Litchfield enquirer., 1873-01-16

TEE HEIR OF FIFTY MuLIoNs-Ever body has heard of the late Edwin A. Ste vens, of Hoboken. He was 8 remarkable man, and as is pretty well known, has a very remarkable history. Whether as the pioneer of all the early improvements of eastern New Jersey, or as man of vast practical ability, his genius shone forth in every relation of busine ss life. Ills fa- ther, Col. John Stevens, invested nearly all his wealth in Hoboken lands, and he soon became the possessor of the vast tract that stretches from the Elysian fields to point beyond the line of the terminus of the Morris and Essex road, and from the river to the Palisades. From a small village the tract became town, and from a town oity; and lots that in the aggre- gate were purchased by the colonel at less than one dollar each, were soon worth five hundred times that amount. The colonel did not retire upon his golden laurels. He projected the Camden and Amboy and New Jersey railroads, and live to see both on a fair way to compile tion. His hand and fortune were visible in every improvement, and his genius and disposition descended to his son the late EdwIn A. Stevens. The latter, when of age, was engaged in the transportation business between New York and Phila- delphia. He was the principal manager of the Camden and Amboy railroad, and he applied steam, then comparatively in it's infancy, to all the various uses and projects which emanated from his busy brain. Forty-two years ago Edwin A. Stevens was regarded as the most active business man ill the United States, and, making due allowance for age, he pre- served his reputation up to within two or three years of his death. The great iron battery, which was the last embodiment of his genius, was the forerunner of our monitors, and inaugurated 8 new era in naval warfare.
 Edwin A. Stevens left two sons The eldest is called after himself He is a bright lad of IT, unaffected in his man. ners, and winning to the last degree The woman, who is still young woman, re- sides with her children in the castle" above the banks of the Hudson, near the heart of Hoboken. The boy does not seem to realize that he is heir to an es- tate worth $40, 900, ,0O0, and that in four years more he will probably be the rich est man in the world, assuming, of course, that the estate will be productive of ordi- nary net interest.
 when ne becomes ot age the interest on his fortune will amount to larger sum than the salary of any crowned head ill Europe. It would be really difficult to compute what the Stevens estate will be worth in five years more. A large num- Der of leases of valuable houses and lots, now held at nominal rents, will revert to young Stevens; and he will be the sole possessor of bonds and other securities, which are now valued at $5,OOO,OOO. Should he live to the age of his father, and be as lucky in his commercial ventures and speculations in land, his wealth will be greater than Rothschlld's, and he may be able to take the place of the latter as Cresus to whom bankrupt governments and nations impoverished by war must come for loans. The lad, however, seems to be unconscious of his destiny He may be seen daily, playing on the lawn in front of the castle where his father passed his maturer days.