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

inst % wears af.er this bout with Cupid Gen. George
Washington, commanderinchef OF the contlnehtai
occupied the Roger Morris mansion as headquar-
ters the occupants having fed 1t Washington who
formally conscated the property and turned II over 10
the state of New York as contraband OF war.
The Morris estate of about $4,000 acres was parceled
out and sold by the state of New York to settlers
1t seems however that Roger Morris had only life
interest the this legal point fine
that entirely overlooked in the joy of confscation
John Jacob Asor accidentally ascertaned the facts
He convinced that the heirs could not be robbed Of
their rights through the acts of easehoder which,
legally, the status of Roger Morris Astor was a
good real estate lawyer himself but he referred the point
to the best counsel he could find They agreed with
him. He hunted up the heirs bought their quit
claims for 100000.
He then notified the parties who had purchased the
land and they in turn made claim upon the state for
protection.
After much legal parley1ng the case was tried accord
ing to stipulation, with the of New York directly
as defendant and Astor and the occupants plaintiffs
Daniel Webster and Martin Van Buren, appeared the
state and of lesser legal lights for Aston The
narrowed down to the plain and simple point
that Roger Morris not the legal of the estate
and that the rghul heirs could not be made to suffer
for the treason contumacy and contraventon" of
other. Astor and compromise the state issued
him 2Oyear bonds bearing six cent interest for the
neat sum of 100000.
Astor took deep interest in the Lewis and Clark
expedition He went to Washington to Lewis and
questioned him at great length about the northwest
Washington Irving has told the story of Astoria at
length. 1t the financial plunge taken by John
in spite of the that it failed the whole affair
does credit to the prophetic brain of Aston.
"This country will chain of growing and pros
porous cities straight from New York to Astoria Ore
gon" said this in reply to doubling questioner
He laid his plans before congress- urging line of
army posts 40 miles apart from the western extremity
of Lake Superior to the Pacific. These forts army
posts will evolve into cities" said or, when he called
on Thomas Jefferson who then president of the
United States. Jefferson interested, but
initial Astor exhibited maps of the great lakes and the
country beyond He urged with prescience then not
possessed by living that at the western exrem
ty of Lake Superior would grow up great city. Yet
in 1876 Duluth rdiculed by the caustic tongue Of
Proctor Knott, who asked, What will become Duluth
when the lumber crop is cut?"
Then Astor proceeded say that another great city
would at the southern extremity of Lake Mich
gan. Gen. Dearborn secretary of under Jefferson
had just established Fort Dearborn the present
of Chicago. Astor commended this and said, From a
fort you get trading post trading post you
will get city,
He pointed out to Jefferson on his map of the site
the Falls Of ST Anthony. There you will have fort
some day. for wherever there is there will
grow up mills for grinding grain and sawmills we'll
This place of will have to be protected
you will have there post, which will eventually be
replaced by city" Yet Fort Smelling nearly so
in the future and st. Paul Minneapolis were
dreams undreamed.
Jefferson took time to think about it and then wrote
Aston Your beginning of city the western coast
population will spread up and down along the