The Northern Pacific farmer. [volume] (Wadena, Minn.) 1878-1885, 1880-12-16
THE STANDARD MILL1ONAIRES.


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 We're,
less then twenty years ago, poor men.
Samuel Andrews was an English day
laborer, and worked many day in this city
at rs per day or less. He got into the
inside circles of the Standard in it's incip-
iency; discovered some new process in re-
gard to the manufacture of refined oil, and
retired a 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
residence on Euclid which, they say, will
cost $500 per week to run. It 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 it's success is largely due, was
also poor twenty years ago. He evidently
studied the tactics of Wade in making the
Western Union Telegraph Company, and
Vanderbilt in organizing his great systems
of railroads. At any rate, he pursued to
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 it's 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 vacant lot which he had purchased a
block or two away, and is fitting it up for a
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
| since an organization built fine water cure
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 MIR. Rookie
Teller for very small percentage of the first
cost. This building, with it's 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. Crackers 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.