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

estate than any four men in the city.
excluding William Rhin elander. the
Goelcts, A. T. Stewart and the Beck
mans. Most of the large tenement
houses around Tompkins square and
~ aiohS first avenue and Avenues A and
Is belong to the Astor estate, as also do
whole blocks in Sixth avenue from Six
teenth street to Fortieth street. The
ola Bowery Theatre and the old Park
Theatre were on his land. He was
always ready to buy real estate where
ne could get it cheap. 1t was his rule
never TO sell any of his houses or lots.
lie leased the most of his lots for twenty
one years, with the stipulation that the
lessee should build on them. On the
expiration OF the leases the buildings re-
yerted to him with the lots. The Astor
House was the only instance in which
he ever parted with his real estate. For
some unexplained reason he sold this
place to his son, John Jacob, for one
dollar.
SELF-INSURE.
None OF William B. Astor's property
was insured. He believed like Mr..
Stewart. that the cost of insurance would
be more than his losses. The terms
OF his fathers will prohibited the build
ing OF brown-stone houses, as they were
extravagant. He strictly abided by
this rule, and the brown-stone houses
that he owned he bought from others, as
they reverted to him on the ground on
the expiration of leases. The NEST of
the residences that he built Oh Madison
and Fifth avenues and Thirty-third and
Ihlrty-fourth streets were of Nova
Scotia free stone or brick with stone
trimming. Mr.. Astor attended person.
ally to the rental of his real estate, and
was assisted by his sons and agents,
MI. Hallock and MIR. Bruce. His Office
was at 50 Prince street, and he
went to the office every day until very
recently. He retired Mr.. Bruce on a
pension. -,-...-.
In 1870 Mr.. Astor paid two million
dollars taxes on his houses and lots.
Among the places that he owned out
side OF New York is Green Bay, Wis.
THE ASTOR FAMILY.
MIR. Astor never held any public office.
His whole life was spent in the manage
ment of his fortune. He leaves three
sons, John Jacob, William B., and
Henry. Neither of them has any bnsi-
ness pursuit.
Henry, the youngest son, inherited
the estate ofhis uncle, John Jacob, six
years ago. He married the daughter of
poor farmer in Barrytown, Dutchess
county, against the wishes of his rela-
tives. Since his marriage he has retired
to place near Hudson, and he rarely
comes to the city, although the most Of
his property is here.
The Astor estate descends to John
Jacob, the eldest son of William b. He
is about sixty yesrs old, and has one
n, William.
1t has been the custom in the Astor
family for three generations to deposit
one hundred thousand dollars in bank
at the birth ct a son or daughter. the
money and the interest to be given to
the child when he or she became of age.
Mr. William b. Astor had three
daughters, the eldest of whom was the
first wife of Sam Ward. Another was
the wife of Frank Delano, of Grinnell,
Minturn e Co., and the third is married
to Mr.. John Carey. The Hon. John
Winthrop Chanler married one of his
granddaughters.
Mr. Astor was sharp and exacting in
his business dealings. As his friends
expressed it, when he paid out a cent
he wanted cent in return" He was
not so prominent in charitable works as
was his wife. who died few years ago.
She was manager in several charita-
BILE institutions, and gave away for
time among the poor. She was daughter
of Gen. Armstrong, and was related to
the family of Alexander Hamilton.