The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1875-08-27

lions were made with the case OF previous
thousands.
Talking over the matter of tho documents
with his wife after his return, they decided
it would be a good plan to open the matter
TO q celebrated merchant Of the day, named
James Livermore, who was largely engaged
in the West India trade, and owned many
large ships, SO Mr.. Astor called on Mr..
Livermore, and showing him the document
said.
"Now, if you will make up voyage for
one Of the largest ships, you can have these,
provided l have half the profits for them and
my suggestion"
"Pooh pooh p exclaimed the great mer-
chant. "a ridiculous proposition 1t is
altogether too one-sided."
He thought Mr.. Astor would como down
on his figures. But he found he would not,
and so after thinking over the matter some
weeks, and rejecting on the fact that no yes
sel at that time traded to Canton, and that
the East India ports were as Theoretically
sealed to American commerce "a though such
a thing were not in existence, he called at
Mr.. Astors store, and asked
"Wereyou in earnest the other day when
you showed me the pass of the East India
company ?"
VI was never more So"
Again the two merchants talked the mat.
ter over, and finally an agreement was sign
o1 that NJ k.to 20 tol,o ii, hn,
no expense, and half the profits of the clear
trip.
The ship, loaded with 100000 in Spanish
and milled dollars, and ginseng lead and
chored at Whampoa, loading and unloading
precisely as If she had been a vessel belong
ing to the East India company. Her supply
of ginseng, that cost twenty cents pound
in New York, was disposed Of for three dol
lars and half, and the remaining articles at
great profit also, and the return cargo of
tea was sold at clear profit of dollar a
pound.
Mr.. Astor's profit on this voyage was
s55, 900, and 1t wa, sent to his store packed
in barrels. It is needless to say that the
next ship that sailed with that permit be-
longod to Mr.. Astor, and carried an assort-
ed cargo.
A ughable incident occurred on her ar
rival at Canton. She had touched at the
Sandwich Islands to take in fresh water and
provisions, where the captain took aboard a
large stock of frewood. The frewood was
noticed by a mandarin at Canton the moment
he came aboard and he inquired
"What is the price of that?"
The captain smiled to himself at what he
thought an absurd question, but finally. said /:
"What will You givc|
ooh, guess it is worth five hundred dol
lars n ton"
Every splinter of it was sold at that price
1t was sandalwood.
The traffic in sandalwood was monopo-
lized by Mr. Astor for about seventeen years
no other concern in England or the United
States knowing the secret Nor was 1t finally
discovered till shrcwd ship owner of Bos
ton detailed a ship to follow one of Mr. AS
tors and observe every event of the voyage
In 1880, Mr. Astor began to withdraw &
little from active business and then took thu
first steps toward building the hotel which
bears his name, but which we sec is soon t.
be taken down, to give place to the marble
and brown-stone fronts that commerce ask
for its haunts.
Mr.. Astor was a peculiar man, and il
family matters was rs proud and exclusive
as though he descended from Il king instead
of butcher With his family he was lib
eral-it is said in their day Of afiluence hi
wife used TO demand and receive five hun
dred dollars an hoar for her judgment o
furs-but with the world he was close an
in some cases downright meanness woul
crop out. The story is told Of difficult
, which Mr.. Astor once had with one of hi
captains, which cost him the snug little SUI
of $4,000. Captain .pePeyster, who die
about five years ago, and who is well remeu
) bered in New York, had asked Mr.. Astor f,
a chronometer.
t "Vell" said the merchant, "you pu
one"
e Supposing this remark to authorize him
; so on account, the captain did so and pl
) the price in the account; but, when presen
e ed, it was stricken out.
e Captain DePeyster, one of the gentlemC
n of the old school, brought down his gol'
v headed cane on the pavement with emph
: sis, and said
n Every good, Mr.. Astor. l shall not ST
y in your service until the chronometer
S paid for"
Mr.. Astor's rage, which had been gathe
/ ing, eliminated at this, and he said;
It "Vell,, tamn you leave it,
r And leave it the old sca-dog did, thOul
a he had been in Mr.. Astor's employ for t
c teen years, and from force of habit wander
II down Wall street, and into one Of the lar
o shipping houses in that locality.
"Ah! DePeystor! good morning Whc
r, do you sail?
81 don't know. It's unsettled"
70 "What's unsettled? Isn't Astor"-
"I'm not in AstOr's service now"
c. "The devil Come now, thats-is it SC
lg sit is"
And, after telling the story, the old
id captain was turning to go out, when
a merchant stopped him.
"Do you want ship? If you do,
l have three ready to sail for China, and .
III can take your choice.
Captain DePeyster saw his opportunity
OF repaying Mr. Astor's petty meannesses
'el addition to resuming his labors and accep
he the command OF the largest of the thu
and unknown to Mr.. Astor, set sail.
NJ Mr. Astor's ship returned with a cargc
- tea, and few days only transpired bel
.o+ tho one by the rival house came in.
hc Astor, supposing he had monopoly of
od market, was in no hurry about unloadi
and haInra hn Af II tln