Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1866-12-19
stewart and As1o,... :

A. T. Stewart is not what is called a lib
eral man. He seldom looks at a stIbscrip-
tiOn paper. With him begging is at dis
count. He baslittle sympathy; with ya-
grancy. Men and women who seek his
presence seldom gain. much by an inter-
view, II money Is the object. Indeed, 1t is
difficult to gain access to him I'm any way.
He is intensely devoted to his business, and
works more hours, probably, than any mer-
chant in New York He controls his af-
fairs with despotic sway. His partfiers
interested merely in the profits. He buys
and sells as he pleases, without consulting
any one. In his downtown store he has a
small Office where he spends his time from
early business hours till dark. No man
goes up stairs without running q gauntlet.
A gentleman meets all comers at the, lower
door with, ''What is your business, sir? >"
II want to see Mr.. Stewart" II must
know your business, or you cannot see
him. iMy business is private; j want
to see Mr., Stewart personally" Mr..
Stewart has no private business, sir. I'm
less you tell me what you want, MIR. Stew
art will not see you" If the response Is
satisfactory, he is allowed to go up, stairs,
Here he is met by another gentleman and
put through another rigid examination.
The usher disappears behind a glass parti-
tion. Soon Mr.. Stewart will be seen peer
ing at the visitor. If he likes his looks he
admits him; if not he sends him away.
No man who has run this ordeal once will
do it second time without cause. But,
on great occasions, the donations OF Mr..
Stewart are princely. He proposes now to
devote millions to build houses for the poor.
If the city refuse to give the site he will
still carry out his plan. ".. NJ ..t. .fti .
Unlike Mr.. Stewart, William b. Astor is
always accessible. His rooms are on Prince
street, door or two from Broadway. They
are the same that we're occupied by his
father. He has a front and back office.
where the business of his great estate is
carried on. The door is wide open between
the two offices. A person asking for Mr..
Astor is directed at once to the rear room.
AT a common desk, crowded With papers,
sits German looking Dlan, about seventy,
heavily moulded, tall and stout. His eyes,
which are small, with an expression border
ing on stupidity, are fastened on the visitor,
and Mr.. AstOr awaits his utterances. He
wastes no words. His answers are yes or
no, with an air that admits of no debate.
All the day long, from 10 to 5, Mr.. Astor
sits in his Office and sees all comers. He is
master of his business. He knows the rent
of every house, the duration of every lease,
the times and terms of payment, with every
foot of land. At o'clock he rises, and
with slow and sluggish gait turns into
Broadway, and walks TO Lafayette place,
where he resides, for dinner.
He has two sons, John Jacob and VIM.
b., Jr. These young men are in business
with their father. No bankers in New
York attend more closely to their calling.
They walk down Broadway in the moru-
ing and up at night with the great throng
of business men, as if they, in common
with SO many others, had fortune to
make. Much of the tact and shrewdness
of their grandfather attaches to them
They cross the old proverb that wealth
does not descend to the third generation.
Besides what they have inherited, they
have made fortune of their own, and
should their father die tomorrow, they
have the ability, industry and adaptness to
business to maintain thehonOr of the name
and carry on the estate in their fathers
style. They are modest, retiring, and with
out affectation. John Jacob is tall, large,
heavily built, with sandy hair and COM
plexion, resembling his father. William
b., Jr., is tall and slim, with black hair, of
genteel build, and is said to resemble his
mother.