The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1865-07-03

he determined to follow the example OF
Girard, and bequeath q portion OF his
estate for the purpose of rendering q
public benefit to the city of New York
All his friends concured in recommend
ing public library, and accordingly, In
1889, he added the well-known codicll to
his will which consecrated four hundred
thousand dollars to this purpose. Such
was the origin of the Aston Library.
When ali else had died within him;
when he was at last nourisbed like an
infant at woman's breast, and when
being no longer able to ride in carriage
he was daily tossed in blanket for exer-
else, he still retained o strong interest
in the care and increase of his property.
One morning his agent called upon him
to render report of moneys received
while he was enjoying his blanket exer-
else. The old man cried out from the
middle of his blanket:
"Has Mrs paid that rent|
mo" replied the agent.
"Well, but she must pay it, !" said the
poor old man. -,
"Mr. Aston" replied the agent, "she
can't pay it now; she has had misfOrtunes
and we must give her time"
"No, no." said Mr.. Aston; / tell you
she can pay it. You don't go the right
way to work with her"
The agent took his Ileave and mention
ed the anxiety of the old gentleman with
regard to his unpaid rent to his son, who
counted out the requisite sum and tod
the agent to give it to the old man as II
he had received it from the tenant.
There" exclaimed Mr.. Astor when he
received the money, II told you she
would pay it if you went the right way
to work with her"
who would have $20,0OO,000 at such a
price ?
Mr.. Astor lived to the age of "a years.
He was born July 18th, 1853.
Mr.. Aston left to the descendants OF hls
brother in Germany small but sufficient
pensions. To many of his surviving chill.
dren and grandchildren, nephews and
neices, he left various life interests and
stocks. His favorite grandson, Charles
Aston Bristed, was left amply provided
fer He directed his executors to prop
erly care for his unfortunate son John
Jacob Astor Twenty-Five persons In
ali, relatives or connections of deceased,
were benefited by his will. Fitz Greene
Halleck, and the brave old captain men,
toned above, were not forgotten. The
minor requests and legacies absorbed
above two millions of his estate, the rest
of his property falling to his eldest son
VIM. B. Astor, under whose careful man.
agement it is supposed to have increased
to an amount of not less than forty mil
lions. The number of his houses in ou1
sister cit is said to be seven hundred
and twenty. Besides the Astor Library
Fund of four hundred thousand dollars,
fifty thousand were bequeathed for the
benefit of the poor of his native village
in Germany; thirty thousand to the Ger
man Society of New York; thirty thol-
sand to the Home for Aged Ladies; to the
Blind Asylum and Half-Orphan Asylum
five thousand dollars each; to the Ger
man Reformed Congregation, of which
he was member, the moderate sum OF
two thousand dollars
In auuiet little Office in Prince street,
New York. the manager of the Astor es'
tate assisted by two or three aged Gle ks
transacts the business of property lar
ger than that of many sovereign princes
The patient, abstemious and laborious
heir of the Astor estate has togo through
hard days work every day and all the
wages he receives for so mnch care ana
toll is a moderotc subsistence for himself
and family, and the very troublesome
reputation of being the richest man IN
America.