New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-07-12
GIFTS TO THE ASTOR LIBRARY.
WHAT THE DIFFERENT MEMBERS OF THE
FAMILY HAVE DONE FOR THE INSTITUTION.

WHAT THE DIFFERENT Mf'Mbr'N' VI
FAMILY HAVE DONE FOR THE lNSIlIC IIoN'
William Waldorf Astor bad always taken great
interest In the Aston Library. In ls7l ne was
elected a trustee IN plnce OF the late aahue'
ard served for about year, rcsignng because Oh
n, appIn,mont by President Arthur rs NhiSfr l"
I,,Iv ON the death If his fathcr John Jncob Asior
IN 500 ne WI, again made n trustee bur d"c'ilel
10 serve owing 10 his absence abroad Al 'n',
time also lie gave to the library a colecun u
paintings and other works Of art valued at F'''o''
In that collection there were twenty-five paIu''hss
valued at $4,000. The largest Is the " Lro1e dc
yestale.- bv Hector LcrOnx which was exhibited
NJ the salon Of 1880 IL represents inc h'c''''
Of n temple Of the vcsla ut Rome. Two large siner
u,,,re piciutrs signed by Jules Lefebro AID Tony
Rot ert Fleury represent respectively "Nrgnlh ana
Charlotte Coiin: ut Caen." Other figure pieces
are Mcissonicr's L'Escalier' and "Condotu'rtIar-
caisr C. l.. Mucr's Mother and Child and can
vases by Bernc BellecouI, knaus, lerter, D. H.
Irving and jules Emile snntin. Scnrcycrs Abb
81 Kinder leaving COrsantlnople Is 4 characteristic
example Of that artists work which is In this col
rc,ion. Il the animal painters, schenck IS repre-
sented by a picture Of sheep, finely executed. ana
in narines IRE W. r. Richards Portsmouth Light
n Aurwcgfnn cOnst sceno hy A. Wahlberg. and II
picture OF becamrd ship by Clay. WERNER IS
represented by picture OF strand and figures, and
venetian Sails by h. swain Clifford, and Colman's
y
There arc also sim HE pieces by So Jean and
Robe.
There are Interesting brOnzcs and statue OF
n "Vcstal Virgin bv RosscttI Large painted porcc
balm vases tall clock and two large plaques Of porcc-
lain complete tho collection.
William Waldorf Astor also gave the Astor Lihra:y
4 portrait OF Alexander Hamilton. painted by Daniel
huntington
Among his other gifts were n number Of curIou; AMI
l,Ie ~ he
In existence Of the original edition Of Cplumbus'S letter
describing his discoveries In the New World. Though
only small folio Of three or four leaves II IS now
worth over $1,000. Mr. Robbins Little. the superin-
endcnt, aad yesterday afternoon that Mr.. AstJr had
OF late years done great deal Of research I'm the
library In connection with his literary work.
The library was founded In lsis. through beque~t
Of 100000 left by the first John Jacob Aston II
was with Til, money that the portion Of the library
building knows Us the South Hall was erected. and
the collection Of books begun. William b. Astor,
the Of the founder. continued The family bene-
factions. giving altogether about $3.50 600. building
tho Middle Hall. the part Of the library in winch /.
The present entrance. Ills son. John Jacob AStor,
went even further IN the way OF Its 10
the institution. lie gave. In ALL over $4,000,
and nko much personal care and
attention. For many years, h. acted a, treasurer
the library, managing all It's finances and In
vestmen,s lie also erected the North Hall, thus com
death he cft 't to the in,uuoH bcqncs Of 400
900. 1t first thought that legacy tax would
have 10 be paid Oh 1t, and William Waldorf Asior
at offered t. mako this good TO the library.
II was later found that an exemption By the state
from such taxation made this unnecessary.
The library Is governed by board Of trustees.
The boards fi,t president was Washington Irving.
lie followed by William b. AStJr and Alexander
Hamilton, II grandson OF the great statesman.
Dr. +. NJ Mnrkoc, the fourth and present prcs!-
dent has been IN Office about twenty years In 1888.
when John Jacob Aston became II trustee the num-
Der Of book. IN the library was 10000. In 1870 il
l52.i+6 and I'm 1890, 33j,lol. The number
oi books called for In 1890 was 1854, and the
number ~ readers GIFTS.
Mr. Little said that he did not know whether or
not William Waldorf Astor had left any bcducst to
tho library.