Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1875-06-26
WHOLE NO. 707... 1 X.
AECrEHr AND MODERN WEALTH.

! AHCrEHr AND MODERN WEALTH.
| If, nowadays, one is in possession
OF million Of dollars, he is almost wor-
! SHIPPED. It has been supposed that the
Sprague family of Rhode Island was
one of the richest in the land. They
have built monument worth 800, 600.
Much is spoken Of the fortunes of che
Astors, Vanderbilt, Stewart, and the
Rothschilds, but all their wealth looks
insignificant compared with fortunes Of
olden times. Ptolemus Philadelphus,
in Egypt, had a fortune Of $3.50, ,006 0OO.
Cleopatra drank a glass OF wine in
which was dissolved a pearl worth $40
000.- Stewart, in New York, built a
House that cost $500, 900. What pit
tance!
Cicero paid 81 SOC, 900 for country
seat. Messella paid $4,000, 900 for a
homestead. Seneca, philosopher, was
worth $12, 900, 600. Tiberiotts left pro-.
perty worth 81, 600 900.
| Nowadays every one is astonished il
a man gets into bankruptcy with $780, :
600. Julius Caesar owed GA, 600 be-
fore he had any Office. Marcus An
tonius owed 81. SOC, 900 on his election,
March 18th, and paid it off March 18th.
Not enough, he afterward cleared $72O, :
600, 900. Now, it an entertainment cost
81 600, it makes old peoples hair stand
upright! What is this to old Roman
times? Esop, the poet, paid $400, 600
for a single party. Balijula paid the
same price for supper. They drank
old wines worth twenty dollars an ounce, /
and roasted pigs over fires made of nuts
and raisins. The bedsteads Of Helioga-
balus were made of pure silver and gold.
Eighty thousand dollars was necessary
to keep up the dignity of Roman Sem
ator. Cicero and Pompeius once paid
a visit to Lucullus. Nobody was at
home. They helped themselves, and it
cost Lucullus 1000.
The capacity Of Rome's theatres was
really fabulous. The wooden theatre of
Sharurus had SO, 900 seats, the Coliseum
81 900 seats, besides $4,000 standing
places. Rome had then between three
and four million of inhabitants. The
Circus Maxiums had room for 3S6, 600
spectators. There were at that time 800
public bathing places. In the ffth
century, after Rome was plundered by
the Germans and Vandals, Zacharias, a
historian, reports from Rome 3S4
streets, so golden statues, Sc, ,597 pail
aces, 1902 fountains. 2.s75 bronze
statues of emperors and officers, 2S col
ossal horse statues, Al theatres, $500
perfume stores, and 1921 prisons.
Thebans had paid for income duty in
one year sc, ,000, 900. Alexandria had
library of 100000 volumes, at time
when manuscripts were rare and costly.
Athens had the theatre of Bacchus,
capable Of holding g, 600 people.
A SzAsoNABLE STORY. The following
story is appropriate at this time Of blue
lights and colored fires: During the
Christian holidays, well-to-do colored
man in one of the Southern States pro-
posed giving an entertainment at his
ho,rss. -5ass bsssss leaving hcsaS.e.ga
to town, the wife asked him to get q tall
candle, to ornament and illuminate the
table. He called for the candle, but
stated the case in such manner that
the merchant supposed he wanted q
Roman candle. It was accordingly put
up for him and he returned home, when
his wife insisted that he had made n
mistake, saying it was candle she
wanted. He assured her it was the lat
est style of candle that he had pur-l
chased; she was incredulous, and to
prove his assertion he lighted it. To
the astonishment of both, o filming bali
popped out, then another and another,
when the frightened man dropped the
"infernal machine" upon the floor.
The next explosion threatening the de-
struction of the house, be again seized
it, but unfortunately, wrong end fore
most, when ball struck him in the abb
domen. Suddenly turning it around,
another shot struck new counterpane
and burned large hole through it.
The whole household was in state OF
terror, and the man, breathing out
threats of suits for damages, started for
town. He was pacifed, however. whan
the merchant explained matters and as
sured him that the candle was sold in
good faith.
RULES FOR CURRENT CALCULATIONS. ---
Gold being quoted at certain per cent.
to find the relative value Of currency.
Rule-Divide 10000 by the gold quo-