Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1884-1886, 1886-03-12
JOHN JACOB AST0R.
THE FOUNDER OF THE AMERICAN
BRANCH OF THE FAMILY.
His Industry. Independence. Enterprise
and Shrewdness-A Fortunate Cir
CONFERENCE.-The SSndal Wood
Eonopoiy-The China Trade.

John Jacob Astor, the founder Of the
American branch Of the family. was born at
Waldorf, Baden on the 18th Of July, lstS.
His father was a small farmer with q large
family Jacob was the youngest of four
sons. When Il he left home and walked to
the ncares. seaport, where he embarked for
London Soon after his arrival Aston deter
mined to carry out his long -cherishs-i desire
Of establishing himself in the New World
One-third of his fortune was paid for steer
age passage on board Of q vessel bound for
Baltimore The vessel left London early in
November, l.sS, and after long and stormy
voyage arrived in the Chesapeake about the
middle Of january. The winter was very
severe one and the bay was completely
frozen over For nearly two months the
vessel remained ice-bound. and it was not
until the 10th Il March that the hartor OF
Baltimore was reached.
The PRovERBIAL ILLwISD,
This long detention in the frozen waters OF
the Chesapeake bay, which. perhaps, was re-
sarricd as a great hardship at the time, was
the origin of John Jacob Astor's fortuna
On the passage out he male the aoquaint-
ancc Of German employed in the fur trade.
Over their pips during the long winter
nights in the bay, he bsguilSd the ts-iIiIm OF
the hours by relating To John Jacob his ad-
ventures among the Indians in search OF
furs, With German frankness he impaired
TO the young emigrant the secret of the bust
ness-how, for a few trinkets. skins could
be bought from the indians and sold with
great profit TO the furriers OF View York,
bu: that the most profitable mode Of dealing
In furs was 10 buy in America and szl IN
LONDON, where skins were worth five tines
more than In New York Astor treasured
up this information, resolving at Do distant
day to avail himself Of IL Soon after land
ing a; Baltimore. Astnr end his companion
has.enei 70 New York.
Early in the summer to lisa be hired HIM
self 70 one Robert Bovine, who . rs-nfsors,d
Is -kin.i-hearfed Old Quaker His princi-
rai duty va< 20 beat fnrs day after day,
SUMMER and winter His wages were e
week and his board He worked hard. and
q; the end Of the 6r<t month his wages were
raised This was the first introduction 20
the fur business 70 which he was Insebsed
for the commsncemen; Of the Ars-f fortune
ever accumulated by . single Individual
IN America half century ago He loved
fars, and in his latter year, Was aessssfnussd
"a have handsome specimens hung up IN hn
counting ru.o-l, as oeber nsea have pscsuruA
He took pleasure in seeing, showing and ~
mirinS the:u He wak nss sAsassi<d 70 70
main hong worker for another. Il isSi.
With . few dollars capital. be 81 up for him
sslf In little shop On Water ssrese He did
everything fo- hirsr>eif. for be v.s TOO poor
70 employ osbsrx he bought, cur~d, bea.,
sold and parksi his skins, l.sorins from
dawn 20 dusk With pack on his hsch and
on foot be made lnnS and dsn<-ro1s jour
rseys 10 the indian country. climbing sroun-
sair.s. w.dinS o. swimming nverS Until hs
r-a,hess the hccss a the xocawh, Searaa.
Ossesiss AID cshr.r Indian rit<>
ON rHr Road TO yosfyNK
On Ast.xas fr<s br<ines voyage - Lnosoa
be found ready z,arhes fr hS fun, e -