The Lebanon express. (Lebanon, Linn County, Or.) 1887-1898, 1890-08-01
NEW YoRks plurocRArs.
Origin OF the Fortunes Of the Astors, the
vanderhiits and the Loriiiards.

John Jacob Astor had his store In
versey street, In the building In which
DIR. Halleck- lived. Fitz Greene Hal
leck, the doctors son. was one of AS
tors clerks. Old Astor got his start In
life by hiring out TO a furrier 10 beat
furs-keeping the moths out OF them
at dollar day. He was economical
and saving, and presently began to
buy cat furs and muskrat furs, and
when he had accumulated q lot OF
them he took them 10 England and
sold them at a large profit. Then he
established his own business here and
extended his connections westward
and northward until he became the
largest dealer in the country.
Commodore Vanderbilt was at this
time running .'perry-augern (peri-
aqua small ferry boat, carrying two
masts and lee boaiql) between Quar-
antine Station and the city. aud was
becoming very popular with boatmen
and Others who were thrown In his
way. Fulton a Livingston owned an
exclusive charter to run steamboats,
between New York and Albany, and
the monopoly was paying Immensely.
Two old Jerseymen then started an
opposition line, but "a they could not
run direct between New York and
Albany they got around the difficult by
going from New York to Jersey City,
and making that the starting point for
Albany. They encountered all sorts
of difficulties, however, the monopo-
lists going 80 far as to wilIfuIly run
their boats down and otherwise Grip
pling them. aud they were threatened
with bankruptcy.
One of the proprietors was at New
Dorp one day, when he asked old Mr..
Guion IL he knew OF man competent
10 take hold Of their line and make q
success of II. Yes said GuioI, Il
( kn5'E such man. His name IL Corr
neeI Vanderbilt. He'll take your
boats to the mouth of hell IL you want
him to- That's just the man | want. /"
was the response. aud in little while
the bargain was concluded and Cor
nelius Vanderbilt took charge OF the
line. TIE monopoiists tried every
possible means 10 prevent the line
| from doing business in New York, and
Z at last put a Sheriff on board with in
structions to arrest Vanderbilt II he
/ should attempt to move the steamer
+ from the wharf Vanderbilt got all
ready to 90 aud then stood by with an
/ az, and when the wheels had begun to
rerolve and there was good strain on
I the hawser he up with an az and cut
+ the hawser and steamed away to Al
I bany with the Sheriff on board. A
continuation Of the vigorous policy
finally broke up the Fulton q Living
ston monopoly aud established the OPP
position line on profitable basis.
Vanderbilt's daughters were wild
kind Of girls. They were perfectly at
home eyerywhere ON Staten Island and
were very popular. used TO see them
In n grocery over there sitting on the
counter swinging their feet aud talk
ing 10 the young fellows who were
chatting them.
The Loriilards had a snuff and to-
bacco business. and they made a good
deal of money out of il. There were
three brothers Of them-Jacob and
Peter and George. Jacob had butcher
shop mp near the Bowery Theater.
Peter-that was the Dutch of IL: il
came To he Pierre after IL had been
transpianted into French soil a few
months; Peter aud George were the
snuff aud tobacco dealers. After they
got wealthy. nothing would do but old
Lorillard most have carriage and q
coat-of-arms upon It. He chose for
his coat-of-arms. Who'd thought il
-snun bought it," This made the
people laugh, aud so he changed il
after while, putting on in place;
"Quid rides. which means: AT what
do you laugh?" His {, baceo store
was in Chatham street--N. 4. Times.