The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1880-01-23

herited Fortunes.
Fifty years ago, almost, as we can
well remember, says. the Independent,
there were probably not more than two
millionaires in the city of New York,
viz, John Jacob Astor and Stephen
Whitney. The former was then esti-
mated to be worth $5,000,000, and the
latter 81 100000. Mr.. Astor was then,
undoubtedly, the most wealthy man in
America, and there were but few, prob
ably not a hundred, in the world who
were really worth more than he. Aston
had accumulated his great property in
the fur business. Whitney had made
a large proportion of bis money in the
purchase and sale of cotton. He also
inherited considerable property.
These two men at that time stood
alone, as we have said, as "millionaires'
in this city. Ten years later, or say in
1910, there were several others who
could count their million. We refer to
Peter G.. Stuyvesant, Stephen Van
Rensselaer,, Jonathan Hunt, Peter Lorll-
lard, Jacob Lorillard, William b. Cros-
by granddaughter of the rich Henry
Rutgers), James Lenox. Possibly there
were few other persons who should be
included in this list.
We could give very long list OF men
who were conspicuous in business circles
in New York between the years 1910
and 1850, besides those above named,
who were then classed among the rich
men OF the city, worth probably half a
million each. Alexander T.. Stewart
and Cornelius Vanderbilt were not at
that time rated as worth 100000 each !;
but they undoubtedly were, and posi-
bly, should be classed among the few
millionaires of those days. 1t would be
almost impossible to give correct list
of the millionaires of New York at the
present time. They doubtless number
more than 1000, while some might es-
innate the number at 1900. There are
now also regiment of men in New York
who are worth 100000 or more, up
to $20,000,000. There is but one indi-
vidual, probably, in this city whose total
property would inventory above $751;
100000. We refer to Mr.. William H.
Vanderbilt, whose interest in the stock
of the New York Central and Hudson
River Railroad Company alone is said
to amount to over $60,000,000. He is
also the holder of large amount of
other securities, including those of
Lake Shore, Canada Southern and Mich
gan Central railroads, besides several
millions of governments and a consid-
cradle amount of real estate. The total
value OF Mr.. Vanderbilt's property, we
think, is at least $90,000,000, and it may
possibly (as some think amount to the
round sum of $l00.000,000.
The estate of Mr.. William B. Aston,
at the time of his death, was generally
estimated at over $50,000,0OO. 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 in
vested. has fallen greatly, and the total
property now left by him would not
now, probably, bring his heirs over
$40,000,000.
Those who are supposed to have re-
liable sources of information estimated
the total value of the prop
erty of Mr.. Alexander L. Stew
uIb dJ buc tluc Ol Ills ueccdSe NJ
$60,000,000. The depression since in
real estate would probably bring the
figures down to $50,000,000 or less
although there are those who affirm
that the Stewart property, held by Mrs.
Stewart and Judge Hilton, would in
ventory now at $50, 100000 or more.
There are not now living in the world,
probably, more than five or six persons
who are worth as much money as Mr..
VIM. III. Vanderbilt, and it is possible
there is not one. The firm of Roths-
chjlds in Europe has larger aggregate
property than Mr.. Vanderbilt, but it is
doubtful whether either single member
of this eminent banking firm is worth
S100,000,000. There are three or four
persons among the nobility of England
who hold vast amount of property
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 $l00,000,000.
When fifty 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 now
on the stage; but we will not attempt
to make figures for that distant period.