The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1875-12-15
NEW York, Dec. 10, 1876

| ANEW AOhhS OCSs ~, AOSO
The proving of William B. Astor's will,
which is appointed for next Thursday, will
effect the greatest land conveyance that
has ever taken place in this city, with but
one exception. That occurred in April,
1S4S, when the will of the original John
Jacob was proven. By the last mentioned
instrument the great mass of THE property
went into the hands of his lately deceased
son, who held it 81 years and bequeathed
it to his two sons. As will when proven
constitutes full conveyance, the great e.
tate Is now to be divided into two parts,
| each of which will be equal to the entire
wealth of the senior Astor. This was
point of ambition with the deceased. He
determined that each of his sons should
have as good start as he had, and this has
been accomplished by great economy and
good management. True, they do not have
so much territory, but what they possess Is
OF sufficient value to make up the differ
ence. Look at the great warehouse corner
Broadway and Walker street. When the
old man died an old brick building occu-
pied this plat, the rent being $4,000. Now
1t is $4,000, aud has been more. The de-
tate brick and left it marble" His son
Henry receives all such person can need,
and the daughter has a liberal life endow
ments as might be expected beside some
thing in fee. 1t was not to be expected that
they should have large portion, and their
possessions are as much as fortune hunters
had any right to expect.
BENRvoLENCE.
Tho amount Tina oppropr;at ad ,c,,a1o 81 -
slender expectations of the public, being
10000, or the amount of weeks income.
The library, which is family monument,
receives the amount of months income.
The assistants in the Prince street land Of
flee are remembered each little less than |
half days income. Frank Delano has |
special bequest of 40 acres of land In addi- |
ton to his wife's portion. This land lies |
up the river, and is part of Mrs. VIM.
B. Astors property, left her by her father.
This is the reason why It is permitted to |
go out of the family. AS 1t never belonged |
TO the Astor estate, the two sons cannot find |
fault. Then Frank really deserved to be |
handsomely remembered, inasmuch as his
union with the Asiors was a tremendous
sacrifice. l remember him as the finest
looking man in South street. Not only
this, he was the favorite in the great house
of Grinnell, Minturn $500, and had Just
been admitted to a partnership. Had he
retained that position, he might have BY
this time stood at the head of American
commerce, with larger wealth than all that
he has received from rich alliance. But
this noble destiny was lost. Having mar
ried the daughter OF the greatest capitalist
in America. he abandoned active life, re-
tired from trade, and sunk out of the ranks
ofambitiOus manhood. South street mourn
ed its loss, and another fills his place in the
great commercial house which he aban-
doned. There is such thing as being
smothered in riches. This was the fate Of
the unfortunate young merchant.
FUR FACTS.
Speaking of Aston, one 10 reminded OF
the remarkable enterprise of the founder
of the family, shown in his attempts to con-
troll the Pacific fur trade. Sixty-five years
ago, while our commerce was under the
Anathema OF Great Britain, Astor fitted out
The Tonquin, a ship of 300 tons, with a
crew OF 20 men and 10 guns. There were
IL Canadian poya9eurs abroad, dozen
clerks, and four partners, who with Aston,
'ormed the Pacific fur company. The lat .
Ter had the control of the stock and furn-
shed the capital In six months they
reached the Columbia river, and named the !
port Astoria. A landing was made and
post established, after which the ship pro- .
,eeded to Vancouver's island. Here, .
through lack of vigilance. the natives
eized it, and 1t was blown up by one OF its
,fiicers 10 prevent the Success of the saw. l
Iges. About 100 of the latter and all the
rev persisted.
THR LAND EXPEDITION.
Astor planned In connection with the voy-
lge of the Tonquin, land expedition 10
he same point. THIS was mucn bolder
han an attempt by sea- The Rocky noun
aims had been crossed by one party Of
Americans, six years previously. but this