Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-12-20
WEALTH OF THE AST0RS.
REAL ESTATE THE FOUNDATION
OF THE FORTUNE.

NEW YORK, Dec. 1S.-Estimates OF
Vanderbilt's fortune naturally lead TO
comparisons between that fortune ana
those Of other wealthy families OF New
York. The name Of Astor suggests the
fact that there are more roads team one
leading to the coveted goal Of wealth. The
Vapderbilts made their fortune by bold
strokes in the world Of railways and
stocks. Not so the Astors, however. An
old inhabitant. not 1.-THE oldest" in speak
ing OF the Astors, has given some anec-
dotes concerning the founder OF the
Iine-the orr Sinal John Jacob Aston. One
OF his friends, Maj Mordecai NJ. Noah,
editor OF the Times and Messenger, went
TO him at the time the New York and
New Haven Railroad was projected, to
get him to take stock in the road. Among
otter arguments be urged that il would
enhance the price OF real estate.
"Exactlv." was Mr.. AstoT's reply; u
know it: but you must remember th't
am buying and not selling. Here lies the
secret OF the enormous fortune accumC-
lated by the family. They have never sold
any land, they have bought. TIE old man
was close. but not misery. At one time,
one Of his collectors Of rents lost pocket
BOOK containing $4,000, and Aston knew
that his story was true. he man bad
large family and had saved nothing. so
Astor pardoned him and promised
20 make 1t up. "Here,' said
he. ''is check made payable to bearer Tor
$1,000. Get tue money and pay IN the
rents Just az If YOU had brought them IN
all right, and never mention 1t 10 living
soul. Those people at the Office must
never think that YOU and l are so care
less" The Astors have always been good
TO those who served them faithfully. He
left his secretary, Fitz Greene Halleck,
$500 a year. because the latter had as
sured him that be would feel passing
rich' with that amount. One OF bis book
keepers had reached the age OF 60 and
proposed to retire. He was a bachelor and
boarded at Stevens hotel, where the
Stats ZeituHq building now stands. Mr..
Aston asked him whether he would prefer
81 900 in hand or to have his board paid
as long Is ne lived. The bOokkeeper chose
the latter alternative, and he was right,
for he lived TO be almost 90 and was per-
enniaI yoke to bis Old employer. A ma
jOritv Of the houses built Oy this family
have been erected under the supervision Of
Can't. Webb. a mason by TRADE originally,
and DOW a man Of means, living in Morton
street. He erected the buildings so long
used for the business Offices Of The As
tors. on Prince street. near Broadway,
and when they were torn down 10 make
way for the LARGE structure thai now
sta nds there the Astors sent for Old Capt.
Webb, who had done the mason WORK 90
tue bu .idings fly years before, and at the
age Of % be put on his apron, took the
trOwel in hand. and with all his old-time
skill laid line Of bricks-Or rather re-
laid some Of the same bricks that he had
laid half a century before. Then, with
others Of the Aston employees, be sat down
70 a CONNIE mOratiye banquet and made a
good speech al its end.
THE HEATHEN CHINEE.
The Characterization Of the Chinese in
this city has had a disbursement. Six
separate sunday schools for Cinnamon
have been established here, ranging from
the fashionable mission OF Grace Church
to the class gathered by "MiraculOus''
Simpson, faith curer, who operates on
his own account. Altogether about 200
Cinnamon have been recruited by these
evangelists, and it was supposed, from
the readiness Of the Orientals to assert
their firm belief that in orthodoxy, thai
the WORK was highly successful. But
this week is devoted by the Chinese quar-
ter to a Qualification OF joss in z new
temple provided for him. The prosperity
OF the Chinese in New York is as .ribed
By them wholly 10 the benignity of their
heather god. and they are worshipiug
him with intense ferYor. Inyesti alton
shows that few, If any, OF the avOwed
converts TO Christianity have kept alOof
from the ceremonies. The truth seems to
be that the attendants in Sunday schools
are there purely for the sake OF getting an
education in the English language.
REVIVAL IN UPPER-TENDOM.
New York is rather deeply excited at
The present time by religious revival Of
propOft iOns that have become extensive
without attracting the attention Of the
papers or being vigorously pushed by the
ordinary advertising methods adopted in
such cases. II was begun some months
ago by the Episcopal churches. 1t is the
very proper thing nowadays 10 get M
church parties Of an evening instead of
going to the theatre, and any young lady
who patrOniZes the opera more than once
"A week is regarded as an extremely light
ard shocking person. II would naturally
be supposed that such a condition or
things would exercise a dampening effect
upon the ordinary amusements Of a city
like New Y Ork. aad the fact that the only
Institution IL has vet struck at is the
opera goes 20 show that a great deal Of the
revival excitement is confined TO upper
tendon. Col. Mapleson's season IN New
York. as every one is aware. was aban-
uDDcu DtCduHt II proven "A moro disastrous
failure than had ever been conceived OF.
and the German opera AZ the Metropolitan
where Il is being magnificently done. and
is Viewed by crowded houses, is not In
reality the enormous financial success
which external appearances indicate.
One night, ONLY short time ago, receipts
% the extent Of $4,000 we're claimed hv
the mana cement, when in reality they
did not reach twO-thirds Of that amount.
This condition Of things Is claimed to be
largely due % the religious fever occupy
Ing the attention Of the best OF the young
people Of social New York. The influence
has not yet spread in any marked degree
10 the other theatres, which, however. are
likely to feel 1t as the revival gets about
among the general class OF amusement
patrons. still the theatrical season I'm
New York remains by long odds the best
that has ever been seen, in spite OF the re-
vival. and for the Immediate future IL is
only the heightened order OF public enter.
tainment that 10 likely TO suffer.
ENGLISH BEAUTIES.
One hears much discussion NOWADAYS
upon the relative beauty OF American wo-
men as compared with tho women Of other
nations. As England is the country
most visited and most highly bonOred bv
the fiattery Of our imitation, il is with
English women that our beauties have 70
run the gauntlet. The rich young fellows
who have fallen into the habit OF going
over for the London season, and have
been put upon their social feet through
the patriotism Of Lady Manderille, Lady