COLONEL ASTOR

 

John Jacob Astor was returning from

a trip to Egypt with his nineteen-year-old bride, formerly Miss Madeline

Force, to whom he was married in Providence, September 9, 1911. He was head of the

family whose name he bore and one of the world's wealthiest men. He

was not, however, one of the world's "idle rich," for his life of forty-

seven years was a well-filled one. He had managed the family estates

since 1891; built the Astor Hotel, New York; was colonel on the staff

of Governor Levi P. Morton, and in May, 1898, was commissioned colonel

of the United States volunteers. After assisting Major-General Breckinridge,

inspector-general of the United States army, he was assigned to duty

on the staff of Major-General Shafter and served in Cuba during the

operations ending in the surrender of Santiago. He was also the inventor

of a bicycle brake, a pneumatic road-improver, and an improved turbine

engine.