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History of the Great American Fortunes, Vol. I: Conditions in Settlement and Colonial TimesMyers, Gustavus

History

History of the Great American Fortunes, Vol. I: Conditions in Settlement and Colonial Times

Name: History of the Great American Fortunes, Vol. I: Conditions in Settlement and Colonial Times
Author: Myers, Gustavus

Myers, Gustavus

United States -- Economic conditions; Wealth -- United States

It will, in the first place, satisfy a spirit of inquiry. As time
passes, and the power of the propertied oligarchy becomes greater and
greater, more and more of a studied attempt is made to represent the
origin of that property as the product of honest toil and great public
service. Every searcher for truth is entitled to know whether this is
true or not. But what is much more important is for the people to know
what have been the cumulative effects of a system which subsists upon
the institutions of private property and wage-labor. If it possesses the
many virtues that it is said to possess, what are these virtues? If it
is a superior order of civilization, in what does this superiority
consist?

This work will assist in explaining, for naturally a virtuous and
superior order ought to produce virtuous and superior men. The kind and
quality of methods and successful ruling men, which this particular
civilization forces to the front, are set forth in this exposition.
Still more important is the ascertainment of where these stupendous
fortunes came from, their particular origin and growth, and what
significance the concomitant methods and institutions have to the great
body of the people.

I may add that in Part I no attempt has been made to present an
exhaustive account of conditions in Settlement and Colonial times. I
have merely given what I believe to be a sufficient resume of conditions
leading up to the later economic developments in the United States.

  GUSTAVUS MYERS.
  September 1, 1909.

CONTENTS

                                                                    PAGE

  PREFACE                                                            iii

PART I

  CONDITIONS IN COLONIAL AND SETTLEMENT TIMES

        CHAPTER

     I. THE GREAT PROPRIETARY ESTATES                                 11

    II. THE SWAY OF THE LANDGRAVES                                    23

   III. THE RISE OF THE TRADING CLASS                                 45

    IV. THE SHIPPING FORTUNES                                         57

     V. THE SHIPPERS AND THEIR TIMES                                  65

    VI. GIRARD--THE RICHEST OF THE SHIPPERS                           83

PART II

  THE GREAT LAND FORTUNES

     I. THE ORIGIN OF HUGE CITY ESTATES                               97

    II. THE INCEPTION OF THE ASTOR FORTUNE                           109

   III. THE GROWTH OF THE ASTOR FORTUNE                              126

    IV. THE RAMIFICATIONS OF THE ASTOR FORTUNE                       155

     V. THE MOMENTUM OF THE ASTOR FORTUNE                            182

    VI. THE PROPULSION OF THE ASTOR FORTUNE                          202

   VII. THE CLIMAX OF THE ASTOR FORTUNE                              224

  VIII. OTHER LAND FORTUNES CONSIDERED                               242

    IX. THE FIELD FORTUNE IN EXTENSO                                 262

     X. FURTHER VISTAS OF THE FIELD FORTUNE                          278

PART I

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History of the Great American Fortunes, Vol. I: Conditions in Settlement and Colonial Times

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