THE CITIZEN, FRIDAY, MAY 10, 1912.
IAGE THREE
VINCENT
AST
IN
At Twenty He Has Come Into
One of the Greatest of
American Fortunes.
Dy JAMES A. EDGERTON.
FOLLOWING tho tragic death of
his father In tho wreck of tho
Titanic, William Vincent Astor
Is tho richest young man In
America, possibly tho richest hi tho
world. Tho fortuno of Colonel John
Jacob Astor has been estimated nil the
way from $100,000,000 to $150,000,000.
and tho bulk of It goes to his son.
This boy of twenty now becomes tho
bead of tho Astor family In America,
controlling n large number of hotels
and other buildings and real estate In
New York city and Inheriting connec
tions with Important corporations nnd
business Interests throughout tho
country.
Thus far In his career young Astor
has been chiefly distinguished for fast
automobile driving and reported en
gagements to girls at Newport nnd
elsewhere. At one time ho attended
tho famous English school nt Eton,
but soon left, followed by reports that
his elaborate wardrole and display of
wealth had arrayed tho other students
against him. At the time ho was call
ed to the management of one of Amer
ica's greatest estates he was a student
at ITarvard.
When Colonel Astor went ou a
yachting cruise In tho West Indies In
the fall of 1910 Vincent Astor accom
panied him. A great storm arising at
sea, the Astor yacht was rciorted lost.
For days a search was made by gov
ernment vessels, and finally tho yacht
was discovered riding at anchor In tho
harbor at San Juan. After the loss of
Colonel Astor's life on tho Titanic tho
Incident was recalled, and some Imagi
native people saw in It nn omen of his
fate.
Vincent Was a Delicate Child.
Vincent Astor Is tall, with straight
black hair, dark blue eyes and not par
ticularly strong face. During boyhood
his health was delicate, for which rea
son six months of each year were
spent at the Astor country estate, Fern
cliff, at Rhlnebeck-on-the-IIudson, three
months at Newport and three months
In New York. About tho first time the
chief heir of the Astor millions came
into tho newspapers for a big 'story
was when as a child he was sent to
Switzerland for his health in charge
of a small army of riurscs and physi
cians. He is yet far from robust, and
since tho shock of his father's death
those who have seen him describe him
as more than usually pale, with the
careworn face of a man of middle age.
From boyhood he had been tho chum
of his father, and after the separation
of his parents tho court placed him in
Colonel Astor's care, while his sister,
eight years younger, went to her
mother.
The stories told about Newport of
young Astor and his automobile es
capades indicate tnat notwithstanding
ill health be has red blood in his veins.
Theso tales recount how he drives
about tho streets at such breakneck
speed that he has been fined more
than onco. On ono occasion he col
lided with another machine, and, while
no one was seriously injured, tho occu
pants of both cars received a shaking
up that sobered tho youth for a time.
On another occasion Astor and a young
friend raced their machines on tho
beach. They were driving at a pace of
110 miles per hour when tho friend's
machine caught firo and the Astor car
skidded on the wet sand and ran into
tho sea. Emerging from tho wave that
overwhelmed young Astor for the first
time, ho saw his friend's plight, has
tily struggled out of tho water and
helped to put out the blaze.
Colonel Astor Was an Able Man.
Colonel John Jacob Astor was moro
than a man of wealth. IIo was tho In
ventor of an improved turbine engine.
u imuuiuuuc roau improver anu a bicy
cle brake, was author of two books, a
soldier In tho Spanish-American war, a
yachtsman of no mean ability, a good
roads enthusiast, builder of many ho
tels and other edifices nnd a successful
business man. At tho outbreak of the
war with Spain ho organized a moun
tain battery that did good service.
Both at Chlckamauna nnd in Cuba he
teers with tho rank of lieutenant colo
nel, being on tho staff of General Shaf
fer and taking part in the fighting that
ended with tho surrender of Santiago.
At tho close of tho war he was com
mended by General Shatter for "faith
ful and meritorious service" and wns
advanced to tho brevet rank of colonel.
Unlike his cousin, William Waldorf As
tor, who became a British subject,
Colonel Astor said that ho was proud
to bo an American.
There is a story of nn engineer who
was onco called into consultation by
Astor. This engineer had heard of the
multimillionaire as a leader of the
smart set nnd went Into Astor's presence
with some trepidation and arrayed in
his best bib nnd tucker. IIo found the
man of millions in a rather dingy ofllco
bending over blueprints of tho turbine
engine ho wns then Inventing. Colonel
Astor nt onco plunged into tho subject
of marine engineering and showed a
grasp of the subject that surprised the
YOUNG
MAN
THE RICHEST
UNITED STATES
Was His Father's Chum and
Accompanied Him on Many
Yachting Trips.
visitor. That night the engineer's wife,
intent on social pointers, nsked hi 111
about his visit to tho society leader and
was rather taken aback at tho enthusi
astic reply: "I found a man. If Colonel
Astor were stripped of his millions he
would make his mark as a iunrlne en
gineer nnd Inventor." Tho estimate
was borne out by later events. The
mnnner of his life, his Americanism,
military service, kindly treatment of
others and, moro than all, his death,
all proclaimed John Jacob Astor a
man.
