Audubon County Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) 1885-1894, 1890-02-06
NEW YoRk's ARrsTooRAcY.
Origin Of the Wealth of the Astors,
the VanderbIlts, and the Loriii-

/ Origin OF the Wealth Of the Astors
the vanderbilts, and the LorIli-
ards. - tteh.'.
An old inhabitant writes 10 the New
York Tines. John Jacob Astor, had
his store in Vesey street in the build.
ing in which DIR. Halleck lived. Fit
Green Halleck, the Doctors. son, was
one OF gAstor's clerks. Old Aston got
his start in life by hiring out to a
farrier to beat housekeeping the moths
out OF them--at 81 a day. He was
economical and saving, and presently
began to buy cat furs and muskrat
furs, and when he had accumulated a
lot Of them he took them to England
ana sold them at q large profit. Then
he established his own business here
and extended his connections west
ward and northward until he became
the largest dealer IN the country.
Commodore Vanderbilt was at this
time runningl a perry -auger" (peri-
aqua small ferry-boat carrying two
masts and a leeboard) between quaran-
tine station and the city. and was be-
coming very popular with boatmen and
others who were thrown in his way.
Fulton & Livingston owned an exclu-
sive charter To ran steamboats, between
New York and Albany, and the monop-
oily was paying immensely. Two old
Jerseynen then started an opposition
line, but as they could not run direct
between New York and Albany they got
around the difficulty by going from
New York to Jersey City and making
that the starting point for Albany.
They encountered all sorts of diff.
culties, however, the monopolists go
ing SO far as to willfully run their
boats down and otherwise Gripping
them, and they were threatened with
bankruptcy. ,r- r... --....... ...,.. OIL.
One OF the proprietors was at New
Dorp one day, when he asked old Mr..
Guion if he knew of man who was
competent to take hold of their line
and make success OF it. Yes said
Guion, Il know such man. His name
is Cornell Vanderbilt. He'll take
your boats to the mouth of hell If you
want him to. That's just the man l
want was the response, and in little
while the bargain was concluded and
Cornelius Vanderbilt took charge OF
the line. The monopolists tried every
possible means 10 prevent the line from
doing business in New York, and mt
last put a sheriff on board with in
structions to arrest Vanderbilt if he
should attempt TO move the steamer
from the wharf. Vanderbilt got all
ready TO go. and then stood by with an
ak, and when the wheels had begun o
revolve and there was good strain on
the hawser he up with his ak and cut
the hawser and steamed away to AL
bany with the sheriff on board. A
continuation of his vigorous policy
finally broke up the Fulton & Living
stou monopoly and established the OPP
position line on u profitable basis.
Vanderbilts daughters were wild
kind OF girls. They were perfectly at
home everywhere on Staten island
and were very popular. used to see
them in grocery over there, Sitting
on the counter and swinging their feet,
and talking to the young fellows who
were chatting them. vl.aE g...f
The Lorillards had snuff and to-
oaSco ouoihoSo anu CHey maue BOOu
deal of money out of IL. There were
three brothers OF them-Jacob, and
Peter, and George. Jacob, had a
butcher-shop up near the Bowery the
alter. Peter-that was the Dutch of IT.;
it came to be Pierre after it had been
transplanted into French soil few
months Peter and George were the
snuff and toblcco dealers. After they
got wealthy nothing would do but old
Lorillard must have carriage and a
coat-of-arms upon. He chose for his
coat-of-arms "Who'd thought it-snuff
bought it." This made the people
laugh, and so he changed it after q
while, putting on in place, "Quid
rides" which means "At what do you
laugh?" His tobacco store was In
Chatham street. -.. ........