The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1888-04-21
THE AsroR FORTUNE.

! Enormous Wealth that Does not Ex.
cite Envy. a Fortune That Grows
bigger and Bigger-How 1t Was
Built Up-John jacob Aston the
First.
The recent death Of Mrs. John Jacob
Astor and the universal regret at the
sad occurance brings once more into
prom nance the fact that Of all the
great fortunes accumulated In this
country the Aston fortune has excited
the least envy. Mrs. Astor's most sim
cere as well as by far most numerous
circle OF mourners were among the
poor. While il is true that the bulk of
the enormous wealth of the Astors is
composed of what such social reform
ers as Henry George call the unearned
increment, representing the advance in
value of large and jud cious invest
ments n real estate, 1t still remains true
that among the poorer classes in New
York when the rich are denounced for
greed and hearllessness somehow the
Astors, the richest of the rich are rare
Il included in the denunciation.
1t must be confessed that the origina-
tor of the Aston fortune was not gifted
W th an unlue stock of the milk Of hui
| man X Indness. John Jacob Aston. the
first, the grandfather of the present
heir of the fortune, was born at Wal
Gorf, in Baden, in 1853. His father
was a small farmer with large family
and john jacob. the fourth son. started
on foot at the age of II to seek his
fortune. Walk ng to the nearest sea-
port ho sailed for London. where one
of his brothers had p ano factory.
He worked in his brother factory for
two years, at the end OF which time his
savings amounted to Is guineas. In
ves.ing 10 guineas in lot of cheap
musical instruments and buying steer
age passage to Baltimore with the 9TH
er 8, he sailed from London early In
November. 1888. being then just turn.
ell 20. His vessel was caught in the
ice in Chesapeake bay and detained
two months before it could reach Balti-
more, where he finally landed March
10, 1884.
During his long Imprisonment on the
ice, which he doubtless regarded all
the time as great hardship. he learned
the secret upon which he afterward
founded his enormous fortune. A Ger
man furrier was among his fellow pass
engers. and while smoking tneir pipes
to VIII lie away the long winter nights
he enterta ned young Astor with stor.
les of his adventures among the Indians
in search of valuable fur, telling him
how cheaply they could be purchased
with few gaudy trinkets, and how
dearly they could be sold in the London
market. Young Aston landed. dispos'
ed of his mus cal instruments at a pro-
fit and proceeded Immediately to New
York. where an older brother was al
ready LIVING but not prospecting. John
Jacob obtained temporary employment
in bakers shop. and n the summer
of 1884 entered the service of Robert
Browne, q kind-hearted old Quaker, a
the nun ficent salary of $2 week anC
his board. His bus ness was beating
and packing furs. He worked faith
fully and at the end of the first yeal
his wages was raised. Here he worked
for two years, learning the details O
the fur business. and in 1886 set up {
little shop of his own on Water street.
He did all of his own work. buving
beating, packing and selling his skins
laboring from dawn till dark. Follow
ing the hint secured from his compan
ion on his voyage TO his new home HI
made long journeys with pack on biz
back to the hunting grounds of thu
Mohawk. Seneca, Oneida and othel
tribes OF Indians, making his tiresom'
and perilous tr ps return him hand
some profit. He thus became an ex
pert in the choice of fine furs. acquirin!
love for the business that amounted
to enthusiasm. which he displayed il
after years by hang ng the walls of hi
office with the choicest furs instead o
pictures.
He had now become prosperou
enough to afford to marry. choosing
for his wife Sarah Todd, connection
of the Brevoort family Besides he
pretty self, his bride brought him $500
which the thrifty bridegroom ms stet
on seeing counted down before tn
MARI age was solemnized. Mrs. AstO
entered heartily into her husband
schemes for increasing his wealth, AM
soon became more expert than he i
the selection of furs and skins. In 1873
he ret red from business worth 800.
600, 900, which was doubled by judiciou
Investments in real estate during tn
remaining eighteen years of his life
Age mellowed the hard-fsted old Ger
man and he gave $50. 600 to the poo
of his nat We town of Waldorf and $500,
O0o for the founding of the Aston Ii
brarv, besides some other charitabl
legacies. He died in 184S by far til
wealthiest man in the country at tha
time.
The Aston fortune has been unlik
most American fortunes in anothe
particular besides that of exciting it'll
envy. 1t has lasted through four ger
erations and is constantly increasing
The rule has been that the sons G
grandsons, at farthest, squandered i
r,otous wing what the fathers o
grandfathers accumulated. The fort
une of forty millions left by John Js
cob Aston nearly forty years ago hs
grown from 5000. 600 600 to $500. 600
900 in the hands of his namesake an
and grandson and will soon descend
his great grandson, w liam Waldo'
..-sIR tn