added to his happiness and length of DAYS Hapny
is the man who escapes the critics by leaving his liter
airy masterpiece in the ink