The Elbert County tribune., 1910-03-04

tations hadn't
Hence, after three years apprenticeship Astor
knew all that Bovine did and all he himself could imag
inc besides So he resigned.
1856 John Jacob Astor began business his
street. New York.
Astor had made friends with the Indians the Hud
clear to Albany and they acting recruiting
agents for him.
Having collected thousand dollars worth of
he shipped them London and embarked a pas
senger in the steerage.
In London becoming fad. Astor sorted
sfted his buyers. he had his skins. He himself
dressed in suit of fur and thus proved his ability as
advertiser. He picked his and charged all the
traffic would bear All of the he received for his
skins he invested in Indian goods"-colored cloth.
beads, blankets knives and musical instruments.
His the first store in New York that carried
stock of musical Instruments These he sold
and also he supplied the stold Dutch the best of
thing in this particular line from bazoo to Stradi
varius.
When he got back New York he a once struck out
through the wilderness buy furs of Indians.
better STILL to interest them in bringing furs him
He knew the value of friendship in trade man
of the time did,
1890 John Jacob Astor married Sarah Todd.
mother Brevoort and it brought about by
her coming to Astor to buy furs with which to make
herself coat Her ability Judge furs them
brought young Astor into "the best Dutch New York
society," combination that quite exclusive then
This marriage a business partnership as well as
marital and proved success in every way. Sarah
worker. with all the good old Dutch qualities of
tience, persistence, industry and When her
husband went trips she kept store.
Capt. Cook had skirted the Pacific coast from Cape
Horn Alaska and had brought the attention of the
fur dealing and fur wearing world the of the
northern Pacific. He also a psychological pro
phetic glimpse of the insidious sealskin sack
In 1890 ship from the Pacific brought hundred
otter skins to New York. The skins quickly sold
to London buyers at exorbitant prices
The nobility wanted otter. royal American
ermine." they called it. The scarcity doomed the
price Ships quickly fitted out and dispatched
Astor encouraged these expeditions but at first
vested money in them he considered them extra
hazardous" He not speculator.
Until the year Astor lived over his store in
at 223 Broadway Astor house.
Here he lived for 25 years
The fur business was simple and very profitable.
In 1900 Astor owned three ships which he had bought
absolutely to control his trade Ascertaining that
London dealers reshipping furs China, early
the century he dispatched his ships
furs directly to the orient with explicit
tions to the captain to what the cargo
for. The money to be invested in teas and silks.
The ship sailed away and had been gone a year
No tidings had come from her.
Suddenly messenger with the news that the
ship in the bay We imagine the interest O
Mr.. and Mrs. Astor they locked ran
to the Battery. Sure enough it was their ship.
The profit this voyage $4,000
BY 1910 John Jacob Astor was worth So 900 600 He
began to invest all his surplus in New York
estate. He bought property vicinity OF
Canal street Next he bought Richmond HILL the estate
of Aaron Burr. 1t consisted OF 100 just about
Twentythird street. He paid for the thousand
dollars an acre. People said Astor crazy.
years he began sell lots from the Richmond
Hill property at the rate of $1,000 Fortunately
for his estate, he did sell much of the
price, for it is this particular dirt that makes up
vast property known 'the Astor estate'
During the revolutionary Roger Morris OF Put.
county, N Y. made the mistake of siding with
Tories and expressing himself freely A mob col
lected and Morris and his family taking ship
ENGLAND.