Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1877-04-05
stltft storp.
Getting Ahead Of Astor.

asked Now, our much beloved .rand-fa-
ther had told this story hundred times
but as 1t gave him pleasure to repeat il. he
reganed his good temper at once.and thus
commenced:
oh. about John Jacob Astor: | know
YOU have heard me tell the story before. -
All. he was a merchant in every sense of
the word fairer or a squarer man you
never came across,a trifie hot aud pepperr
at times, but when YOU knew him, aud he
believed in you. he was the best aud most
liberal man to deal with | ever met with
IL is not true that he was grasping, and
tried to crush other people. Il j. certain
that he had that China fur trade all to him
self but once or twice cut into him. in a
small way. OF course, and he didn't mind
IL al all. Once made II venture of some
s. 900 worth Of furs from this side to ( hi
ma, and brought home teas. and made j'l>t
eight for one on the business-that was a
whscking profit. You see, in lS23, some
OF my Canada friends were part owners in
the good ship
But, grandfather, stick to the John Jacob
Aster story, please.
IL was in 1922, then, that received from
England the Information that all kinds %
fur stock were likely 10 be rare IN Europe
! had the advices early from some friends
in Leipsic. didu't want much to go In,
though / studied the market well on both
sides; and found that the supply would be
short. Strange TO say for five years before
there had been no money made IN fur> and
big stock had accumulated In New York.
WAS hesitating what to do, when an order
came from strong house in London Tor
line OF furs. and among the fur, some five
thousand land offers. Now otter- were
dull. II | had. however. gone around and
brought them up In small lots in Phlladcl-
phis or Boston, should have raised the
price IN an Instant. Talk about your telc-
graph-stuf. EIfty years ago man never
bought anything 10 large way that all the
people didn't speculate who he bought the
goods for. or where they were going to-
People were sharp. should Ike 20 have
seen any OF your new-iashoucd brokers
doing my bust ess for me Now knew
that Astor bad big lot OF these very OF
ters.-!iow did know that: Why. | had
ticketed of every skin the old man had
bought for the last three years in New
York. had found that out without your
telegraph. |, was on an autumn day when
| went into Nesey street TO see Mr. A>ior.
| lid not know him save by sight. For =
young man ! was quite bold. because had
the privilege to draw on the ROth~chi!d-
ioi Atlf AiIbNi4h VI AiIf lhA'hAN' 'h'iH As'tE'
child-' bills were scarce and much 10 de-
mand in those days. II would never have
done for me 10 let the old manor aut body
else know that | was buying foi the CON
Iinent- had just been paid. too, quite uu-
expectedly a round sum OF money, which
| had made up my mind now | would pm,
into iurs. The A-tor storr,in Nc>cy street,
wasn't half a. iiue place a, would bc nr-
cuped to-day by any one OF your Two pen
nv brokers.-A.tOr was there busy exam
ining bale OF beavers. \ porter y - A.
sorting them. and the old man would ~
cry now and then .toop and pick up par
ticularly line -kin aad smooth ii over Wa
his hand. Il was cary IN the morning
not much more than 9 clock. Heads Ui
houses don't do that Kind Of thing, nova
days but in old times the principals used
10 examine good, Tor themselves. must
have siodd between the light aud Mr.. A.
tor. for he turned on me saying. Vel.
my young mau. what i It eau 90 Tor sou
He had a very slight German accent. and
would occasionally mix b's and p'> and a.
Its only few beavers want, Mr.. A.
tor, said
Only beavers you want. aud pray VII"
are you: he asked.
| told him the name OF my house. 10
nv surprise Mr.. Astor said oh, know
you, thought you wouldcome round 10 tralr
sometimes You are beginner. kLow
your iaddeI-honest man. lou larut your
business In London, good house, and
mostly turned out smart young meu.-
Well. my boy here is beavers. Make your
choice. How many do you want:-Price,
s. pound and not a cent less.-Ihis pack
runs even right through. | made a selcc-
ton OF beaver pelts. though really ddn
want them. Astor helped me to examine
the skins. and bought al about the mark
e. rate, some 800 pounds.
That Is all you want nothing Else
Mr.. Astor asked.
Nothing else,I said in an indifferent way
but, added.I might take just rev otter-
il could buy them right. ] knew A>toT
was loaded with them.
Oh. offers. Well, has lot. u biz lot.
but | ain't willing to divide them. There
may be as many as 1000. Too big for you
TO handle, my boy.
They are very dull Of sale, and would
be most afraid TO take anything like such
big lot You wouldn't divide the lot in
two would you, Mr.. Astori
In two. what. halye them: That. a fair
lot. anyhow.
Yes. it's big lot, seeing how slow they
are of sale.
Slow: Suppose If they were slow. aud
you didn't know what TO do with them,
would you by them: See here, il you
want half the lot you will have 10 pay
more Tor them. My price is tor the whole
OF them three dollars a skin; If You divide
them it will be quarter OF dollar more.
Now, young man. | am busy. Its too big
a line for you. The clerk will make ont
your bill.
think would like to look at the run OF
the skins, / said.
Well, then. all right; my porter will
sort them, and call here tomorrow; and
you can see how they turn out, said Mr..
Astor Now to have delayed the purchase
u day or more, would never have answered
A London packet might come in that al
ternoon, and next morning the news OF a
rise in the fur market might have preyen-
ted my buying the furs at my figures.
cannot conveniently wait over to-day.
| must be off for Philadelphia by noon to-
morrow. Ii you will give me couple Of
men ! will examine these skins myself.
Why. my boy. it will be night before we
are through, and the sun goes down early
now. All right. though; will give you
two men. The skins are up stairs. and you
can work on them--you say 6 O'Clock. l
will be here, and you will say yes or no.
At work went, and getting through the
examination as fast as | could-by 6 o'clok
had ouly halt assorted the otter skins.
At 6 o'clock punctually. Mr.. Astor came
up stairs.
am not half through. said. Mr.. As
tor. now from what have seen, should
make the run OF the skins pretty much as
follows: Twenty-Five per cent. prime
| skins. 40 per cent. second, 20 per cent.
thirds, and the remainder damaged.
No, said Mr.. AstOr there are some bales
you haven't look through which belongs
to the lot. which would make the pos r
skins something like 25 per cent.-But, as
you want to divide, I'd make up fair
average. You are a good worker. | likes
to see young people work; but want my
suppOIt-what you say2 You takes $500
skins at o so? The skins were cheap at
that. and within my limit. Now, for a
good stroke of business, thought to my
self.
Twill tell you what will do, sir will
giveyou two dollars and three quarters for
the whole lot.
So! so! My boy, with fifteen hundred
dollars Of beaver and all them otters. that