Sunbury American and Shamokin journal. [volume] (Sunbury, Northumberland Co., Pa.) 1840-1848, 1848-02-19

in consequence Of being espturcd during the
las, war, and jnst as peace was declared. and as
II was to be restored, il was wrenched from
Mr.. As,or's hands by the treschery Of his part.
per.
From the limo nj the establishment Of the
American Fur Company. Mr. As,or became
largely engaged in commerce. Ills ships
freich'ed with fnrs for France. England. Ger.
many. and Rsssia-wi,h peltries, gineeng and
dollars for China. now p'onghed every sea. n
receive these products Of the New World and
exchange them for the vsusb'c commodities Of
the Old. Mr.. As'or's instructions 10 his cap.
is,ns were minute and exceedingly particular.
Tie evinced almost as intimate q knowledge Of
the varions markets in which he traded, as
though he hnd been a resident At ench rrspec.
tive mart. In the distribution of hs cargoes b'
homo. and in cxch, nging his commodities with
the natives, Mr.. Astor exercised q minnie in.
Fprc,ion even ,n the smallest details. and serin.
ed 10 possess an almost in'ui'ive knowledge of
the market, not only IN the United States, 5n,
"'e' w >"""b"s itN WI Shr'' y" wv" "s''"
at his counting house more ihnn half the time
most merchants feel compelled to give their
concerns. II hes been remark of him by one
Of his intimate frie rds. man Of some smin' nee
army Of 500 OC0 men. Duriug good portion
OF Mr., As,or's active lie. he resided in large
house in the lower par, Of Broadway. and lived
in style Of princey macnihccnce. attended by
servants rom some Of the various nations with
which he traded. and among them some from
the Empire Of the Celes,als. HIS house wss
furnished with the richer, plate, and his np,rt.
ment adorned with works Of art. among which
wasa Cupid by Maynard. which wn. regarded
as n work Of rare merit, and for which Astor
paid princeiy sum
Notw iihsts ndirg the maj ni'udc and success
Of Mr Astor's business operations. yet the eros
'cst source of his wealth has resulted from tho
increased value q: real estate consequent m the
continued growth Of the city. Al an carly day
he foresaw the future greatness Of tn. CONNER
cial emporium Of the Western Continent, md
wns wont 10 convert two thirds Of his annual
gains into reol estate NO, one font of which he
ever mor'gaccd. 1t has been his policy to in.
ves, in mortgages on the best properly f7"r'd.
md in case oi foreclosure. which has often hap.
pened, he has bought the property in at much
less than its real value In this mode. toee'h"r
with the continually increasing value Of real
;, r,tr he hss rnnitipliat ls On In h
far beyond the natural accumulation bv the or
dinary in,cres'. and hence too the bulk of his
property. Mr. Astor has vast ,ract. OF land in
Missouri. Wisconsin. Iowa, and Other prs %
the West. the prospective value of which is vc
~ great. The great portion Of this pror'r'y j.
in real estate and mortgages in this city. Coul
Mr.. Astor's properly he kept unbroken and IN
der i,s presen, management, it wonid brcom'
the largest individual estate ever known on tho
aobe. The estimates Of the value of his prop
er,y given above. is moderate; 'h"s" knowing
his affairs best place il al S:30.tNO WN, an'
soc,e even .. high as S5O.MN NO. H,s in
eome, At . moderate rs'ima'e must be So 600
coo r. wear, or I56 OOO month. which ia nbnu
Stl 500. week: S5760 day. S240 an hour
and 81 minnie Mr.. Astor has made dona
tion Of S350.0O0 ior library in this city. III
| interest of which is To be expended in employ
ing agents IN purchase books; md in the cree
,ion oi a building. Mr.. Cogswell. late edi'o
Of the New York Review, is the agent and Ii
brarisn. Mr.. Astor has two sons. Wm d sn
one " ho has been imbecile from his birth: on
Of his daughters became the Countess Of RumpA
and lately deceased a, Par's, another (d"ceased
WAS married ,oa Mr.. Brsted, an E"eli.hmsr
author Of work on the Resources ot AmerIcs
and now clergyman at Bristol, r !. \ grand
son. Chsrles Bris,ed. 10 ct Cambridge, Egg
land.
.J,hn Jacob A-tor beat skins in Gold stree
in early lite Il Bedchs Rich men cf ", Y.
Cav TAYLOR seems determined 10 sdheTe
hi. resolution, not TO visit any place hut his ow
home during his leave OF absence. He has ju
declined an invitation to visit the seat Of sov-r
ment OF Mississippi as the gues, OF that Stat
A committee Of the Legislature waited upe
him at hi. residence in Louisisos, and eommun
Gated the wishes Of the Legislature. Gen. TIA,
Tor thanked the Legislature for its kindness, b
declined the invitation, principally on the sToa'
that he obtained his leave of absence for the E
press purpose Of visiting his family, from VII"
I he had been long separated, and Of attending
n his private business, which had hesn much NJ
: I,ec,ed He slso stated that he had reported hi
d self to the Department, q, Warrington, and 'f
!, il woald be imp,oper for him to absent hims
u long st . time, as important eemmanies'is
|. | ii, ~ .Sa,..ss Al IN kiA in Lis AbsanRs