Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1867-04-05

A New York paper thus describes ans
compares the habits of these two ia
nous Merchant Princes:
A. t. Stewart is not what is called ,
liberal man. He seldom looks at a sub
scription paper. He has little sympa
thy with vagrancy. Men and womer
who seek his presence seldom gair
much by an interview, il money is tn,
object. Indeed it is very difficult K
gain access to him in any way. He i.
intensely devoted to business, ane
works more hours, probably. than any
merchant in New York. He controls
his own affairs with despotic sway
his partners have no control over the
business, but are interested merely in
the profits. He buys and sells as ht
pieases, without consulting any one
In his down town store he has small
Office where he spends his time from
early business hours till dark. No mar
goes up stairs without running a gaunt
let.
A gentleman meets all corners at the
lower door with, -" What is your bust.
ness, sirW I" want to see Mr.. Stew.
art-o 81 must know your business, O,
you cannot see him." "My business il
private--I want to see Mr.. Stewart per.
sonally." "Mr. Stewart has no private
business, sir. Unless you tell me what
you want, Mr.Stewart will not see YOU. !,
If the response is satisfactory, he is al
lowed to go up stairs.
Here he is met by another gentleman
and put through another rigid exami,
nation. The usher disappears behind
glass partition. Soon Mr.. Stewart
will be seen peering at the visitor. III
he likes his looks he admits him: II
not he sends him away, No man whc
has run the ordeal once will do il sec.
ond time without cause. But, on
great occasions, the donations of Mr.
Stewart are princely. He proposes now
to devote millions to build houses fol
the poor. If the city refuses to give the
site, he will still carry out his plan.
Unlike Mr.. Stewart, William B. AS.
tor is always accessible. His rooms are
on Prince street, door or two from
Broadway. They are the same thai
were occupied by his father. He has q
front and back office, where the bust.
ness of his great estate it carried on.
Phe door Is wide open between the two
offices. A person asking for Mr.. Astor
Is directed at once to the rear room. Al
a common desk, crowded with papers,
sits German-looking man, about sew.
enty, heavily moulded, tall and stout.
His eyes, which are small, with an ex-
preston bordering on stupidity, are
fastened on the visitor, aud Mr.. Astor
awaits his differences. He wastes no
words. His answers are yes, or no,
with an air that admits of no debate.
All day long from ten to five, Mr.. AS
ter sits in his offices and sees all COM
ers. He Is master of his business. He
knows the rent of every house. the du-
ration of every lease, the times and
terms of every payment, with every
foot of land. AT five O'Clock he rises,
with slow and sluggish gait, turns in
to Broadway, and walks to Lafayette
place, where he resides, for dinner.
He has two sons, John Jacob, and
William 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 morning, and
up at night, with the great throng of
business men, as If they, i'm common
with so many others, had a fortune to
make. Much of the tact and shrewd-
ness OF their grandfather attaches to
them. They cross the old proverb that
wealth does not descend to the third
generation. Beside what they have in
harited, they have made fortune of
their own, and should their father die
tomorrow, they have the ability, in
dustry, and adaptedness to business. TO
the honor of the name, and
carry on the estate in their fathers
style. They are modest, retiring, and
without affectation. John Jacob is tall.
large, heavily built, with sandy hair
and complexion, resembling his father.
He went to the field in 1861, and did
good service for the national cause.
B. Jr., is tall aud slim, of
genteel build, with black hair, and is
said to resemble his mother.