Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1876-03-24
VOL. XIX. NEW SERIES. VOL. XXI.

| iy applied for the instruction OF young per
sons, who would otherwire have been des-
titute of education. There was still
grander bequest 1t was the sum of four
hundred thousand dollars to found and
maintain Il public library in New York
where an institution of this kind, if only
| for general reference, was greatly wanted.
Under the management of trustees, the As
tor Library, as it is called, was established
in a handsome edifce erected for the pur-
pose. The collection Of books, drawn from
every European country, is much esteemed
/ for its value in promoting literary study.
| For this crowning act of benefcenee, the
memory OF John Jacob Astor is worthy of
all honor. Let others who have the means
whether in America or Europe, 20 and do
| likewise.
The greater portion Of the fortune of
| John Jacob Astor was inherited by his SON
| William B. Astor, who, following up his
| fathers arrangements. continued TO aug
ment his acquired wealth, by seduleus per-
severance until his decease. which took
| place recently, 9th November, 1875. VIII
/ B. Astor is reputed to have had none of his
fathers daring genius. His life was not
devoid Of generous deeds, but from the time
| he succeeded to his fathers estate, at fifty
| six years of age, accumulation was his ab-
sorbing Iohject The following sketch of
the Character and career of this second of
the Astors, appears in the Spectator q" He
had been trained to watch his fathers pro-
perty, and for the rest of his life be pur-
sued unsweryingly a single purpOse-that
Of so managing the Astor estate that it
should grow greater IN his hands lie was
not mean man, still less u miser, any
more than he was a generous one. He
| thought his father lad not distributed quite
enough among some relates, and in a mod
crate, sensible way. at TIE cost Of a few
thousands, he remedied all the deficiencies
he perceived lie heard that the trustees
Ct the Astor library, after their large ex-
penditure on buildings. had hardly ade-
/ quate funds for book-buying, and he added
/ forty thousand pounds to his fathers gift
Of eighty thousand. lie gave, when asked,
to charities, and not illbeTally but his
usual cheque was one Tor two hundred
pounds and he is only once recorded TO
have made q donation OF ten thousand
pounds at once He lived also literally,
with town-house and large country place
but be lived moderately, spending on him
self and his charities but fraction Of his
income. secluding himself very much from
the public eye, and taking no visible part
In the business OF the city or the republic.
lie never became director in any OF the
undertakings in which he held shares His
work for twenty-seyen years was merely 10
manage his property, TO cover his father :
lands with large houses, till shortly before
his death he possessed seven hundred and
twenty, most of them OF the first class and
in the richest quarters, and to invest his
yearly accumulatIOns IN the safest invest
ments he could find. He never speculated
or dealt on change. or went in for grand
u
ana share 10 share, working all the while
as If he had still his bread 10 make. His
e. hee was as large a. that of any great COZ
tractor. and he superintcnded it himself,
going down every dey when in town to bus
mess. and keeping all under him at work.
lie paid well, and 10 must have had some
Judgment in men, Tor he was well served,
and had the art OF inducing his agents to
give up their whole lives 10 his service
lie had, too, q certain fidelity 10 his WORK
and to the estate, and. we believe, put
clause in his leases under which he alone
should undertake all rCpairs-a branch of
work involving excessive labor and no pro
tit Ii Is probable that while he adhered
steadfsstly to his own plan OF life. and
watched his fortune accumulat,nE, he was
a weary man, who thought life had very
little to give, and had something OF a dis
Z
such a name lie seemed 10 be governed.
possibly from habit, by a sense Ct duty 10
the estate which he had watched so long
by a feeling that to diminish II, even for
great objects. would be IN some sense q
moral wrong. Ii may even he surmised
that ne was conscious Of this feeling. and
little ashamed OF IT, broader ideas fitting
occGsionly before his mind. There is some
thing to our ears excusatory in his ire-
quent remark that his wealth brought him
nothing bat maintenance and @ daily
round Of work, and the burdensome repu-
tation of being the richest man in the
Union Nevertheless, he never intsrmitled
his toll. but from 1850 20 1873 increased
his buildings, till he was popularity described
as the Landlord of New York. and was
possessed of fortune which the Irisule
says Is variously estimated, but may reach
ten millions sterling. We have heard 1t e.
tlmated, not By vulgar ruhOrs. but by
grave capitalists, who had an interest IN
knowing the truth, at a very much larger
sum but vast as the transactions Of W.
b. Astor were, Wall street Is shrewd, and
the lrlilne's estimate Is likely to be found.
when the property l. valued TOR the succes-
sion. the terms of which are still unknown,
very near the truth
As John Jacob As.or named grandson
a. one of The trustees of the library be
founded IN New York, We assume that the
magnificent fortune left by William Z. As
tor ID duly inherited by this representative
Of the family. The third ofthe Astors may
be ranked among those extraordinary ricn
men whose wealth Is reCkoncd by millions.
Ii i generally stated that the late Mr.. As
tor was the richest man in the States. but
we see that thisis controvertad by the Cali
iornlans they aver that the richest Is Mr.
John Mackey, who ten years ago was a
working miner. and now owns gold mines
which bring him an income of ten millions
of dollars, annually. Be this as it may. it
seems to be understood that the representa-
/ tive Of the late Mr.. Astor has inherited
| property TO the value of ten millions ster-
ling. There are rich men IN Great Britain.
/ but we fancy none can come up TO this.
/ What any one can nationally do with such
| enormous wealth, would be difficult TO say.
To dlsperse It in an extrsyagant style CT
! living, would be a crime. the height of folly.
I To give away large sums in charitable dona
/ tons might have a pauperZlng tendency,
and do more harm than good. Much could
certainly be done to public advantage IN
| the sanitary Improvement OF cities, in help
ing educational movements, in founding
/ Libraries where they are likely 10 be appre-
| ciated, in measures for clvilizlng countries
/ still in a state Of semi bsrbarism, and in
well conceived scientific enterprises beyond
/ the reach Of ordinary appliances.
/ The very thought OF ten millions being
accumulated in the course Of two genera
tons creates degree of wonder. Suppose
/ that the sum IS not TO end there, bat TO 20
on accumulating at the same ratio during
third and fourth generation, the result
4 becomes little overwhelming. Meanwhile,
/ without going into speculatlOns as to the
/ future, we may hope that decently good
/ use will be made Of the colossal fortune
/ founded by John Jacob Astor, who at the
J outset Of life. as We haze seen. was moth
/ ing more than poor boy in the village Of
/ Waldorf.
THE PORE DECIDES AcMNsT \ BisHoP.-
| The Irish residents Of Harbor Grace, New
/ foundland, have a society known as the
/ Conception Bay Benevolent Irish Society,
| which, after an existence Of over half a cen
tuTv, found itself opposed by the Italian
Bishop of the diocese, Mgr Cariacnini.
/ This prelate declared war against the so
ciety, aud attempted to confscate all its
/ property and privileges to the exclusive use
/ of his church, notwithstanding the fact that
| the membership included Protestant as well
as Catholic Irshmen. stubborn resist
ance was made, resulting. finally, in an ap-
peal to the Pope. The Propaganda has con
sidered the case, and its decree. sanctioned
/ by the Pore, IS thai the Benevolent Irish
/ Society is national and not a religious or
/ ganization. The church, therefore, has
/ nothing to do with it, and the Bishop IS not
| justified in attempting to crush it. The de-
cision is one Of general interest to Catholics
A JusrCE VINO WouLDN T-Y esterday
forenoon an honest looking man called into