The new era., 1910-03-10

tations and Astor hadn't
Hence. after three years apprenticeship, Astor
all that Bovine did and all he himself could tmag
inc besides. So he resigned.
1885 John Jacob Astor began business on his own
account Water street New York
Astor had made friends with the Indians the Hud
Albany and they acting recruiting
agents for him.
Having collected several thousand dollars worth Of
furs he shipped them to London and embarked
senger in the steerage.
In London becoming fad. Astor sorted
sifted his buyers he had his skins. He himself
in suit of fur and thus proved his ability
an advertiser He picked his men charged the
traffic would bear. the money he received his
skins he invested in Indian goods'-colored CLOTH
heads blankets kniven axe. and musical instruments.
His the first store in New York that carried
OF musical instruments. These he sold to
supplied the stoid Dutch the best of every
thing this particular line. from bazoo to Strad
varus-
When got back New York he at struck out
through the wilderness to buy fus of the Indians
better STILL to interest them in bringing furs to him.
He knew the value OF friendship In trade as no man
of the time did
In 1890 John Jacob Astor married Sarah Todd
mother Brevoort and 1t brought about by
her coming to Astor to buy furs with which to make
herself coat Her ability to Judge furs and make them
up brought young Astor into the Dutch New York
society," combination that quite exclusive then
martial and proved success in every way. Sarah was
worker with all the good old Dutch qualities of
thence, persistence industry and economy When her
husband went trips sh0 kept store
Capt. Cook had skirted the Pacific coast from Cape
Alaska and had brought the attention of the
dealing and fur wearing world the otter of the
northern Pacific. He also gave psychological
phetic glimpse OF the insdious seaskn sack. IN
In 1890 ship from the Pacific brought hundred
otter skins to New York The skins were quickly sold
to London buyers 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 In
vested money in them he considered them extra
hazardous He was not speculator
Until fho voar Aat0r 1fvad hia Stor IN
Water street. but he then moved to the plain and modest
223 Broadway the site of the old Astor house
Here he lived for 25 years.
The fur business simple and profitable
In 1900 Asor owned three ships which he had bought
absolutely control his trade Ascertaning that
London dealers reshipping rs to China early in
the century dispatched his ships
tions the captain to what the should be sold
for. The money to be invested in teas silks,
The ship sailed away and had been gone year
No tidngs had come from her.
Suddenly messenger came with the that the
ship in the bay We imagine the interest Of
Mr. and Mrs Astor they locked their store and ran
the Battery. Sure enough 1t their ship.
The profit this voyage $4,000
BY 1910 John Jacob Astor worth 32.ooo00o He
began invest all his surplus money in New real
estate He bought acreage property in the vicinity
Canal street Next he bought Richmond HILL the
of Burr It consisted Of 100 acres just about
Twentythi street. He paid for the land thousand
dollars People said Astor crazy.
In ten he began to sell lots from the
Hill property at the rate Of $4,000 Fortunately
his estate, did sell much land at this
price. for this particular up that
vast property known ''the Astor estate"
During the revolutionary Roger Morris of Put
nam county, N Y, made the mistake OF siding with
Tories and expressing himself too freely.
EnGland.