Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1869-01-14

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:, THURSDAY Y, :.
ling the twenty years since his fathers death, de-
voted himself to swell the fortune, whose
income is more than aay one man should have.
He has little Life outside of his mortgages and in
vestments, and at an age when most good citizens
are sleeping quietly In their graves, indifferent to
securities or titles he il hard st work in his back
Office, closing every revice through which dollar
might slip. rs s,.f,fH z,slp streat'
Many persons wonder why men of great fortune
ooutinue to labor, instead Of resting and enjoying
themselves and attribute, il to mere love Of gain
They do not remember that long habit becomes
second nature that sueh.men find rest in con-
slant occupation, and that The enjoyment pres.
cribed for them would be theseverest punishment
that could be inflicted. '5sia ;
For more than fifty years William B. Astor has
been daily worker st bis desk. Sentence him to
idleness tomorrow, and b}fore the Christmas
chimes we're runs from Trinity the fa,niB lot in
Greenwood would have another occupant.
g . eIIANeEsoF sgVRNTY-sN YEARS. ,a
Astor was born in small brick house, built by
his father, and occupied as fur store, but long
since turn down, at the corner Of Broadway aud
Vesey-the site of the present Astor House. BE
has seen wonderful changes in the city and the
world. When he was babe New York had .
population Of not more than thirty thousand souls;
our Revolution had just ended; George Washing-
ton was still aEve; John Adams was President of
the United States; Bonaparte was unknown !;
Frederick the Great had recently died; the French
revolution was thrilling the time With horror; We
sey street was in the country; Bowling Green the
centre Of trade; Wall street and its vicinity the
quarter for fashionable residences, and the Repub
lie itself handful of feeble States that we're sil
suffering from the struggle that had given them
their independence. . ~ ?.@
CHARACTER.
Astor was carefully educated by his father, and,
after leaving College, travelled in Europe, where,
It is said he spent less than quarter Of what his
parent had allowed him. After his return be
went into business with John Jacob, and became
more watchfll of his interest aud more careful of
his money than the old man himself, who was
never accused of any extraordinary carelessness in
that respect. Though presumptive heir to great
estate he lost no opportunity to look out for him
SELF and, at his fathers decease, was Individually
worth 30, 100000 He is declared, by those who
ought to know, to be less liberal than his father
no spendthrih, by any means-snd man Of less
kindly feelings and less generous sympathy. He
is reported to be very charitable on occasions but
he rarely gives to those who solicit charity, and
his brusque refusal of the constant petitioners for
assistance of all kinds through series of years has
earned him the reputation Of extreme closeness, if
not penuriousness. To common beggars and seek
ers for subscriptions he turns deaf ear, and the
fact is now 80 well known that be escapes much of
the annoyance to which accessible rich men are
perpetualy subjected. He makes. it al rule, I have
been told, never to give anything during the hours
business, and always to Investigate any and every
case earnestly brought to his notice. IF he finds
it worthy be is reasonably liberal, but privately 90,
having NO ambition to gains reputation that would
prove troublesome, not to say expensive
have no reason to doubt this; indeed l am
inclined to believe it; for very many persons give
from their vanity, while others who are silently
charitable pass for the very opposite in public
opinion.
STILL Astor cannot be regarded as liberal man,
considering his immense wealth, and the super
abundant opportunities it gives him for doing
good in his native city, where the Greeks are ever
at the door. Ofcoarse he has a perfect right to
do as he chooses with his own. He knows that,
too, and follows bis own humor The public is
very exacting of the wealthy, who are roundly
abused when they decline to open their purses as
it directs They are so besieged and badgered
with applicants and applications, 80 imposed on
and cajoed, that it is not strange that they grow
callous. Even Astor and Stewart, if they respon-
ed to all the calls upon them for aid, would be beg
CARED in twelvemonth. But there is SO little
probability of their responding that it is not need
ful to expend any sympathy in anticipation.
THEPRINoE-sTREET OFFICE.
Astor's Office is in Prince street, Broadway, q
one story brick, with heavy shutters, that remind
you of village bank. The Office has two rooms,
and be occupies the rear one, very plainly, even
meagrely, furnished, which he enters punctually
every morning at ten o'clock, rarely leaving his
desk before four in the afternoon. He is not shut
away as Stewart is. His back can be seen by any
one entering the Office, and any one can step in
and see his face also, if he be 80 minded To those
who pay him visit be is 80 chary of words as to
seem impolite.q ........-. g ... .,... f-..- .
He usually waits to be addressed, but if be be
not, he turns cold face upon the visitor, and
says, "Your business, SIR"
fit be an application for charity, in nine cases
out of ten he cuts off the story before it Is half
told, With, II can do nothing for you, sir" and
resumes his work. ...
Ifit is an application for reduction of rent, or
for sale of property, he generally answers, mo,
sir" and relapses into silence, from which it is
difficult to arouse him.
If he is annoyed by further speech, he says,
curtly and brusquely, II am busy l have no time
to talk and there the interview ends Few per-
sons feel encouraged to stay in his presence which,
to strangers, is no more inviting than the Morgue
at midnight, or tombstone on winter day.
Astor has none of bis fathers liking for trade.
He deals altogether in real estate and leases ofpro-
perty owned by Trinity Church, corporation
worth $500, 600, ,OOO He has wonderful memo
ry. He can tell every square foot of property he
owns, the exact date ct which each lease expires,
and the amount due, to penny. he very rarely
sells any of his property; but he is buying con-
stantly, and will to his dying day, though it can
mt he manv wears before he will be Obliged to ex.