The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-10-27
GOTHAM GOSSIP
(By Francis Phillips. Copyright 1910. by the National News Service, N. Y.)

New York, Oct. 27-Much interest has been excited in the result of a compilation of the real estate held in this city in the name of the Astor family. Although the municipaIity's largest individual taxpayers for many years, nothing like an accurate list of the holdings of the family has ever been prepared and there has been con- siderable speculation as to the value of them. On the island of Manhattan alone, the list as prepared with the realty of an approximate value of $160, ,000,000. In the borough of the Bronx. land appraised as worth $50,- 100000 is registered in the name of the family. In addition to this the estate owns property in the borough of Brooklyn, Newport and elsewhere of the value of $25. 100000 Or more. All of the realty holdings of the family are in the direct line of the city's greatest development and are increas- ing in value tremendously year by year. A large part of the real estate is improved with office and loft build ings, apartments and hotels and is bringing in substantial revenues. With the possible exception of the Duke of Westminster, who is reputed to have an annual income of $15,0O0, 900 a year from the real estate he owns in Lon don, the Astors are the richest land owners in the world.
 By sticking closely to the policy outlined for the family by the origi- nal John Jacob Astor before his death, some sixty odd years ago, the $25, ,OO0,- 900 estate he left has been built up to it's present imposing proportions. The elder Astor whose sole asset on arriv- ing here in the steerage of a sailing ship from the Duchy off Waldorf was stock of seven flutes and a shrewd head. made it practice to buy unim- proved real estate in the outlying sec tions of the city along the line of its natural improvement As the city grew up to his property, it appreciat- ed in value through no effort of his own and he either sold it at substan- tial profit or made it income produc- ing by building on it. This has been the policy of the family ever since. While the Astors hold large blocks of standard railroad and other securi- ties. the bulk of their fortune is In real estate of this character which is constantly increasing in value. In this respect the family is the most solidly intrenched financially of any in America. Panics with their wild fluctuations in the. values of stocks never bother them. However much the stock riggers of Wall street may depress the market 1t can neither wor-
 
 Title to the immense realty holdings of the family is about evenly divided between William Waldorf Astor, who lives at Cliveden, England, and is now a British subject and his brother, Col. John Jacob Astor. The combined wealth of the two brothers is now es- timated at $5oo,000,000.
 It is no secret among the friends of Mrs. Oliver P. H. Belmont, mother of the Duchess of Marlborough, that the untimely death of Dr. Jolin Jack ola, while a source of regret to her in one way, has taken a big load off her mind in another. Ever since she had him summoned to court last spring for annoying her with his at- tentions, she has been In dread of, him turning up at her home and renewing his quest for her heart and hand. Jackola felt deeply humiliated by his arraignments in court and for time it was feared by the friends of the complainant would attempt some form of reprisal. He seemed to think that he had been treated shabbily by Mrs. Belmont, who welcomed him to her home at one time as a desirable guest and affected to be keenly appreciative of his interest in her work for the ad- vancement of women's suffrage. For some reason the physician got the mo- tion that the wealthy widow and di- vorcee had taken a fancy to him and that his attentions would be congenia1 to her. He sent her flowers and scent ed notes, filled with rapturous phrases until she became alarmed that the writer was preparing to besiege her. Jackola was a Finn, tall and rather good looking. dn the beginning she tried to discourage him by sending back his flowers and refusing to an- swer his notes. But he would not be turned back by these rebuffs, which he ascribed to the secretary of the widow, without her knowledge. Fol- lowing his reprimand in court the physician went west, where he recently met his death apparently through poi- son. self administered in an unfre- quented forest.
 In the opinion of Emma G. Paula ing a pretty nurse recently graduated from the city's training school, Car negie hero medal is not worth wear ing. Word was received by her this week that she had been awarded one of them by the Carnegie Hero Fund Commission, for saving the life of a young woman at Rhinebeck, N. r.. on Aug. 23rd, 1910. The announce ment appeared to disturb the nurse a great deal and she declared that she would send hack the medal when it