His Many Activities.
Ho was born nt Kerncllff In 1S04,
graduated from Harvard In 1SSS and
succeeded to tho management of the
vast Astor estates at tho death of his
father In 1S!)1. He built some of the
greatest hotels In New York, the Knick
erbocker. St. Regis, Netherland, Astor
and, with his cousin, William Waldorf
Astor. the Waldorf-Astoria. He ore-led
more ofllco and other buildings than
perhaps any other ono man In the
city. His real estate holdings this
year were assessed at nearly $4i!,000,-
F5
Photo of Vincent Astor copyright, 1912, by American Press Association.
NEW HEAD OF THE AMERICAN BRANCH OF THE ASTOR FAM
ILY, HIS MOTHER AND HIS STEPMOTHER.
000 In New York alone. He improved
his Fifth avenuo residence until it be
came one of the show places of the
metropolis and his estate at Ferncllff
until it is one of the finest in Amcricn.
Ho spent largo sums of money in Im
proving the roads not only on his own
lands, but in the vicinity, established a
dairy that is famous nnd stables that
are among the best stocked in Amer
ica. Colonel Astor was a director In rail
roads and other corporations and man
aged his business in a way to add to
the groat wealth left by his father.
Many stories aro told of his kindness
to tenants and to those in bis employ.
His inventions hnve proved practical
and nre still in use. His pneumatic
device for renovating macadam roads
was awarded first prize at tho Chicago
exposition. His two books were both
Imaginative, as suggested by their ti
tles, "A Journey In Other Worlds," re
counting a trip to Saturn nnd Jupiter,
nnd "A Romance of tho Future."
Colonel ABtor was first married in
1891, his brldo being Miss Ava Willing
of Philadelphia. Of this union were
born William Vincent Astor and Alice
Muriel Astor, the Inst named n girl of
twelve, now in America with her
mother. A few years ago Colonel nnd
Mrs. Astor separated, and later the
wife was granted n divorco without
contest The papers in tho case were
sealed.
Most readers yet remember tho
storm raised over Colonel Astor's sec
ond marriage. Several Episcopal bish
ops and clergymen seized the occasion
to denounce tho remarriage of divorc
ed persons, one or two ministers even
going to the length of refusing to ofll
dato nt tho ceremony. Notwlthstand
Ing this, the marriage was duly and
Quietly 'lemnlzed, and it was while
returning from nn extended honey
moon that Astor met his death. The
brldo wns Miss Madeleino Tnlmago
Force, eighteen years old.
How John Jacob Astor Died.
The reports of TItnntc survivors vary
slightly as to tho details of Colonel
Astor's part In the tragedy, but agreo
irafflcientljr ao that tho story can "be
pieced together. Some say that ho
placed his wife in tho boat, got In aft
er her nnd on seeing another woman
standing near gallantly gnve up his
plnco nnd returned to tho doomed ves
bcI. Others assert that he nsked an
officer if he might go along to protect
his wife, who wns In dcllcnto health,
and on being informed of the rule of
women nnd children first cnlmly ac
quiesced, whispered n word of encour
agement to Mrs. Astor, lit a cigarette
nnd helped with launching the other
boats. Tho last seen of him ho wns
waving n farewell to his child wife'
across tho waves. His body was aft
erward picked up nnd given burial In
New York.
The Legacy He left.
John Jacob Astor was not nn Ismny.
With wealth enough to buy the White
Star Hue, or at least a control of It,
ho went to his death like nir American
gentleman. He wns still a young man
with everything to live for a new
wife, millions to do with as ho would,
homes that ho had fashioned to his
... . . . r . ...
meal, an interest in science, literature i
and affairs, In nil of which he took de
light. Ono hour this pleasant prospect
stretched peacefully before him. The
next the world had changed, nnd nil
these cherished things were slipping
away forever. ho can toll the emo
tions of such a moment? Yet this
man nt least faced fate without a
murmur and went to his end with his
fellows In the perfect democracy of
denth and of the sea. Heroism levels
all ranks. Tho world Is proud of such
an example, whether offered by rich
or poor. It Is a legacy richer than
that of nil the Astor dollars.
As to tho estate left to tho heirs. It
will bo impossible even to approvl-
mate It until tho appraiser makes his
returns a year hence. Tho general es
timate is $150,000,000. It hns long
been a tradition In the Astor family
that this wealth must pass down In
bulk. Tho original John Jacob Astor
came to America with hardly a dollar.
He tramped from his home to the sail
ing port to savo money, no begnn
working for $3 a week and was proba
bly glad to get that Ho was ono of
those men who can scent nn opportuni
ty a mile away, however. Tho fur
trade with tho Indians beckoned, nnd
ho went to It Nothing that looked
like money ever got by the original
John Jacob. Withal ho had imagina
tion nnd wns willing to take a chance.
