Omaha daily bee., 1911-07-16

ik-w----~1 backward, II measures but a snort space
ls8 between the beginning and The
Vs4A&TA year of Lord 1911 is what Is
commonly called ancient history, yet
the changes which have taken place during the past
ten decades wonderful behold in this sstonsh
tAgly fertile land proud TO call
Had John Jacob Aston, the first, have been born
in the twentieth, instead of the eighteenth century,
he would have been known hustler" live
WIRE" an in-advance-ofthe-times young He
of the captains of industry OF early days
has not been given nearly the credit him the
part he took in preserving States territory
that wonderful country known in carry day the
Oregon region, comprising what are known now as
the states of Oregon, washington, Idaho and Mon
tana the northwest Pacific country being that por-
ton washed by the great
John Jacob Aston born in Germany, in 176s
spent part of his youth in London and when about
20 old sailed America taking up his perma-
nent residence in New York City II is recorded that
during his first six of residence in his adopted
land this young accumulated t20O, 900, which
placed him prominently among the wealthy men of
that period His shrewdness enabled him to see
great possibilities in the fur became the
founder Of organization known the American
Fur company which, despite strong competition from
English companies, continued to prosper and extend
its operations. t-.- y
Astors Two Expeditions.
the first years of the nineteenth century Aston
conceived the idea of extending his operations the
Pacific and with this object in view, fitted
two expeditions, to proceed overland, the other
to go by water to the objective point the mouth of
the Columbia river the fame of which wonderful
with its many fish had already reached the
Atlantic coast The history of each of these expedi
tions replete with thrilling tales, the with the
onslaught of the wind and waves, the other from OPP
position by both red and white for the British
trading companies contendng for the territory
almost as strenuously were the Indians for their
hunting grounds. In the spring of the year 1871 the
Astor people built a fort and established q trading
post upon a part of the present site OF the city of
Astoria. At the little community pros
porous and all went merry a marriage bell,' then
came open conflict with England known the
of 1912, which for a time made it hard shedding"
for the American pioneers and time threatened
the very existence of the settlement.
The great Columbia rolling in magnificent
grandeur to the remains the same. while its
broad waters of all nations float; the
of the Siwash, the yacht OF the multmillion-
aire the dreadnaughts of powerful nations be
seen; but men may come and men may go, go
on forever" the song recites-old Columbia flows
onward as In the beginning.
century ago the red men with uplifted spear
stood watching from mid-stream rock, with keenest
eye the wary fish, that kppered salmon might
land his tepee today the yield of these waters to
commercial channels spells thousands of dollars
annually and the employment OF a host OF people.
Columbia river salmon stands for the best in the
world and, although they not all canned in As
toriA or even on Columbia river perhaps had they
not been caught the fish would later have
gone there. At rate. Astoria is nice place to go
for fun fortune.
Astor Money for Astoria Centennial.
In ls4s, at the ripe old age of IS, John
Jacob Aston passed from earth, leaving behind him
the then considered stupendous fortune of oO0
much OF it invested in New York real which
day constitutes bulk of the wealth Of the house of
Aston. A liberal donation made by the estate
toward defrayng the OF this centennial eee
bration which will at Astoria from August 10
TO September of this year.
In 1911 the Indian canoe, light as feather,
graceful swan. the only light craft known TO
the inhabitants of the woods the banks Of the
Columbia In 1911 at the centennial OF Astoria,
tor boats swift-moving craft Of the water, will
compete prizes aggregating $4,000 On it Allan
tic seaboard cities. and Peoria H. will
the free-forall class in which IS 600 cash prize will
be the particular attraction. Not only will there be
during this eentennial celebration the
superiority of the motor boat the canoe, but
that intrepid navigator OF the air. Curtiss
will demonstrate that Darius Green was at least on
the right track when he said;
"Tl light the liberty pole and crow.
An I'll say those gappn' fools below,
What worlds this ere
I've come S near
Mr.. Curtiss may not attempt TO light on a liberty
pole or crow but according to the program he will
with a hydro-aeroplane three different and dis
tinet days ipay duck. by starting the surface
OF the Columbia river soaring In the air Ger land
and sea. returning the place from which he
started and alghting again the