The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-01-31
THREE RICH FAMILIES.
How Times Have Changed and Es-
timaCss, Too

recall the time, don't you, when men
worth $4,000, ever aud above their debts,
were considered richa
How is it now.
Well q man who has a million, over and
above his debts, 10 thought well off, but
there are hundreds worth $1,000, 900, over
and above their debts. There are scores
worth S4O,00O,00O over and above their
debts. The Astors-we lump the Astors
together because their estates are held in
that way-are estima cd at bedrock prices
to be worth 100000, 200. William H. Van
derbllt left about $3.50 600 OO0, and jay
Gould holds property, it is generally be-
lieved, worth $S0,O00,OO0 in the market,
which would bring at forced sales at least
$50,00O,00O. The Rockefelers. Flagler.
Archbold. Bishop and other coworkers are
popularity put at from $40, 100000 to $780,
900 900 each.
WEALTHY GROUP.
Things are changing somewhat
l saw IN the opera house recently, ten
men whose combined fortunes, as registered
In the commercial reports, equal $3.50 O00,-
900. All this before we touch the little 3d.
100000, 5000. 900, $3,00O.0U0 of men and
women SO numerous in New York city
alone, that ones fingers and toes are not suf-
hcient e. illustrate their number.
How do these men spend their money!
The Astors as rule spend their money as
hen spends her vital force. She laws eggs
continuously and the Astors buy property
right straight along. One of them has an
expensive yacht. They all have very fair
horses and decorous equipments. and
once in score Of years or SO
they venture to give an entertainment or
80. but they spend no money. The Wander
bits, of whom we now have the fourth
generation, are outworking on different
lines. The old man Vanderbilt was as close
as the bark on tree. Still it is fair to re-
member he gave 81, 100000 to a southern
| university, and he gave magnificent
| steamer to the government, but he held his
own and left it to his immediate family.
He gave his sons and daughters splendid
residences He INDUCED himself in gallery
OF well selected pictures. fine horses, a
magnificent residence.
THIRD GENERATIONS DIFFER.
Yet outside of his domesticity he spent
very little money.
The third generation seems to have been
born with different ideas from those which
We're obtained in the time Of either their
father or grandfather. They are first of al,
well-behaved, modest, industrious domes-
ticians. They live sumptuously. None of
them apparently cares much for horses
The eldest has invested In a mag,
nltlcent country place, owns q stock
farm, and gives largely to worthy
charitable objects The other, William. has
spent an immense amount OF money on his
yacht, has paid very heavy rents abroad
for shooting places, and owns fine country
residence. His charities, too, are numer-
GUS, and like those Of his brother, Cornelius
ara along the line Of public beneficence. and
bid fair to be of use to generations yet I'M
born.
The Gould family spend no money COM
paratively.
Mr.. Gould has fine house In town. and a
magnificent country place and very
pretty yacht. His one extravaganza seams
to be bis conservatory. His boys spend no
money. comparatively speaking. George is
the only married one. He lives quietely
with his wife and baby in a modest. brown
stone house and has a little inexpensive
yacht. He cares nothing for horses
and knows no pleasure save that which
is found in his home and his bust
ness. His brother, Eddy, is Of different
mold, and bids fair, in spite of his fathers
preference for George, TO be the man of the
family, that is, IL the man OF the family Is
the one who hos the most money. 1t is said
that pretty recently he coppered George
pretty badly, as he has done before, and as
he once successfully did with his respected
papa.
THE THREE RICH FAMILIES.
Now, here are the great families, 80 far as
money is concerned-the Astors, who spend
comparatively nothing; the Vanderbilts
whose outgo is infinitesiinal, when con-
trasted with their income and the Goulds.
who literally do not spend as much money
in five years as many mon with tenth of
their holdings spends in a year.
1t seems to me that the normal effect up
on the community at large Of these great
fortunes in the hands of individuals, is a
silly desire on the part of the people of
humble means to spend moro money than
they can afford, in order that they may
keep up appearances. 1t is somewhat re-
markable. and very fortunate fact, that all
the Vanderbilt boys are hard-work-
ing, business. practical men. Sup
pose they were spendthrifts? Sup
pose they were idle, diss0lute fellows,
throwing their money away in british dissi-
patton. Why they could spend thousands
of dollars where these other fellows can
spend pennies. How absurd 1t would be
then to attempt TO rival them along that
line.
The Astors are all money grubbers.
There was one of them, to be sure, who
was a little fond of John Barleycorn, but
he had no brains TO speak of, and was sim
ply put aside as an unworthy member of
the family. They are devoted to the ex-
tension of the Aston estate, that is all. But,
suppose the contrary, suppose they were
bright enough to appreciate thegood things
Of life, and, after getting taste should be-
come exhilarated and excited TO the point
of dissipation, how foolish it would be for
men Of moderate means to try to outrIval
th9m.
The same way wit b the Goulds.
They make and save. They do not spend
or recklessly throw away; they are practi-
cal industrious, self-respscting, and, there
fore, generally respected men.
1t is the newly rich that make displays.
1t is the paper that has just sprung into
notice that hurrahs about circulation, 1t
is the woman who for the first time owns a
lace shawl, who tells you what it cost 1t
is the daughters of this kind Of cattle,
whom you see displayin great wheel dia-
monds at the breakfast table in public
places, and whom you encounter with tooth
picks at an angle Of forty-five degrees from
their pretty poutiDg mouths. ] think see
in the young men-the successful men of
this and other cities, with incomes ranging
from $4,000 on to $4,000 year-the bale
full effects Of the very rich-of the imperial
fortunes Of the day developed along the
lines of personal display.
They haunt their incomes.
They parade their horses. They talk too
much about their trips. They hoist little
too high the gonfalon Of their prosperity.
Why, you see. il they we're TO encounter
any Of the 100 tremendously rich families,
that any OF us can call off on our fingers,
men Of similar tastes. how quickly they