Witness his venture In founding Asto
ria, Ore.; nlso ho had an appreciation
of tho finer things of life, as Is proved
by his starting of tho Astor Hbrnry.
From his day to the present the As
tor family has been in tho leadership
socially and financially.
The Later Aston.
After John Jncob tho first enmo Wil
liam Backhouse, who was something
of a bookworm and who enlarged tho
Astor library; a second John Jacob,
another William or two and then one
more John Jncob. In fact, Williams
and John Jacobs have alternated
throughout tho Astor history. Nor
must we forget tho women God bless
em! Mrs. AVilllam Astor, mother of
Colonel John Jncob, was for many
years tho undisputed leader of the
most exclusive set of New York so
ciety. Yet with all their millions nnd social
prominenco thero is no envy of the
child wife and Uio pale faced boy in
this hour, but, rather a worldwide
sympathy. Sorrow is democratic, as
well as death, and gold is a cold com
forter. In tho last analysis human
beings aro merely human beings, nnd
tho primal pasBlons and hurts know
nothing of wealth or artificial caste.
Theso two nro as much the victims of
the system as thoso in tho steerage.
Their loss Is as overwhelming as that
of any whose sun of lovo went down
In the sinking of the Titanic.
ft
NOTES
BY
C.M.BAKNITZ
RIVESIDE
FA.
CORRESPONDENCE
SOLICITED
These articles and Illustrations must not
bo reiirlnted without special perraU'
slon.
TREATMENT FOR ROUPY TUR
KEYS. Wild turkeys nro lough as Iron;
tame turkeys nro soft. Inbreeding, 111
feeding nnd breeding for size have
reduced tholr stamina, and they can't
Btand exposure like their ancestral
king of tho woods. If not often blown
by n blizzard off tho sour apple tree,
tho wind rallies their feathers, hits
them In tho chest, and then come
colds, catarrh, roup.
The turk Irt the picture caught Its
roup from chickens, that caught their
Photo by C. at. Barnltz.
TUItKEY HEN WITH ItOtJP.
roup In a henhouse with a damp, rank
earth floor.
Drafts, damp, foul air for roup
among the feathered tribe. Boup
runs about the samo course with
turks ns with hens.
There's that shaking of head, snif
fles, clear bubble on nose, watery dis
charge from nostrils (cold). Then dis
charge turns whitish, begins to thick
en, face begins to swell, bird starts to
breathe through mouth (catarrh). At
last tho discharge turns yellow, smells,
plugs nostrils, head swells, eyes close,
breath rattles, bird stands with open
mouth (roup).
Place a turkey with such symptoms
In a comfortable place, have an as-
Pheto by C. M. Barnltz.
SECTION SnOWIKO TDI1K MOUTH CLEFT.
elstant to hold tho bird and treat as
follows:
Dip feather In kerosene and swab
cleft of mouth; open nostrils, cleanse
with feather nnd gently press swell
ings on side of face, and pus will run
from nostrils.
Then spray nostrils, eyes, cleft,
sores, with tho following:
Boraclc acid U ounce
Zinc sulphate. 1 dram
Warm water 1 pint
Spray twice a day, give a grain qul
nlno pill from three to five nights in
succession, according to severity of
attack, and season the moist mash
With ginger.
We hnvo found no better remedy
for colds, cntarrh, roup among tho
feathered tribe than tho nbove.
DON'TS.
Don't catch tho broiler fever. You
may havo' n broiler explosion.
Don't forget that private trade is best
and in most communities easy to se
cure and hold if you sell qunllty.
Don't forget that cabbage must bo
fed moderately at first, and no new
Item to the ration should bo fed strong
at first.
Don't buy cut bono when n cutter
can bo bought reasonably. Bono is
cheap, and you muy cut your own and
sell to your neighbors at a profit
Don't use a hatchet on men or hen.
A hatchet lick Just now and then
might knock sense into bullhead men,
but it Is rather best to keep that old
spite hatchet buried deep.
S
lit
0 -
SMI
Efta l ALCOHOL 3 PEK CENT
Et) l AVcgctablelfrparaitonlbrAs
I&5 B slmnatrngtacFooffandRcduIa
WftaH t ing Uie S lonachs ondDcrAds cf
Ell
lisl.'
Promotes DigesltonJCfefrful
ncss and RestXontalns neither
Opiimilorphinc nor Mineral.
Not Narcotic.
cajXorolJ.DiWLill11Wm
Iwfkin Seed'
MxkUtSdts
mtSeei H'rmSrtd-
Ctarikd SLVsr
IHntmma flmf.
A nflrfort ttomorltr fnrrnnfln:
Hon , Sour Storaacli.Dlariira
Worms .torouisioris.rcvcnsu
nessondLoss of Sleep.
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nOX. A. T. SEAItLE, Vice-President. AV. J. WARD, Asst. Cashier
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