The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1922-12-08

AHtoriA was settled thru tlo ~.
forts OF the original John Jacob
Aaior. the willy little German who
founded ono OF the ETcates, fortunes
Ia the history of the world thru hts
fur.tradinE activities IN tho iattvr
cart ~ the 18th century.
Arriving IN America In i1sg. at
Tho ciose % the revolutionary war.
Astor quickly recognized the vast
opportunity which tho fur trade pre-.
rentcd and he embarked In q lmme-
ilately. For the first 20 years or 20
ne confined his operations 10 tire ~.
iantia coast. huyipg fsia fsF@ Ia Mon.
tr~aI and shipping thrm 10 Europe
and China.
hut the field was so vRat that he
finally decided 10 shift hi. activities
20 a section where he could enjoy \
monopoly then practically un-
known Pacific coast of what II now
the United States.
One British concern. the Honorable
Northwest company. was already In
tho Pacific coast field. and no tried
10 form a partnership with II. offer
ing one.third interest In his new
company. This proposal was Dc.
ciined. 30 Astor then persuaded indi'
yldnai members of the Northwest
company to Join him.
A. n result. the Pacific Fur com
peny was formed on June %. 1910.
with Alexander Maekay. David stu
art. Robert Stuart and Donald Mo
Kenzis--aii of Canada a--and Wilson
Price Hunt, OF New Jersey. as A.
tors partners. Astor was simply 20
finance the scheme. undertaking 10
advance up 10 $4,000 while his
partners we're "a be In charge OF ac-
tuai operations, with a onehaf In
tcrcss to be divided among them.
Two expeditions started out at
once for the Columbia river. one.
with the four Canadian partners In
charge. went around Cape Horn on
tho ship Tonauin. while the second
went overland from 81. Loius. under
command OF Hunt.
The TonquIn sailed from Now
York. September 8. 1910. with a crew
OF FL, and with 30 passengers. under
Jonathon Thorns. lieutenant In the
United states army. who had been
granted leave for tho purpose.
After an uneventfuI voyage
via the Hawaiian islands. tho
Tonauin reached the mouth Of
the Columbia river ON March 2s,
1911. A terrible storm was rag
ing Mt the time. and the ship was
blown into Baker bay two days
later, the company landing ON
March IS.
Five days were spent inspect
Ing the various sites for n fort
ON both sides of the river. the
men finally deciding on Point
George, ON the south side Of the
Columbia, about IL miles from
the entrance.
Construction Of the fort began
on April ~. ~ men being sent
over from Baker bay with provi.
sious and tools.
The voyaReurs started trading i'm
mediately, even before the fort was
finished. and the commerce OF Astor.
Ia may thus be said to have started
on that date. They also began build.
ing n ship, the Tonquin having
oruised northward for furs.
IT was on this voyage OF the Ton.
quin that the most tragic occurrence
Of the entire history OF Astoria took
place.
Aroused by the ill-ireatment
which they received Mt the hands
of the commander Of the ship,
Lieut. TborDe. party Of Indi.
ans, who had boarded the vessel
In the guise Of traders. slaugh.
tered the entire crew, with the
exception Of one man, who slid
into the hold from one Of the
masts, where he had been work
Ing when the massacre began.
The sole survivor Of the whites
Immediately exacted terrible
reprIsaI. lie set fire 10 the store
Of gtnpowder carried by the ves-
sci, blowing up the ship and kill.
ing hundreds 0f Indians--and
himself.
In spite OF this tragedy. the pio.
neers who had been left at Astoria
were undaunted, and they were ex.
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