Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1875-12-04

| eauoH III tne ollclal proceedings. ~
An amendment providing for con-
nection OF the Texas Pacific railroad
with the seacoast of Texas, was the oc-
casion of some debate, and was finally
voted down. s+y.zr sa,s
The resolutions as reported by the
committee were then unanimously
adopted. the roll being called by states,
and each state being entitled to one
vote. =, f.
THE RICHEST NEW. YORKER.
William b. Astor, Born September
10, 1893, Died November
| , "a. 1875.
| ASTOR'S YOUTH.
John Jacob Astor, the father of Will
liam Astor, was born in Heidelberg,
and coming to this country in early life,
embarked in the fur trade and amassed
fortune. William B. Astor was born
at 149 Broadway, on the 10Th of Sep
tember, 1892. There his father carried
on his business as furrier, and lived
with his family in the same house. Six
years after the birth of the future mil
llonaire, the elder Astor, having accu-
mulated between 5000, 900 and $500, 900,
hired house at 223 Broadway, the site
OF the existing Astor House, and moved
into it with his family, retaining the
premises IN the low er part of the city as
a place OF business only. From a very
early period of his life William B. Astor
was his fathers principal assistant. He
learned the fur business thoroughly,
and acquired, too, those habits OF in.
dustry, perseverance and economy
which finally made him the Rotbchild of
America. His father intrusted the trade
he had built up SO we'll almost wholly to
the management of his son, so that the
latter may be said to have himself accu-
mulated much of the fortune accruing
to him when John Jacob Astor died.
After some years the old fur trader
began to send his wares to China, re-
ceiving in return consignments of tea, a
business that soon became enormously
profitable. John Jacob Astor doubled
his already large fortune in a very short
time. s55l - a,sssg .f .=sz.sl5 .a7.
STUDENT LIFE. r 1.. ~
Hitherto his son had received no book
education beyond what he had been
able to give himself in the few hours
snatched from the pursuit of his bust
ness. But now his father, realizing
that the future management of his in
creasing business must, to continue sue
cessful, be intrusted to one possessed of
better education than he had given
his son, sent him to the university OF his
native town, Heidelberg. There the
young student made excellent use OF
his opportunities, learning fast, and
obtaining numerous honors in the col
iege- He became a thorough German
lInguist, branch of knowledge which
subsequently was of inestimable service
to him. He was also an accomplish
ed musician, and, like all German stl,-
dents OF that day, and indeed Of our
time, he became a skillful swordsman.
he remained in Germany several years,
ana returned to America only when his
1ather felt his presence Indispensable to
the management of his business. now
swollen to colossal proportions.
William B. Astor had not lost his taste
for business, and after travelling entirely
over Europe, which at that time was by
no means the simple journey of to-day,
he returned to New York, and once
more entered the fur store. His uncle. |
Henry Astor, in whom was the same
aptitude for amassing money that seems |
TO nave characterized every member OF |
the family, had accumulated vast |
fortune: He was greatly attached to |
ms nephew, and at his death bequeathed |
to him $50O,OOO. This legacy did not
tempt William b. Astor to forsake his
fathers business. He invested this
money, and carried on the fur trade with
greater energy than ever. His fathers
increasing age and intirmities rendered
ms attentlon to business uncertain, and
n nnally almost the entire management
tell upon the son. Out of the profits OF
his trade John Jacob Astor had pur-
chased the site upon which his dwelling
IN Broadway was built, and in 1885 he
built the Astor House on it, and trans
lerred the whole property to his son.
Soon afterward he gave him the resi-
ience in Lafayette place, adjoining the
Astor Library.
In 1S4S John Jacob Astor died at the
age OF eighty-three or eighty-four wears
eavlng an estate valued at upward OF
900.
THE GREAT LIBRARY. IL
The institution with which William B.
astor's name is popularity identified is
ne Astor Library. The original fund
or founding it was S4O0, 900, of which
Sloo,OOO was for the site, building. and
purchase of books, and $1SO,O0O was to
De used from time to time to increase t
he library. The remainder was to con-
'htute reserve fund. Since the insti- {
utlon was founded upward of $500, 900 |
las been expended on it, and William t
5: Astor, out of his private funds, gave t
lr. CoSswell, iormer librarian, an i
!nnuity of $4,000. The first Gift was Il
made IN 1899, when the first building t
vas furnished. Atterward Mr.. Astor c
ave the trustees 4 site 15O feet deep by
lightly feet wide, upon which second a
no better building was erected. In o
S60 he gave the library $4,000, of il
Thlch $4,000 was invested in books. :
Among the original trustees of the library Il
iere William B. Astor, Washington I
rving, Joseph G. Cogswen and Fitz- :
ireene Halleck. Y
ME-. Astor was much more liberal b
IAN than was generally supposed, but Il
gave unostentatiously, and many of d
le charities benefited by his benefac- /,
ons never knew the giver of the most $
beral gifts. On one subscription list. ii
l possession OF Mr.. Isaac II. Brown. ;,
ppears the entry $3.50 from 1.-THE son Of 0,
Mason;' the giver was Mr. Astor.
ho was not Il Mason himself, though !;
is father had been an active member ~;
! the order. u
1t IS estimated that Mr.. Astor's estate ~
III not amount to less than one hundred 81
lllion dollars, the whole of which i;
asst sum will probably pass under the T.
'ntrol of his son William Astor. r.
RECoLLECTIoNs OF AsToR. p]
William Il. Astor's eldest brother was a,
person OF eccentricities, and could not OF
? trusted alone. His tutor was appoint pc
his guardian at Il handsome salary, in
I'd attended him wherever he went. tn
e was often very violent in his dealings co
It'll those with whom he came in con
ct, and his quarrels with his guardian NJ
ere frequent. He was secluded from fo
ciety as far as possible, and was for a f.
ng time confined in his house at be
street and Ninth avenue. and / !,
ere he died few years ago. CT
William b. Astor lived for a lonp w,
ne IN Lafayette place, in a mansion adj. a
!ning the Astor Library. He owned to
30O houses and building lots in this sa
y, and his total wealth was recently m,
timated at S15O,OOO,OOO. ali
Nlr, AStor had more imnroved re,, oo,