The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1910-03-03

% years after this bout with Cupid Gen George
Washington. commandments OF the continental
army, occupied the Roger Morris mansion as headquar
tiers. the occupants having fed 1t was Washington VINO
formally conscated the property and turned 1t over to
the state Of New York contraband of war
The Morris estate Of about $4,000 was parceed
out and sold by the state OF New York to settlers
1t seems however, that Roger Morris had only life
interest in the estate and this legal point so fine
that it entirely overlooked in the joy of conscaon
John Jacob Astor accidentally asceraincd the facts.
He convinced that the heirs could not be robbed OF
their rights through the acts OF leaseholder, which,
legally was the status OF Roger Morris. Astor
good real estate lawyer himself but he referred the point
the best counsel he could find. They agreed with
him He next hunted the heirs and bought their quit
claims for 100000,
lie then notified the parties who had purchased the
land and they in turn made claim upon the state for
protection.
After much legal pareyng the tried accord
ing to stipulation. with the state Of New York directly
defendant and AsOr and the occupants as plaintiffs
Daniel Webster and Martin Van Buren, appeared for 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 rghtfu heirs could not be made to suffer
for the treason, conumacy and contraventon OF an
other Asor won and as a compromise the state issued
him 2Oyear bonds bearing six per cent interest for the
neat sum Of 100000.
Astur took deep interest in the Lewis ard Clark
expedition. He went to Washington to lie Wis 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
Jacob Astor.
And in spite that It failed the whole affair
does credit the prophetic brain of Aston.
This country will a chain Of growing and pros.
porous cities straight from New York Astoria Ore
gon, said this in reply to a doubling questioner,
He laid his plans before congress urging a line of
army posts 40 miles apart from the western extremity
of Lake Superior to the Pacific These forts army
will evolve into Cities said Aston when he called
Thomas Jefferson who then president OF the
United States. jefferson interested but non.com.
initial Astor exhibited maps of the great lakes and the
country beyond He urged with prescience then not
possessed by any living that at the extrem-
ity of Lake Superior would grow up great city Yet
in 1876 Duluth rdiculed by the causc tongue of
Proctor Knott, who asked What will become of Duluth
when the lumber crop is cut?"
Then Aston proceeded say that another great city
would grow at the southern extremity of Lake Michi
gan Gen Dearborn secretary of under jefferson.
had Just established Fort Dearborn the present site
OF Chicago. Astor commended this and said. From a
fort you get trading and from trading post you
will get city"
He pointed out to Jefferson his map OF the site
the Falls of St Anthony There you will have a fort
day. for wherever there is power there will
grow up mills for grinding grain and sawmlls as we'll
This place of power 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 and Minneapolis
dreams undreamed.
Jefferson took time to think about it and then wrote
Aston: Your beginning of city the is
great acquisition and look forward to time when
population will spread itself up down along the