Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1880-12-16
THE STANDARD MILLIONAIRES.

The Cleveland Oil Princes Spending Fortunes
on Their HOmes--Their Humble Beginnings
Cleveland Correspondence Chicago Times.
Nomining or stock speculation can furnish
the history of such remarkable acquisitions
of wealth as are here afforded. The men who
are the backbone of the institution were,
less then twenty years ago, poor men.
Samuel Andrews was an English day
laborer, and worked many a day in this city
at ST. .25 per day or less. He got into the
inside circles of the Standard in its incip-
iency; discovered some new process in re-
gard to the manufacture of refined oil, and
retired little more than year ago with
several millions. He has an elegant country
residence, and has been living in palace
on Wilson avenue in this city. But there
is difference in palaces, and Mr.. Andrews
has been engaged this summer in erecting
a residence on Euclid which, they say, will
cost $500 per week to run. 1t is certainly
the most spacious structure on that avenue
Of magnificent distances.
John D. Rockefeller, the moving spirit
in the Standard, and the man to whose in
domitable will its success is largely due, was
also poor twenty years ago. He evidently
Western Union Telegraph Company, and
of railroads. At any rate, he pursued to q
certain extent, the same plan that these men
employed, and the same that Gould is now
operating so largely upon in forming his
railroad schemes. He saw the oil business
divided into score or more of hands here,
and none of them making anything to speak
of. He organized and consolidated and the
Standard with its far reaching power is the
result. Mr.. .Rockefeller's wealth is various
ly estimated, but no one knows anything
about its extent, except it is counted by the
millions. Recently he conceived that his
children should have larger play yard
about his Euclid avenue home. Next
to him on the right stood house as elegant
as his own. He purchased it and moved it
to a vacant lot which he had purchased
block or two away, and is fitting it up for
seminary, while his children revel in their
greater freedom. Mr. Rockefeller is the
directing head of the Standard. He is a
man of few words, of very short Office
hours, and does most of his work at his resi-
dence, which is connected with all parts of
the world by telegraph.
He is devoted to his family and church
(Close Communion Baptist) and shells out
his cash literally for church purposes and
the endowment of colleges. A few years
SAuCc dA OASttAA1AdtAOu DU11l llue Ndt6t CUIC
hotel on one of the delightful SUBMITS
which overlooks the lake from distance
Of few miles beyond the city limits.
Their venture was complete failure and
the owners were glad to sell TO Mr.. Rookie
feller for very small percentage of the first
cost. This building, with its fifty rooms,
the new owner has fitted up and furnished
with lavish outlay, and from his mountain
height is more like medieval Duke than
any thing else. Croakers have prophesied
until they are tired of doing so that the days
| Of the Standard would be numbered sooner
or later. But it still lives, and the members
get richer and richer as the days go by.
The ability displayed in warding off attacks
and pushing ON to new conquests is no less
than that possessed by Vanderbilt or Gould.