Democrat and sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1853-1866, 1854-09-07


their legally authorized attorney. in order to
realize, If possible from their hitherto useless
acres. But the hoped-for increase of the value
7 OF this property was, on tle whole, rather
4 slow in coming. and the heirs wanted money,
/ quicksand ready money. Astor having been
/ applied to on this score, told them that, in
order to getready money, they must reckon
up the real present value of the cash itself
and not any imagined value of the land, and
that only through pretty considerable sacr:-
fees could they get cash for the SAM. There
upon the parties advised with each other,
and finally Astor received peremptory orders
to sell, without further delay. Unknown
spectators were found, the proceeds were
small, but the heirs got what they wanted
money. At the present day, MANY of these
pieces Of ground are among the most valuable
and most important in the city, and have
gradually passed through AstOr's into other
hands; the unknown speculators, however,
have faded from the memory of everybody.
Astor, at the moment of the embargo, was
in the possession of several millions, so that
he was able to give his son, William B.
Astor, who was educated at Gottingen, the
magnificent hotel On Broadway called the
'.Astor House." which cost the sum of
$500, 600.
The permission, procured by Parish to send
out ships in ballast, to bring home silver, had
given Astor the idea that the same privilege
might be extended to vessels despatched for
the purpose of bringing home the amount of
debts due abroad in goods. With this view
he went to Washington, and there, under the
pretence that he had an important depot of
teas at Canton; obtained the desired permis-
sion to send a vessel thither in ballast This
step. however, was only the forerunner of an
other one. Astor, in reality, owned no depot
of teas at Canton, and hence it simply came
to this, that he would, according to the usual
custom, send money thither to purchase the
article.
The exceptional favor of sending schooners
in ballast to Vera Cruz, which Parish had up
to this time enjoyed, but which was now gra-
dually extended TO other vessels, whose desti-
nation was not to bring back gold and silver
values, but goods on American account, suf-
fciently showed that, under certain circum-
stances, there was no indisposition to grant
free exit to ships in ballast for a particular
object. And now arose another point name
ly, whether empty vessels which, however,
had silver on board, could be regarded as in
ballast The precious metals are. in most
countries, net looked upon as wares, although
in some they are so classified.
1t was not exactly advisable to bring on a
discussion of the question whether the expor-
tation of silver in otherwise unladened vessels
should depend upon it or not. The query was
whether foreign creditor who had come to
collect the moneys owed him by American
merchants, would be permitted to take the
funds really thus received back with him.
In Washington there appeared TO be every
disposition to allow this.-Now, it was well
known in the northern ports of the United
States, that the leading native merchants of
Canton had never hesitated to accord their
regular correspondents, returning year ont
and year in from the United States, certain
credits, which amounted TO considerable sums.
Upon this Astor based his plan. He hunted
up, among the Chinese sailors, or Laecars. en-
the ships lately arriving from China, fel-
low suited to his purpose, dressed him as a
Mandarin, and took him with him to Wash
ington, where he had 20 play the part of the
Chinese creditor, under the name of Hong
Qua, or K;.,,.a-tIii5iu. No one dreamed of sus-
pectirS the Maa,iarius identity, and Astor
pushed his scheme safely through. The
$500, 900 he sent to Canton were expended
there in tea and other Chinese articles, and
within a year afterwards returned in that
shape to Astor's hands, and were used by him
to excellent accounts. y stroke of skill had
been achieved whose morality no one in the
United States doubted for moment
Astore has left fortune ofabout Sl2 600,
000, chiefly to his only son. HIS mind was
necessarily busted with the increas of his
resources, and had no other directions. He
was compelled, by a physical infrrnity, to
repair to Paris, where he could avail himself
of the skilful assistance Of Baron Depuytren.
The latter thoroughly restored him, and ad-
vised him to ride every day. He frequently
took occasion himself to accompany his pa
tient on these rides One day-and this
anecdote have from the Barons OWN mouth
when riding, he appeared by no means dis
posed and at length Dupuytren declared that
he mnst be suffering from some secret pain or
trouble when he would not speak. He pressed
him and worried him, until finally Astor locs-
ed his tongue -. .'Look ye, Baron, he said,
chow frightful this is l have here in the
hands of my banker, at Paris, about 1000,
900 francs, and cannot manage, without great
effort, to get more than y per cent per an
mum on it. Now, this very day, | have re-
ceived letter from my son in New York in
forming me that there the best acceptanccs
are from j TO per cent per month. Is 1t
not enough to enrage man ?'