The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-12-18
THE GOSPEL OF WEALTH.
AMERICAS RECORD OF CHARITY
AND PHILANTHROPY.

Doing of Good-Men of Benefcent
Deeds-A Long List Beginning With
John Jacob Aston and Ending With
the Splendid Givers of To-day.
RSfaas r. WILSON IN NetU York Press,
Andrew Carnegie recently defined ''the
gospel Of wealth" as the expenditure OF ones
riches during life for the benefit of the
masses. Mr.. Carnegie is one of those men
who practice what they preach. In this he
is not alone in well doing, for 1.-THE gospel of
wealth" has had In the past and has in the
present more noble and generous adherents
In America than in any other
country. First on the list of New
York philanthropists stands the name
OF John Jacob Astor, the singular
and eccentric genius who landed here with
out q dollar and In a period of fifty
years built up a fortune that is now the
most colossal In the world. He gave $780,,
600 TO found the Astor library, and made
other liberal requests for benevolent pur-
poses, one being $4,000 TO found a school
for poor children at Waldorf, Germany, his
birthplace. The philanthropio example set
by the founder of the house Of Astor has
been followed by his descendants. His son,
William Backhouse Aston. gave $3.50, 600 TO
she Astor library during his life, and made
many other charitable requests, including
$4,000 to st. Luke's hospital in this city.
William b. Assor's eldest son, John Jacob
the second, gave $500 600 to the Astor
William, made charitable bequests
amounting 70 over 100000. William w al
derf and Johp Jacob the third, the present
heads OF the house of Aston, have already
shown that they know how to make wise
and liberal use of their great wealth. Capt.
Robert Richard Randall, founder Of
the Sailors Snug Harbor on Staten Island,
was New Yorker. he received an i'm
nense fortune from his father, who had
been successful prlvateersman during the
revolution. Perhaps it was his fathers call
ing that induced the son in 1901 to bequeath
bis large holdings of real estate in this city
for the purpose of founding home for aged
and disabled seamen. The income from this
bequest now amounts to nearly $500 900
yearly, and the home which il supports on
Staten Island gives shelter to more than
1000 old sailors. Ii is the only institution
OF its kind in the world.
FOUNDED THE LENox LIBRARY.
James Lenox, a millionaire, as eccentric
In bis character and on his ways As was the
frat John Jacob Aston, founded the famous
Lenox library, to which he gave sums
amounting to S., 1000. 900, and for many
years he was secret but generous giver to
ali worthy objects. The Cooper Institute
stands as an enduring monument TO the
wisdom and generosity Of Peter Cooper. His
gifts to IL amounted in all to $3.50, 600. His
other charities were twice as large as the
enormous estate which be left at his death.
During the panic Of 1873 his library table
was piled high with money. and from 3
O'Clock In the afternoon till $50 he dis
tributed half dollars and dollar bills to all
the poor who came to him for IL.
There 10 an old story that Daniel Drew,
10 1I~k~ Ia
becoming Methodist by the lightning
striking horse which be was driving. The
Drew Theological Seminary, which he
founded at an expense of 50 0O0 900, stands
as lasting monument to his memory.
Phoenix Whitmsr, one of the old-time mer-
chant princes of New York gave the bulk |
of his estate, amounting to $64O. 900, to |
Columbia College. The will of the late |
Daniel B. Faysrwether gave over 50 ,000, 900 |
10 some twenty colleges and hospitals and !
the remainder of his estate, aside from his |
legacies. was given absolutely 70 bis exeeu-
tors to be used in the same way. The entire |
amount OF his charitable requests was over |
So,000.0O0. Robert l.. Stuart. the great |
sugar manufacturer, for many years gave |
annually large sums to various charities
and colleges, and his widow, when she died |
few months ago, made education aud
charitable requests aggregating 81, $50, 900.
Edwin ID. Morgan, the famous war gov
a
princely giver. He died in 1888, and be-
queathed $685. 900 to religious and charitable
purposes. John ID. Wolfe, one of the old
sime merchant princes Of New York, gave
during his life more than S3, 600, 600 30 edu-
cational, religious and charitable enter
prises, and his daughter, Catherine. for a
long period of years expended annually
sol. 600 for benevolent purposes. The char
stable and other public requests In her will
reaches 81 10000
The late George W. Cullum and his wife,
the widow of Gen. Halleck, gave in all
$500. 900 to the New York cancer hospital,
aud their other charities we're large James
III. Roosevelt gave 81 100000 to found the
Roosevelt hospital. Later. William J. Syms
gave $350, 900 TO the same institution, and
within the past week the trustees of the hos
pital have received an equal amount from
Mrs. Abram A. Anderson of this cisy with
which to erect medical pavilion to the
memory Of her father and mother, Mr.. aud
Mrs. Jeremiah Milbank. The late Sidney
billions will included charitable requests
amounting TO 100000 At the close OF the
long and bitter contest over the will of
Samuel ]. Tilden, more than 81, 900, 900 was
left for the free public library which it was
his desire to found in this city.
CHARITIES OF THE vANDERBILTs.
The Vanderbilts have all been men of
charitable impulses. Commodore Wander
bilt, founder of the house, presented a
steamship which cost $500, 900 to the govern
menr at the outbreak of the civil war, and
endowed the Vanderbilt University at Nash
vile with s.. 100000. William II. Wander
bilt. his son, added 81 300 900 to the 81, 0O0,-
600 given BY the commodore to- the
Nashville University; bore the expense
of bringing the obelisk from Alexandria to
New York, which cost 100000; gave
$500 900 to the college of physicians and sur
geons, and his will distributed another mill
ion among various charities. Cornelius Van
derbilt, the present head of the house, is a
liberal and cheerful giver to charitable and
religious purposes. The same is true of his
younger brother. Frederick William Van
derbilt. The latter sets aside large sum
of money every year which is given to his
wife, who spends most of it in sweet charity
William B. Sloane, who married daughter
of William II. Vanderbilt, a few months
ago contributed 0,000 to a new hospital on
the East Side. His charitable and public
gifts already aggregate over $500, 900
William II. Webb the great ship-builder,
has given 81 900, 900 to found at Fordham
the Webb Academy and Homesfor Ship.
builders. John d. Rockefeller, head of the
Standard Oil Company has given $2,6O0,~
600 TO the new Baptist University at
Chicago He recently contributed in land
$50, nfNo,