The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1890-02-27
THE DEAD ASTOR.
facts Regarding Man Who Owned u
Hundred and Fifty Millions.
N'e,o York Star.

Ne,o York Star.
The grandson of man who, when he
came to New York, was so poor that he
worked for 50 a week, died yesterday,
leaving fortune estimated at $3.50, ,000,.
600. The man was John Jacob Astor,
BE died yesterday morning at 8. 40 O'Clock
at his residence, corner of Thirty-third
Street and Fifth Avenue, of fatty degeu-
Grafton of the heart.
The end was rather sudden. While
abroad during the early part Of the win
ter, Mr.. Astor got the ''grip" in London.
When be returned to America in Decem.
ber he was still suffering from the then
prevailing epidemic. It passed of, but
left him less vigorous than before. He
attended to his business as usual and
took long walks every day, but Friday
morning complained of being i'll.
At 1890 Friday afternoon he was COM
PEELED to 60 to bed. DR.. Morris J. Ashe
of No. 5 West Thirtieth Street, his fami.
ly physician, was summoned, He found
Mr.. Astor quite weak, but apprehended
no immediate danger. Late in the af-
ternoon, however, the patient had an at.
tack from heart failure, to which he was
subject. he rallied from this, but was
again stricken during the.night. He re-.
covered again, but his vitality was so low
that it was apparent that he would sue.
cumb to third attack. The family were
advised that the end was near, and at 3.40
o'clock, when the final attack came, bis
only son, the Hon. William Waldorf
Astor, Mrs. William W. Astor, her sister,
Miss Gibbs, and DR.. Ashe we're at the
bedside. He passed away as he had lived, /,
quietly and peacefully.
John Jacob Astor, was the grandson of
the John Jacob Astor, or Ashdor, as it
was spelled in Germany, who came to
America in 1884 from Waldorf, Germany,
and founded the house which has since
become, probably. the richest in the world.
The first John Jacob was very close in
money matters and shrewd business
man. From his wages of 81 week he
managed.to save enough to 60 into busi-
ness for himself. he travelled about the
country with q pack on his back, and sold
trinkets and arms to the Indians in ex-
change for furs and skins. The profit
was enormous, and extending the scope
of bis operations by organizing chain Of
post trading stations to the far Northwest
he soon had monopoly of the fur trade.
The money that be made he invested in
real estate in this city. Every bit of
property that he could secure he bought.
He made 1t rule of his life to buy or
lease, but never to sell real estate. When
he was fifty years old he was considered
the richest man in America. During
the war of 1872 be bought government
securities at 60 and 70 cents, which, after
the war, doubled in value. His judgment
in business was remarkably sagacious, his
habits industrious and methodical, and
his memory exceedingly tenacious. For
the last twenty Eve years of his life he
lived in quiet retirement. In this period,
in consultation with literary and practi.
cal men, be matured plan for establish
ing public library in New York, the
first suggestion of which had come from
Washington Irving. He left 100000
for founding the Astor Library, which
provision was carried out and added to by
his 500, William Backhouse Astor. His
fortune at the time of his death was es IT,
mated at s20,00Q,000. Fitz Greene Hal
leck, the poet, was bis Secretary and life
long friend.
When John Jacob Astor died, in 1848,
be made his eldest son, William, his sole
heir. Following the example of his
father, he invested largely in real estate
and gave his entire time to the preserva.
tion and extension of the vast estate.
The second John Jacob Astor, his broth.
er, died in infancy. The man who died
yesterday, the third John Jacob Astor,
was the son of William Backhouse Astor,
and was born in 1922. He fell heir to
two.thirds of the enormous property when
his father died, November Gath, 1875.
The other third went to William Astor,
his brother, who survives him. In 1878
John Jacob presented the three lots ad.
joining the Astor Library to that institu-
ton aud erected on them third structure
similar to those erected on them by bis
father and grandfather, and added story
to the central building. His outlay,
exclusive of land, was shout $1,000.
making the entire gift of the Astor
family more than 81, 100000. The story
of bis life is like that of his two immedi.
ate ancestors. He was constantly study.
ing to add to his fortune. At no time
did he come prominently before the
public except as property hoarder. BE
was quiet and retiring and cared nothing
for politics or the ordinary pleasures OF
the rich.
When the war broke out he became
aid do camp on the staff of General
George B. Mcclellan and served for two
years. Returning to New York, he fitted
out company of Zouaves and sent them
to the front. Few incidents of his life
were of noteworthy character. His con.
slant aim was to be richer at the end of
the year than he was at the beginning,
and this endeavor he never failed from
the time be succeeded his father. The
property was enhanced greatly in value
during the past fifteen years, owing to
the great Increase in building in the
upper part of the city. In 1875 it was
ascertained that the Aators owned 792
buildings on Manhatten Island. Two
years ago they owned over one thousand
aud within the past twenty months John
Jacob Astor purchased several hundred
acres of land in the Annexed District.
A statistician figured, a few weeks ago,
that at the ordinary rate of increase in
land values in New York the Astors will,
15O years hence, be worth 100000, 900.
John Jacob Astor never held public
Office, though he WAS ffered::many NOM
nations, all of which he declined. He
was married when twenty.four years old
to Miss Gibbs, who died two years ago.
William Waldorf Astor, ex. Minister to
Italy, and the heir to this vast property,
was the only issue. Mr.. Astor was un-
ostentatious in his charities. He was q
liberal patron of the Childreu's Aid So.
ciety, erecting two of their buildings,
and subscribed for the support of num-
Der of hospitals. To the Cancer Hospi-
tai, which was recently opened, be gave
100000. Though the rule established
By the first John Jacob Astor, never to
sell real estate, has not been strictly
adhered to by his successors, the depar-
lures from it have been few and far
between. Mr.. Southmayd, of EVarts,
Southmayd & Choate, who has been the
lawyer tor the estate for two generations,
said yesterday that every time sale WAS
made there was q good reason for it.
Tho otors lived in q large. roomy but