New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1848-03-30


Astori But who can answer Perhaps in ms
lifetime. he could have made an estimate WITHIN
too or three millions OF the true value and perhaps
not Those who may have known, tell Us tha' Ms
income OF late has been a million of dollars year
beside large property at present unprodocI'e'-
He own, land In many States-owns stock ana
.crio and ba. cl aims by bill bond and mortgage
the Astor House income $4,000 year the Ohy
Hotel. rented at $4,000 and the Park Tnes're'
perhaps worth 81, 900 a month owned him Tor then
lord the block of buildings on Broadway opposite
Niblo's. and thousands OF lots ands and tenemen's
In and near New.York were his-he had ships
md shares who knows how much y and ru
NOR hes IL that his will was opened yesterday at
one probably to ascertain his instructions about bis
funeral-yet this is scarcely probable, for he had
bresthed his last only 81 hours beiore-at haI
very great part of MI Assors ~eatn mas
arisen from the increased value oil property IN tnis
City above Grand st tits pretty Clearly estaoisned
that although he did some generous acts athouen
from policy he Toasted and caressed the rich ana
influential, ne was hard man, though less so tnan
his son William B. whose penuriousness Is reported
10 be such that the deceased millionaire sent MIN
instructions from E urope when last there 70 give
dinners to distinguished people from time 70 time
daring his absence which was complied with.
He lived in a style becoming bis station and
means. For many years bis house, store and ONCE
ware situated on the ground now occupied by the
A.tor House He was intimate with very many
Of the leading characters of the last age, with Gal
latin, Armstrong Monroe, Erving, Clay, webster
Ogden Emmett, Van Buren,, Dearborn, Tompsins
Rush Cass, Spencer, Barker, &c. and II IS ssio'
nor DO we doubt it, that he extended his patronage
in several instances ~ literary men who required
pecuniary aid
Mr.. Astor lent President Madisons administration
some small sums in 1912 or 1913, but In 1914
toward the close Of the war, when the banks had
ceased TO pay specie. and their notes were at 81
to so per cent. discount he concerted with Messrs'
Parish and Girard went to Philadelphia and Wash
inston, and obtained the bonds Of the Federal
Government, pay able, the principal with interest
at per cent in specie for several millions OF dol
lars. at so or 90 cents. This he paid in the paper
Of certain banks with which he had connection,
which was worth, say, so cents in silver Tor the
dollar. and as he received the obligation oil tne
United States for 81 in exchange for % cents OF
this deprecated currency, he must have cleared
more than a million Of dollars in hard money on
every two millions Of paper thus lent
Mr. Girard who got part Of the loan OF 1914, lett
bis twelve millions for educational purposes and II
is said that Mr.. Astor has bequeathed $500 Ooo for
the purpose of library for the general benefit oil
our follow ctizens-that Mr.. Cogswell, who
speaks German aud resided some time with Mr.
Astor, as friend, has been to Europe negotiating
for books in various languages-and that he Mr.
A offered 500, 900 for the ground at Niblos, In
tending to raise there, in Broadway, suitable edi
fee in which to hold bis most enduring monument
the Aston free library.
lis said of Mr. A., that he once remarked that
he found it much more difficult to earn the first
al 900 than to convert that 81 900 into million
How tina. may be we know not, but his bargain
for the Phpse estates will serve to show how
well he knew how to improve his me ans.
Frederick Philipse owned immense tracts at
Philipsburgh and Fredericksburgh, also much oil
Putnam County and in this City and near It. he
vas Of a Dutch Bohemian family, aud married
Van Courtsndt. One Of his daughters espoused
Col Beverly Robinson, whose son. Beverly Robin
son, was Colonel in the English army These
Philipses and Robiusons are extensively allied to
brother Philip Phiipse they all went for the mon
archy in l776, and Pitt allowed Col. b Robinson
who had married Philipse, ss5,OOo for his life 10
terest-to Col Morris, other $4,000 for life in-
tsrest-and to Frederick Philipse $500 OOO all IN
British cash, for his land losses here Phiipse re-
tanned his share Of the estates, having taking the
winning side at the Revolution.
By the treaty of 1883, the lOya'ist heirs Were
nevertheless legally secured in an estate far lars
er, on the whole than Yorkshire in Eng land but
what could Colonel Henry Gage Morris ofthe Bri-
,ish Navy dc as to expelling hundreds ofstout and
hearty New.York farmers and others who had
possession Absolutely nothing.
What then was to be done For himself and
two sisters, he vested, in 1909, the reversionary
right in Mr.. Astor, for 100000 tslooOool, well
knowing that even then 1t was worth millions OF
dollars and that its value would soon be incacula-
Bile, a considerable part of New York being built
on a corner of one section OF it.
The State without fall inquiry into the matter,
had previously confscsted aud sold much of the
lands thus secured to the owners under the treaty
of 1853, and Jays treaty, and on his return from
Europe. Mr. Aston brought an action against the
State, the question being whether it had sold, as
forfeited by Roger Morris and his wife, an es-
tate that belonged to their children, and to which
Mr.. Astor could show legal or an equitable title.
In this lawsuit tried more than twenty years
since before Judge Thompson, Messrs. Webster,
Van Buren, and Ogden Hoffman were for the State,
and Mr. Emmett and others for Astor. 1t 10 our i'm.
preston that Mr.. Aston went over to New Jersey
to reside for time, that he might be enabled to
bring an action against the State in the Federal
Courts, and that William Writ and David B. Og
den were his counsel at Washington, against Van
Buren, and Webster. The result was, that he was
declared to be entitled to certain lands sold by
the State, and to the improvements made thereon
He compromised the matter for $4,000 or more,
and took the State bonds in payment. 1t is still
termed the Astor stock
The party called National Reformers express the
opinion that land spectators like Mr.. A. should be
checked in their dealings in the lands aud lots of
the country by a statute forbidding any man from
holding or acquiring hereafter, more than 600 or
1000 acres or certain Quantity within city said