The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1897-11-08
GREAT LANDLORDS.
AsToR PROPERTY IN NEW YORK
WORTH NEARLY $500, 900, 900.

Must Face the Music-Not Very Pro-
gressive and Wait For Others TO Load.
We are all inclined to regard the
great American landlord with disfavor.
He is associated in our minds with the
idea Of high rents, demanded the instant |
they are due, with unfulflled promises |
as to repairs and little improvements
that would add SO much to our comfort |
and with many other small annoyanoes
that make him the man terrible, the |
man unfaithful, the man hostile.
Through the obscurity of these preju- |
dices it is doubtful If many Of US see
him clearly or judge him fairly. Ac-
cording as we are near moving day or
not and as we secure repairs we are apt
to regard him as very disagreeable
person, indeed, with few of the higher
human attributes or else the reverse,
and in the meantime we pay rent and
tolerate him because he continues to ex-
list and the law protects him.
Perhaps the best example Of the
American landlord Is Aston, or rather
the Astors The interests of this famous
New York family are so numerous and
80 extensive so widely distributed and
so varied In character, that as landlords
they hold sway over all classes Of So
ciety, occupying every kind of struc-
ture. Then, too, the Astors are typical in
that no sentiment enters into the man.
agement Of their properties, and, after
all, this Is true of the management OF
most real estate In this city.
AS landlords the Astors demand the
market rate for rents, and they demand
1t the first Of every month or quarter,
as the case may be. Sooner than make
material concessions in the amount to
be paid on lease the Astors will allow
O house TO remain vacant, not one sea-
son or year only, but two, three or
more years, and If then good tenant
is not at hand the building will be al
tered, provided the condition of the
neighborhood requires 1t. It is appar-
ent, therefore, that the Astors get the
figures they ask These are not the high
est paid, for the estates take no risks,
but they are well up to the average.
No one possibly requires more assur-
ance Of responsibility In tenants than
the Astors. References as to character
and financial standing must be forth
coming If you would be an Aston tenant,
and they must be more than paper ref
erences, for they will be investigated
carefully. II you arc unknown or can
not show who you are and what you
have got, and that you are fairly GER
tain of being able to meet the rent for
the term of the lease, do not try to rent
an Aston house. You will be refused.
AS matter of fact, the Aston rent
rolls, If one could secure copies Of them,
would be an excellent commercial d.
rectory, far more reliable within the
limited sphere, perhaps, than anything
ever attempted in this city. Ninety -five
per cent of the persons whose names are
on them pay the rent they agreed to pay
on the first Of every month. Those on
the rolls who do not disappear when
their leases are up or before II possible.
I The Astors are not hard landlords but
they are very businesslike, and the dis
possess proceeding is resorted to when
ever occasion demands.
Though Of Dutch stock tho Astors
have no feeling of friendliness for the
liquor traffic. The saloon keeper Is not
wanted, even at the high rates he offers,
and neither Is any other sort Of tenant
who Is likely to clash with the police.
From time to time, of course, persons
not in favor with the authorities creep
into Astor properties but when discov-
cred they are ousted as quickly and AZ
quietly as possible.
So far as improvements 60. the estates
are behind many Of the other large
landlords and a host of the smaller ones
Up to very recent period the manage
ment of the family possessions was ex-
oeedingly unprogressive. and 1t Is hard
ly up to what might be expected OF 1t
yet. 1t is'urged iHdefense Of this policy
that various sections Of the city in
which Astor holdings are large are at
present undergoing change and that
alterations appropriate in character will
} be made later. That is the trouble with
the Astors. They are always backward
in aiding a change. Their conservatism
holds them in check, while smaller and
weaker men take the risk, and often
they stand in the way of progress by
presenting immense blocks Of property
, directly in the line Of great improve
ments If changes are effected all around
them, they will alter also, but they are
always the last to do so.
In the matter of individual repairs,
decorations and the like they are not
liberal, but they have the reputation of
doing what they promise Usually resi-
dences are put in order before the new
tenant goes in, and then the occupant
has got to be very careful. 1t is not ex-
, pected by the estates that much money
will be spent upon the houss except at
long intervals
The Astors hold few tsnssnepts and
Rsss directly, Enough they owa the
ground upon which hundreds Of such
structures stand This kind Of bsaldtnG
il not popular with either branch OF
the family, and they only have 10 do
with IL so far a. receiving leasehold
| ~.,,~~ N oouoavuad nwalliuos I'm great