Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1861-03-21
Career Of q Rich Man.

We have seen It stated lately, upon what ap-
peared TO be reliable authority, that the wealth
Of William B. Astor, of New York, amounts u
at least forty millions of dollars. IL is curioui
to trace this broad yellow stream to its rst little
beginnings In the early career Of John Jacob As
tor, father Of the present millionaire.
| From sketch of this remarkable man, which
appears in work entitled "Fifty Years in Both
Hemispheres," by Vincent Notte, we learn that
John Jacob Astor was born at Heidelberg. where
the original name Of his family Is said to have
been Aschter, and that he came to New York
as o fnrrier's apprentice. He was at that time
as poor as any other apprentice boy then or now
in New York. The wages he got In the peltry
warehouse for beating out and preparing various
skins he invested in the purchase Of all kinds Of
|peltry-bear, mink, and rabbit skins which he
got from the Indians, who at that time wander.
ed about the streets of New York, and as soon
az he had collected certain quantity he sent
them to Europe, particularly to the Leipsic fair.
There, II 10 stated, he traded them OF for
Nuremberg wares, cheap knives, glass beads,
and other articles adapted to trade with the In
dians on the Canadian frontiers, and took them
himself to the latter points, whore he again ex-
changed them for furs Of various kinds. He
has often told Mr.. Notte that he carried on this
work untiringly for twelve long years, going In
person, alternately, to the Canadian frontiers,
and then TO the Leipsic fair, and lived all the
while, as he had been accustomed 10 do, hum.
bly, and sparingly. After he had thus managed
to bring together o considerable capital. he
gradually became freighterlof ships, and fitted
out 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 counrymen owned
land in 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 had voted land in consequence.
Many of the soldiers died without converting
their property into money, and Astor, after q
visit to Heidelberg, made Arrangements with
the heirswhic were mutually agreeable; they
thinking IL better to have little ready cash
than to own a great deal of land, the value of
which was very Glow in increasing and he hav-
ing the foresight to anticipate and the patience
to- await the result.
So the heirs got their money, and Astor OBJ
tanned 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 dol
lars was accumulated. The vast increase un-
der 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
of money-making genius as
the career OF John Jacob. Indeed, the lat
ter is reported to have said that II cost him more
trouble to make the first thousand dollars than
all the remainder of his fortune. e.-Bal altimOre
American.