profits on furs—He engages in the Chinese trade—How the Government aided the early China traders—Amount made by Astor in his legitimate business—His real estate operations—His foresight and courage—How eight thousand dollars yielded eighty thousand—His real estate in the City of New York—Purchases the half of Putnam County—The Roger and Mary Morris estate controversy—Astor wins his suit, and makes half a million of dollars—Astor's scheme of colonization—A grand enterprise—Settlement of Astoria—Betrayed by his agents, and the scheme brought to failure—Astor withdraws from active business—His boyhood's vow and its fulfillment—Builds the Astor House—His voyage to Europe—The return—The troubles of a millionaire—The great man seasick—A curious draft—The last years of his life—His fondness for literary men—His death and burial—His will—Opposite views of his character—How his refusal to buy a chronometer cost him seventy thousand dollars—He remembers an old friend—His gift of a lease—His humor—"William has a rich father."
CHAPTER III.
ALEXANDER T. STEWART.
Birth and early life—Becomes his grandfather's ward—Designed for the ministry—A change in his plans—Comes to America—Teaches school in New York—Becomes a dry goods merchant—Receives a legacy—His first importation—How he began business—An energetic trader—His sample lots and their history—Success of his enterprise—He begins by encouraging honesty in trade—Wins a name for reliability—The system of selling at one price—Inaugurates the "selling off at cost" feature—His courage in business—How he raised the money to meet his note—Improvement in his business—He enlarges his store—As an inducement to the ladies, employs for clerks handsome young men—The crisis of 1837—Stewart comes out of it a rich man—How he did so—Builds his