The Conservative. (M'connelsville, Ohio) 1866-1871, 1868-11-05
@rneral 9utrllioentr.
WILLIAM II. ASTOR.

WILLIAM Il. AST0R.
Rcsidonce---HIs Personal Appear
ance, sc.
New York. oct. l4-William b. Aston Is
a very noticeable exception to the rule that
the sons of rich men 8quander what Their
tnthers spent their lives in earning. Econ
omy and thrift are hereditary virtues In
the Astors, aud the immense wealth that
old Jacob Astor accumulated rs likely to
remain in the family for generations.
An EXCEPTION TO THE
William b. Astor's life is little, but his
property is great. His chief distinction is
Tint he is John Jacob Astor's son. As such
he is known: as such he will be remember
ed. HI required, AS has been claimed, AS
much capacity 10 take care of money as TO
make il. then the son il equal to the father.
William b. has been preserved by his TOM
permanent from all extrayagances and eX-
cesseg. He has the cool head and calm
blood Of his German ancestors, TO whom
irrerularity was unknown and temptation
impossible.
Associated in business with his father
from his early years, he learned his habits
and followed his example. The power ehd
benefit Of money being one OF the INST
things he WIS taught, It is not strange he
Lnsremembered'his early lesson through all
his wears. Instend of decreasing the wealth
he Inherited, he has largely increased It,
and has been for years the richest citizen
of the United States. He IL as careful Of
his vast property as If he were not worth q
hundred dollars ;undto day, IN his seventy
sixth wear, he takes moro note OF a trlhmg
expenditure than n clerk whose annual
salary 10 not much beyond his hourly in
come.
JOHN JACOB AsroB,
Every one knows how John Jacob Aston,
at the age of twenty, left his village home
in Baden, so poor that he walked TO the
nearest seaport, with a small bundle, con-
timing all mis- worldly goods, spent his
last penny for q passage in the steefage,
sailed for New York, and would have NJ
rived here with only youth and health, had
he not sold on the voyage hnlfH dozen flutes
given him by his brother in London, For
the flutes he received So, and having
made the acquaintance Of a iuIrier on
board the ship, and talked with him about
the trade, he invested his small capital, on
debarkiug. in furs. From that small be-
ginning he steadily and rapidly rose, until
he founded the American Fur Company,
sent his ships to every sea, and died worth
$50. 900, 600.
pEyor1oS To BUSINESS.
But few know how William, the son, has,
during the twenty years since his fathers
death, devoted himself constantly to swell
the fortune, whose income Is more than
any one man should have. He has little
life outside Of his mortgages and invest
ments, and NJ an age when most good citi-
zens are sleeping quietly In Their graves,
indifferent to securities or titles, he is
hard at work in his buck office closing
every creyice through which dollar might
slip.
Many persons wonder why men OF great
fortunes continue 10 labor instead OF rest
ing and enjoying themselves, aud attribute
it to mere love Of gain. They do not re-
member that long habit becomes second
nature; that such men find rest in constant
occupation, and that the enjoyment pre-
scrlGed for them would be the severest
punishment that could be inflicted.
For more than nifty years William b.
Aston has been a daily worker at his desk.
Sentence him 10 idleness tomorrow, and
before the Christmas chimes were rung
from Trinity, the family lot in Greenwood
would have another occupant.
Oh sEyEETY-sIG YEAEs.
Aston was born in u small brick house,
built By his father, and occupied as a fur
store, but long since torn down, at the
corner of Broadway and Nesev-the site Of
the present Aston House. He has seen
wonderful changes in the city and the
world. When he was "A babe New York
had a population of not more than thirty
thousand souls; our Revolution had Just
ended; George Washington was still alive;
Thomas jefferson was President OF the
United States; Bonaparte was unknown
Frederick the Great had very recently
died; the French Revolution was thrilling
the time with horror; Nesey street was IN
the country Bowling Green the centre of
trade; Wall street and its vicinity the
quarter for fashionable residences, and the
republic itself a handful of feeble states
that were still suffering from the struggle
that had given them their independence,
CHARACTER.
Aston was carefully educated by his
father, and, after leaving college, travelled
in Europe, where, II IL said, he spent less
than o quarter Of what his parent had al
lowed him. After his return he went into
business with John Jacob, and became
more watchful of his interests and more
careful of his money than the old man him.
self, who was never accused of any extra
ordinary carelessness IN that respect.
Though presumptiye heir to "a great es
tate, he lost no opportunity TO look out TO
himself, and, at his fathers decease, wa
individually MOlln 4bfbNbf wv ~ - NC
clared, by those who ought TO know, 10 b
less liberal than his iather-no spendthritt
by any means, and a man of less kindl
feeling and less generous sympathy. IL
is reported 10 be very charitable on occa
sions; but he rarely gives TO those VIII
solicit charity, and his brusque refusal
the constant petitioners for assistance {
all kinds through Il series Of years hf
earned for him the reputation OF eXtrem
closeness, if not -penuriousness. To con
mon begpars aud seekers for subscription
he turned a deaf ear, aud the fact is not {
well known that he escapes much OF u
annoyance 20 which accessible rlch me
are perpetually subjected. He makes 1t
Tule, / have been told, never to give an.
thing during the hours OF business, an
always 10 investigate any and every cas-
earnestly brought 10 his notice. If i
finds il worthy he is reasonably liberia
but privately SO, having no ambition I
gain a reputation that would prove trouble
some, not to say expensive.
/ have no reason 10 doubt this; Indeed
am inclined 10 believe it, Tor many pei
sons give from their vanity, while other
who are silently charitable pass for the yer
opposite IN public opinion.
Still Astor cannot be regarded as a lbel
al man, considering his immense wealtl
and the superintendent opportunities !
gives him for doing good in his native city
where the Greeks are ever at his own door
OF course he has a perfect right to do q
he chooses with his own. He knows that
too, and follows his humor. The public il
very exacting Of the wealthy, who are
round!y abused when they decline to oper
their purses as il directs. They are 30 be.
seiged and badgered with applicants and