Astor

"Outsiders began using a different name: the Oregon country. Over the next few decades, various empires angled for this rich territory. Lewis and Clark became a key basis for America’s claim, joining Fort Astoria and Robert Gray in their law of nations briefs. But the bigger factor was a mountain pass discovered by one of Astor’s men. It made it easier for settlers to migrate to the Willamette Valley, the northern tip of which, Lewis had noted, could support “forty or fifty thousand souls.” This route became known as the Oregon Trail."

"Excepting barter, which I have sometimes resorted to, the acquisition of sizable amounts of property calls for sizable amounts of money. While learning the virtues of buying for cash and selling for credit, I was discovering that there are multiple sources and uses for money in real estate. In addition to our Astor earnings, we used, as I have previously indicated, bank money, first-mortgage money, second-mortgage money, and sectional mortgages (regular first and second mortgages divided into two or more sections and sold to small investors). Another way of garnering quantities of ready cash is to make money for others, and we had done this by syndicating special projects with both individuals and groups."