The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1880-02-14
The nieh nren of Now YorL.

From the New York 1ndspendeat.
Fifty years ago almost, as we can well
remember, there were probably not more
han two millionaries in the city Of New
York, viz: John Jacob Aston and Stephen
Whitney. Theiormer was then estimated
TO be worth s., 100000 and the latter ST.
100000. Mr.. Aston was then undoubtedly
the most wealthy man in America, and
there were but few, probably not a
hundred, in the world who were really
worth more than he. Astor had accumulat-
ed his great property in the fur business:
Whitney had made q large proportion OF
his money In the purchase and sale OF cot
ton. He also inherited o considerable
property. These two men Of that time
stood alone, as we have said, as mil
.lionaires" In this city. Ten years later, or
in 1910, there were several others who
could count their million.
We refer to Peter 6. ~stuyvesant, steph.
en- Van Rensselaer,, Jonathan Hunt, refer
Lorillard, Jacob Lorillard, William i.
Crosby grand nephew Of the rich Henry
Rutgers), James Lenox. Possibly there
were a few other persons who should be
included in this list-although we think
not-yiz: James Debrosses, Peter Har-
mony, Thomas Leggitt, Gen. Morgan
Lewis iacauired mostly through his vile.
who was a Liyingston), John Mason, John
Suydam, Herman Thorne and William E:
Wetmore. We believe the first named
personsin the foregoing list we're all In
The city OF New York who could then
truthiully be called worth a million. We
could give a very long list OF men who
were conspicuous in business circles In
New York between the years 1910 and
1850, besides those above named, vino
were then classed among the rich men Oh
the city worth probably hall a million
each.
A.. T, Stewart invited Lewis Tappan, a
partner in the firm OF Arthur Tappan d Go.
10 come TO his store, then situated near
the present office OF the Independent, TO ex'
anime his stock, books and papers, and re
mort the facts OF his condition to his firm
and the Henry Sheldon French importer.
and several others, from whom Mr.. Stew
art desired considerable credit. Mr.. Tap
pan after a most careful examination, re-
ported Mr.. Stewart to be 'iairly worth
S62, 600 over and above all liabilities
This statement gave all the parties inter
ested implicit confidence In the sound
ness OF Mr.. Stewards financial condition
and thence afterward he had all the credi'
he wanted. Mr.. Stewart stated to Lewis
Tappan, some years after, that the credit
given him as the result OF that examine
lion. gave him o new start In business
and was OF immense advantage to him
He also stated that he most heartily be
lieyed in the principle OF knowing the
exact situation OF every man who wanted
credit"
Our readers will see by the foregoing
that we had comparatively but few rich
men in New York at the time named
seemingly not very far in the past. II
would be almost impossible 10 give q cor
rect list OF the millionaires of New YorE
at the present time. They doubtless mum
Der more than one thousand, while somt
might estimate the number at two thous
and. There are now also a regiment o
men in New York who are worth two mil
lions or more, up to twenty millions
There Is but one individual, probably, ir
this city whose total property would in
yentory above $75,000,000. We refer Il
William II. Vanderbilt, whose interest IL
the stock OF the New York Central anC
Hudson River railroad company alone Ii
said to amount to over S60,0QO,000. He
Is also the holder OF a large amount o.
other securities, including those Of Lake
Shore, Canada Southern and Michigan
| Central railroads, besides several millions
OF governments and considerable amount
OF real estate. The total value OF Mr.
vanderbilt's property, we think, is at least
s90,0 1000, and 1t may possibly las somt
think amount to the round sum OF 500,
100000. The estate OF William B. Astor
at the time OF his death, was generally es
timated at over S%50,000,00O. Very few
persons believed in much higher figures
Since the division OF the William B
Astor.property, real estate in which most
OF his money was invested, has fallen
greatly, and the total property left by hin
would not now, probably, bring his heir
over S~40,000,000. These who are supposed
to have reliable sources Of information
estimated the total value OF the property
OF Alexander T. Stewart at the time OF his
decease at S6O,0 900. The depression
since in real estate would probably bring
the figures down now to S50,000,000 OF
less; although there are those who affirm
that the Stewart property, held by Mrs.
Stewart and Judge Hilton, would inven-
tory now at S60,0O0,000 or more. There
are not now living in the world, probably,
more than five or six persons who are
worth as much money as William Fl.
Vanderbilt, and it is possible there is not
one.
The firm OF Rothschilds in Europe has a
larger aggregate property than Mr.. Van.
derbilt, but 1t Is doubtful whether either
single member OF this eminent banking
firm is worth 500, 900. There are three
or four persons among the nobility oil
England who hold a vast amount Of prop.
erty handed down to them through many
generations, and among these may be
found, perhaps, one or more persons who
have the control Of property which they
cannot sell, worth Sl00, 10000. When 90
years more shall roll round, there will
doubtless be found hundreds Of men who
will be able to show far greater wealth
than any OF those nov on the stage; but
we will not attempt to make figures for
that distant period.
~
Jim Blaine Of Maine.
Warrington letter in yesterdays Chicago Tribune.
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