Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1898-06-21
GREAT LANDLORDS.
AsroR PROPERTY IN NEW YORK
 WORTH NEARLY saoo.ooo,ooo

sTessivs and Wait Tor Others to Leaa.
 Wo are all inclined to regard tho great American landlord with disfayor He is associated in our minds with ths idea of high rents, demanded the instant they are due, with unfulflled promises ss to repairs and little improvements that would add so much to our eomforA and with many other small annoyances that make him the man terrible, tho man unfaithful, the man hostile.
 Through the obseurity of these prein. dices it is doubtful if many of IS eee him clearly or judge him fairly. Ao. eerding 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 tho reverse, md in the meantime we pay rent and tolerate him because he continues to ex- 1 ist and the law protects him.
 Perhaps tho best example of the American landlord is Astor, or rather the Astors. The interests of this famous New York family arc so numerous and so extensive, so widely distributed and l SO varied ln character that as landlords l 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 1 agement Of their properties, and, after all, this is true of the management of most real estate ill this city.
 AS landlords the AsUors demand the market rate for rents, and they demand it the first of every month or quarter, hs the case may be, Sooner than make material concessions in the amount to be paid on lease the Astors will allow 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 it. It is appar- cut, therefore, that the Astors get the figures they ask. These arc not the high. est paid, for the estates take no risks, but they are well up to the average
 No ono possibly requires more assur. Rnce Of responsibility in tenants than the Astors References as to character and financial standing must be forth voming if you would be an Astor tenant and they must be more than paper ref erences, for they will be investigated carefully. If you arc unknown or can- not show who you are and what you have got, and that you are fairly cor- tain of being able to meet the rent 90g the term of the lease, do not try to reat m Astor house. You will be refused
 As matter of fact, the Astor rent rolls, if one could secure copies of them, would bo an excellent commercial di- 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 mp or before if possible. Tue 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 the AstoTa 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 discog- cred they arc busted as quickly and as quietly as possible.
 So far as improvements go. the estates hre behind many of the other large landlords and host of the smaller ones. Up to a very recent period the manage ment of the family possessions was ex. ceedingly unprogressive, and 1t IS hard ly up to what might be expected of 1t yet. 1t is urged in defense of this policy that various sections e the city ln which Astor holdings are large are at present undergoing a change and that alterations appropriate ill character will be made later That is the trouble with the Astors. They are always backward ill 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 ot doing what they promise. Usually resi. dences gre put in order before the new tenant goes in. and then the occupant has got to be very careful. It is not ex. peeted by fho estates that much money will bo spent upon the house except at long intervals.
 Tae Astors hold few tenements ane flats directly, though they own tns pra,ud nnon which hundreds of such