The sun., 1919-10-20


lected by the State had the property been
disposed Of in his will on then as
sessed valuation Of more than $4,000, 900.
-Four years later Fiscount Astor made
the largest " all his gifts to his sons
when he gave to Capt. John Jacob Aston
property valued at S7,000,000. All OF
these transfers wee made before tho
Astor holdings were assessed OF $4,000
600. During the last two or three years
these transfers and gifts have contin-
ued, until the fina! transfer of the re-
mainder of the property was made a
few months ago, after Viscount Astor
had been i'll for some time.
The income that Viscount Astor de-
rived from his Manhattan and Bronx
holdingS is anothc: thing that has been
exciting the curiosity OF real estate men
for many years, but no exact information
ever has been obtained about II. In 1916
his income from his holdings and in
vestments in this country were estimated
at $4,000 900, and II q believed that they
have continued at aoout that figure ever
since, or have perhaps shown a consid-
cradle increase. AZ any rate the war
taxes have played havoc with whatever
income he did enjoy. He was sub
Jected to heavy taxes in this country
and also to the tremendous income and
property taxes which England found 1t
necessary to levy daring the last years
Of the war.
British Tax 100000.
In 1916 alone viscount Astor paid
British taxes totalling almost $4,000
600, and 1t Is very likely that in 1918
and 1919 these have greatly increased.
In fact, It was reported from London
only few months ago that the COM
bined taxes of America and England
had made 1t necessary for Viscount AS
tor to pay taxes to a greater amount
than his income.
The vast majority of the Astor for
tune is in real estate and buildings in
New York city, although 1t is believed
that he had considerable investments in
railroad securities. The tax records in
1915 showed that he owned $50 differ
ent lots or parcels of land in Manhattan
alone, located on forty two different
streets and avenues in the borough.
East Side, West Side and all around
the town" there are properties which
form part of the Astor holdings in
this city. He had holdings in Broad
way, Park Row, Barclay, Wall, vesey,
Broome and Hester streets and Avenue
A, and others of his holdings lie in
Fifth, Sixth, Seventh. Eighth, Ninth
| and Tenth avenues. as we'll as in Madi-
son. Amsterdam, West End and Morn
ingside avenues.
The Astor holdings comprised valu-
| able parcels through the heart of Man
haitian. In East Fifteenth. East Thirty
third, East Thirty-fourth, East Thirty
| fifth and East Thirty-sixt streets he
had holdings by the dozen, while they
| run into scores in West Fifteenth, West
seventeenth, West Twenty-sixth, West
Forty-third, West Forty-fourth, West
Forty Stth, West Forty sixth, West
Forty-seventh. West Forty-eighth, West
Fift.eth, West Fifty-f1rst, West Seventy
| fifth, West Ninetieth, West Ninety-first
West Ninety-second. West Ninety-third
West 10th, West 117th and West 1891
| In many of these streets the holdings
| of the Aston estate lie on both sides CT
| the street
Viscount Astor's share of the Wal.
| dorf-Astoria alone was assessed in 1915
| at S10,000,000 and the remainder of his
property here at $4,000, 900. His hold.
| ings in Wall Street were assessed al
| sl,75O.000. His properties in Broadway
were worth about S12, 900, 900 and those
| in Fifth avenue about $1,000, 900. The
| property which Niscount Astor gave e
! his son. John Jacob Aston in 1915, in.
| cluded the northern portion of the Gle
Aston House at Broadway and Barclay
| street, with adjacent property in Bar
clay street and rs foot plot in Vesel
| street; the twelve story Exchange Cour
office building at Broadway and Elk
change place, running through to New
street. and the eight story office buIfd
Ing at 10 Wall street. extending through
to Pine street. The property decided T.
| his other son, Waldorf, in 1911, com
prised half of the Waldorf Astoria. tn
Aston Court building and the old struc
! lures in % to 27 West Thrty-thirC
| street
Some OF the important holdings men
toned above are better identified Al
the Hotel Astor, the Hotel Netherlan'
and the row of three private residences
at Fifth avenue and Fifty-sixth street
I adjoining the Huntington mansion.