The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1861-04-26
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Career of a Rich Man.

We haye seen it stated, lately upon
what appeared to be reliable authority,
that the wealth, of William B.. Astor, of
New York, amounts to at least forty mil
lion dollars It is curious to trace his
broad yellow stream TO i . first ht,le be-
ginnings in the early career of John Jacob
Astor, father of the present mni;onaire.r
From q sketch of this remarkable man,
which appears in a work emitted "Fity
Years in both Hemisphere" by Vincent
Note, we learn that john Jacob Astor
was born at Heidelberg, where the original
name Of his family is said 10 have been
Aschter, and that he came to New York
as ftrrier's apprentice. lie was at that
time as poor as any other apprentice bov
then or now in New York. The wages be
got in the pcliry warehouse for. beating
out and preparing various skins heinvest.
ed in the purchase of all kinds of peltry
bear, mink, and rabbit skins which he
got from tie Indians, who at that time
wandered about the streets Of New York,
and as soon as he had collected a certain
quantity he sent them to Europe, particu-
larly to the Leipsic fair.
There, 1t is stated, he traded them off
for Nuremberg wares, cheap knives, glass
beads, and othtr articles adapted to trade
with the Indians on the Canadian frontiers
and then took them himself TO the latter
points, where he again exchanged them
for furs of various kinds. lie has often
told Mr.. Note that he carried on this
work ustiringly for twelve long years,
going in person, alternately, to the Cana
dian frontiers, and then to the Lei psic fair,
and lived ali the while, as he LaI been
accustomed to do, hunlhy and sparingly.
After he had thus managed to bring to-
getber considerably capital, he gradually
became freighter Of ships, ar fitted ont
expeditions to the Northwest coast, to
trade with the Indians of Nootka Sound
for furs. .
| Another and very considerable round up
the ladder of fortune was taken by Astor
in land speculation. Some of his country
men owned land 10 New York by virtue
of being relations and heirs of German
soldiers who had fought in the American
army in the Revolution, and to whom
Congress Lad voted land in consequence
Many of the soldiers died without convert
ing their property into money, and Astor,
after visit to Heidelberg, made arrange
ments with the heirs which were mutually
agreeable they thinking it better to have
little ready cash than to own grea,
deal of land the value Of which was very
slow increasing, and he having the fore
sight to anticipate and the patience to
await the result. a asa ii
So the heirs got their money, and Astor
obtained their land, some Of which is now
among the most important in the city Of
New York. In this way fortune Of
twelve millions of dollars Was accumulated
The vast increase under the management
of his son, VIM. b. Astor, ESQ.,, shows
that he inherits the energy and business
habits of his father, but affords no such
demonstration of money making genius
as the career of John Jacob. Indeed, the
latter is reported to have said that it cost
him more touble to make the first thous
and dollars than all the remainder of his
tortune.-BaltsDsore american. ... slze fsi5