Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1862-06-20
DELAWARE, OHIO, JUNE 90, 1862
How The Richest Man in New York Spends His


How'll Richest Man in New York Spends Hi
Time.
A correspondent of the Rochester Demo
crat sketches the richest man in New York il
this manner:
"WM. B. AsEoR.-Mr. Astors Office is il
Prince street, near Broadway, where he may
be found daily between the hours of mine and
three He is a large, stout built man. with
/ coarse features, stiff rough, sandy-coored hair
ard cast Of counntenance of very ordinary
7 type. He dresses plainly but neatly, has a
somewhat carewoFn look land appears to be fiE
/ ~ 10 sixty years Of age. His private office is
I Of moderate size and Of plain furniture. On
/ table are { few books. and on opening that one
which appears NEST thnmbed. you perceive
| that it is a yolaH1e Of maps Of city property,
carefully aud elegantly execnted, and, as a
( whole embracing the sundries of aR enormous
estate, estimated at over 5000 COO Mr..
Astor resides in Lafayette Place. in one Of q
row of dwellings which twenty-five years ago
were the graRdest in the city, though now they
are distaneed by the palaces of the Fifth-ave-
nue.. Near By is the magnificent library fouB-
ded by his father, to which be has added fund
nearly equal to the original endowment. Here
he spends a small part of his time, the remain
der being occupied by his duties in the Prince
street Office, where. Sundays. excepted, he does
full day work every day in the week. Thus
the whole routine OF life of the richest man in
America S j walk to and from home Of bali
mile aud close attention to business. The care
of Mr.. Astor's estate is a vast burden. He
has several hundred tenants of all grades,
fror flo 80 IL,
To relieve himself of this vexatious duty, he
has committed it for years TO an gent. who
does tie work well. He collects rents and makes
quarterly returns. and thus pays over a sum
which would be almost Incredible and which
We may roughly estimate at 100000 per an
FUN. This man employs a small army Of pain
ters. carpenters. and other mechanics, 10 order
to keep mp repairs, and superintends the whole
Of this department. As d large part of Mr.
Astors property consists of vacant lots which
are in continual demand, and which he will not
sell, he is much employed with architects and
master builders, and ganerally has one or two
large blocks in course Of erection at q time
This is a very serious burden. His son Jacob
is quite business man, and bears his share ofI
the load. Besides this, some fifteen years ago
- ''AiNiiAN4 'ttA Idlh-
lin Delano; married one Of the daughters and
affords assistance. In addition to these labors.
he attention to the collection of interest on
bonds, dividends, &c, is heavy item, since in
the little brick office (which is, of course fire
proOf) there are several millions of Govern.
ment and State securities. His daily income
is computed at $4,000. It is said that a GER
tain person felicitated MFR. Astor on his wealth
Pointing to his piles of bonds, maps, &C., the
capitalist replied: 'IIow would you like to
manage all these matters for your board and
clothes? The man demurred to the idea
Sir, said the other, 1t is all get Mr.. Astor,
it is said, gives but little away