Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-02-16
FOUNDERS OF RICH HOUSES.
Origin of the Wealth of the Astors. the
yanderb;its, and tho Loriliards.
Mar York Ttma11

new 1Ork
John Jacob Aston had his store in Vesey
street in the building in which DR.. Halleck
lived. FitZ-Greene Halleck, the Doctors
son. was one of Astor's clerks. Old Astor
got his start in life by hiring out to O fur:
rer to beat housekeeping the moths out OF
them--at dollar day. He was economi-
cal and saving and presently began TO ouy
cat furs and muskrat furs. and when he
had accumulated lot of them he took
them to England and sold them ut a large
profit. Then ne established his own busl-
ness hero and extended his connections
westward and northward until he became
the largest dealer in the country:
Commodore Vanderbilt was ut this time
running a "perry-auger (periagns-.-a
small ferry-bOnt, carrying two masts ana
lee-board) between quarantine station ana
the city, and was becoming popular WIN
boatmen and Others who were thrown IN
his way. Fulton Livingston owned an
exclusive charter to run steamnoatS pc
tween New York and Albany, and the mo,
nopoly was paying immensely. Two oiu
Jerseymen then started an opposition line.
but as thev could not run direct between
New York and Albany they got around the
difficulty by gong from New York TO Jer-
sey CITY and making that the starting point
for Albany. They encountered All sorts OF
difficulties. however, the nonopoilsts going
80 far as to wilfully run their boats down
and otherwise Gripping them, and they
were threatened with bankruptcy.
One of the proprietors was az Dew Drop
one day. when he asked Mr.. Guion II ne
knew of a man who was competent to take
hold of their line and make success OF 1t.
Yes said Guion, ~ know OF sucha 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
WANT was the response, and IN little
while the bargan was concluded and Cor
nelius Vanderbilt took charge OF the line.
The monopOllsts tried every possible means
10 prevent the line from doing business IN
New York, and at last put sheriff on
board with instructions to arrest Wander
bilt if be should attempt to move the
steamer from the wharf.
Vanderbilt got all ready TO 60. and then
stood by with an axe. and when the wheels
had BEGUN to reyOlye and there was good
strain on the hawser he up with his axe
and cut the hawser and steamed away to
Albany with the Sheriff on board. A con
tinuation of his vigorous policy hnaliy
broke up the Fulton Il Livingston mo
nopoly and established the opposition line
on n profitable basis.
Vanderbilt's DAUGHTERS were q wild kind
of girls. They were perfectly at home
everywhere on Staten Island and were
popular. used to see them in n grocery
store over there sitting on the counter and
swinging their feet and talking to the
young fellows who were chatting them.
The Iorillards had snuff and tobacco
business. aud they made good deal of
money out Of Il. There were three bro
theirs OF thorn Jacob. and Peter, and
George. Jacob had a Duteher-shoD up near
the Bowery Theatre. Peter--that was the
Dutch of it; it came to be Pierre after u
had been transplanted into French soil
a few months-Peter and George were
tie snuff aud tobacco dealers. After
but old Lorillard must have car
rage and a coat-of-arms upon it., He chose
for his coat-of-arIns, Who'd thought 1t,
snuff bought it," This made the people
laugh, and so he changed it after 2 while,
putting on in place "Quid rides" which
means AT what do you laugh!" His to-
bacco store was in Chatham street.