Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1875-12-07
THE DEAD CRESUS.
William b. AstOr aud His One
Hundred Millions.


William B. Astor's eldest brother
was person Of eccentricities, ID
could not be trusted alone. His tutor
was appointed his guardian at Il hand
some salary, and attended him where
ever he went. He was often very
violent in his dea ings with those with
whom he came in contact, and his
quarrels with Ills guardian We're fire.
quent. H was secluded from socie
ty as far as possible, and was for a
long time confined i'll his house IT
Fourteenth street ard Ninth avenue
New York. and there he died u few
years ago,
William B. Ast0r lived for n long
time in Lafayette Place, in a mansion
adjoining the Astor Library. He owns
ed :. 500 houses and building lots in
that city, and his total wealth was
recently estimated at $4,000 900.
Mr.. AstOr has more improved rea
estate than any other four men in the
city, eSciudjng William RhireIander.
the GcGlets. A. T Stewart and Beck
mans. Most Of the large tenement
houses around TompkinS Square and
along First avenue and avenues 4
and Is belong to the Astor estate, as
also do whole blocks il Sixth avenue.
from Sixteenth street to FortieJh
street The old Bowery Theatre and
the old Park Theatre were on his
land. He vas always ready to buy
real estate where he could get it
cheap. 1t was his rule never to sell
any of his houses or lots. He leased
the most of bis lots twenty one years
wish the stipulation that the lessee
should build on them. On the cx-
piration of the leases the buildings
reverted to him with the lots. The As
Tor House was the only instance in
which he ever parted with bis real
estate. For some unexplained rea-
son he sold this place to his son john
Jacob for one dollar,
None Of William 3 Astor'S prop
erty was insured. He believed, like
Mr.. Stewart, that the cost of insur-
ance would be greater than his !OSSes.
The terms Of his fathers will pros
hibited the building of brOwn-stcne
houses, as they were too extraVagant
He strictly abided by the r&le. and
the brown stone houses that he owned
he bought from others as they re-
verted to him on the expiration OF
leases The most of the residences
that he built on Madison aud Fifth
avenues and Thirty-third and ThIr>
tv-fourth streets in recent years were
of Nova Scotia free-stn Of brick
with stone trimmings, Mr.. Aston
attended personally to the rental OF
his real estate, and was assisted by
h SOHs aud his agents, Mr.. HaliOcb
and Mr.. Bruce. His office was at S.
Prince street, and he went to the
office every day until recently. lie
retired Mr.. Bruce on pension. In
1870 Mr. Astor paid s., 900, 600,
taxes on his houses and lots. Among
the places that be owned outside oI
New York is Green Bay, WincOnsin,
Mr.. Astor was sharp and eXacting
In his business lealiugS. As his
friends expressed it; ''When he paid
out cent he wanted a cent in re-
turn He was not 50 prominent il
charitable wroks as his wife, who dieG
few years ago. She was manager
in several charitable institutions, and
gave away a fortune among the poor.
She was a daughter of General Arm
strOng, and was related 10 the family OF
Alexander Hamilton. 1t is estimated
hat Mr.. AStCr's estate will not
amount to less than one hundred mil
lion dollars. the " hole Of which vas
sum will probably pass under the con
troll of his son, William Astor.