SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION 
                           Washington, D.C. 20549 
  
  
  
                                  FORM 8-K 
  
  
                        C U R R E N T   R E P O R T 
  
  
  
                   Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the 
                      Securities Exchange Act of 1934 
  
  
                             September 21, 1998  
              Date of Report (Date Of Earliest Event Reported) 
  
  
                       NORTH FORK BANCORPORATION, INC.   
           (Exact Name Of Registrant As Specified In Its Charter) 
  
  
                                  Delaware              
               (State Or Other Jurisdiction Of Incorporation) 
  
  
  
         0-1280                                  36-315468         
 (Commission File Number)             (IRS Employer Identification No.) 
  
                           275 Broad Hollow Road 
                             Melville, NY  11747                     
 --------------------------------------------------------------------------
           (Address Of Principal Executive Offices) (Zip Code) 
  
                             (516) 298-5000                      
 --------------------------------------------------------------------------
            (Registrant's Telephone Number, including Area Code) 
  
                               NOT APPLICABLE                      
 --------------------------------------------------------------------------
       (Former Name Or Former Address, If Changed Since Last Report) 
  
  

  
 ITEM 5.  OTHER EVENTS. 
  
           On September 21, 1998, John Adam Kanas, Chairman, President and
 Chief Executive Officer of North Fork Bancorporation, Inc., a Delaware
 corporation (the "Registrant"), sent a letter to Mr. George L. Engelke,
 Jr., Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Astoria Financial
 Corp.  A copy of the letter is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1 and is
 hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.   
  
 ITEM 7.  FINANCIAL STATEMENT AND EXHIBITS. 

 (a)       Financial Statements of the Business Acquired. 
           Not applicable. 
 (b)       Pro Forma Financial Information. 
           Not applicable. 
 (c)  Exhibits 

           99.1      Letter, dated September 21, 1998, from John Adam Kanas,
                     Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of
                     North Fork Bancorporation to George L. Engelke, Jr.,
                     Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of
                     Astoria Financial Corp. 
  

  
                                 SIGNATURE 
    
           Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of
 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf
 by the undersigned hereunder duly authorized. 
  
 Dated:  September 21, 1998 
  
  
                                   NORTH FORK BANCORPORATION, INC. 
  
  
  
                                   By: /s/ Daniel M. Healy
                                       -------------------------------- 
                                   Name:  Daniel M. Healy
                                   Title: Executive Vice President and 
                                          Chief Financial Officer
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{"company-data": {"conformed-name": "NORTH FORK BANCORPORATION INC", "cik": "0000352510", "assigned-sic": "6022", "irs-number": "363154608", "state-of-incorporation": "DE", "fiscal-year-end": "1231"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "8-K", "act": "34", "file-number": "001-10458", "film-number": "98712232"}, "business-address": {"street1": "275 BROAD HOLLOW RD", "street2": "PO BOX 8914", "city": "MELVILLE", "state": "NY", "zip": "11747", "phone": "5168441004"}, "mail-address": {"street1": "275 BROAD HOLLOW RD", "street2": "PO BOX 8914", "city": "MELVILLE", "state": "NY", "zip": "11747"}}
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION 
                           Washington, D.C. 20549 
  
  
  
                                  FORM 8-K 
  
  
                        C U R R E N T   R E P O R T 
  
  
  
                   Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the 
                      Securities Exchange Act of 1934 
  
  
                             September 21, 1998  
              Date of Report (Date Of Earliest Event Reported) 
  
  
                       NORTH FORK BANCORPORATION, INC.   
           (Exact Name Of Registrant As Specified In Its Charter) 
  
  
                                  Delaware              
               (State Or Other Jurisdiction Of Incorporation) 
  
  
  
         0-1280                                  36-315468         
 (Commission File Number)             (IRS Employer Identification No.) 
  
                           275 Broad Hollow Road 
                             Melville, NY  11747                     
 --------------------------------------------------------------------------
           (Address Of Principal Executive Offices) (Zip Code) 
  
                             (516) 298-5000                      
 --------------------------------------------------------------------------
            (Registrant's Telephone Number, including Area Code) 
  
                               NOT APPLICABLE                      
 --------------------------------------------------------------------------
       (Former Name Or Former Address, If Changed Since Last Report) 
  
  

  
 ITEM 5.  OTHER EVENTS. 
  
           On September 21, 1998, John Adam Kanas, Chairman, President and
 Chief Executive Officer of North Fork Bancorporation, Inc., a Delaware
 corporation (the "Registrant"), sent a letter to Mr. George L. Engelke,
 Jr., Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Astoria Financial
 Corp.  A copy of the letter is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1 and is
 hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.   
  
 ITEM 7.  FINANCIAL STATEMENT AND EXHIBITS. 

 (a)       Financial Statements of the Business Acquired. 
           Not applicable. 
 (b)       Pro Forma Financial Information. 
           Not applicable. 
 (c)  Exhibits 

           99.1      Letter, dated September 21, 1998, from John Adam Kanas,
                     Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of
                     North Fork Bancorporation to George L. Engelke, Jr.,
                     Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of
                     Astoria Financial Corp. 
  

  
                                 SIGNATURE 
    
           Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of
 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf
 by the undersigned hereunder duly authorized. 
  
 Dated:  September 21, 1998 
  
  
                                   NORTH FORK BANCORPORATION, INC. 
  
  
  
                                   By: /s/ Daniel M. Healy
                                       -------------------------------- 
                                   Name:  Daniel M. Healy
                                   Title: Executive Vice President and 
                                          Chief Financial Officer