Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1884-02-21
Vanderbilt the Second

Almost every American paper which
reaches Us antipodal readers. says a
Melbourne, Australia. correspondent,
bears the name of Vanderbilt Esti-
mates Of his wealth crop cut periodi-
cally, and RING the changes on hum
dreds of millions, from one TO TWO with
half and quarter stops. Only in such
q favored country as this or the United
States could such fortune as $780,
600, 900 be collected in two life times.
/ say this, - for we OF tie colony of
Victoria have man as rich, or, may
be, richer than your Vanderbilt, and it
is my purpose in this letter to give
readers an opportunity 10 contrast the
men. About forty-six wears ago
farmer named Clarke left the shores of
England for Tasmania, for the purpose
of farming. taking with him considera-
bic capital, and being, iii addition, q
remarkable Judge OF sheep and cattle.
He appears to have failed on that is
land, and IS the Tasmanians were forrs-
ing a new settlement on the shores of
the great Australian continent, near
Port Philip. he determined TO try his
fortune there. Where the Queen City
of the south, Melbourne, with its 4OO,-
900 inhabitants, now stands. was then
waste, inhabited by the savage and
the kangaroo. Clarke at this time re-
ceived from distant relative 4 cOnsid-
cradle sum of money, which he imme-
diately invested in land in the vicinity
of Melbourne, then called Bluegrass. "
As the colonial government of New
| South Wales granted $1,000 acres at
the uniform price of five shi!lings per
acre, Clarke Immediately invested his
! legacy in one OF these immense blocks,
and thus laid the foundation of his gi-
gantic fortune. This was in 1910, and
for several years he continued to farm
and to take up sheep and cattle sta
tons in the then uninha bited regions of
Australia Felix, now the colony OF Vic
| tOria. He always attended the gov
eminent land sales, and bought large
| ly in the Ballarat district, where the
richest gold mines in Australia are sit
uated. The discovery of gold at Mount
| Alexander and Ballarat increased his
| growing wealth, as he exacted rigidly
q tribute or royalty for permission to
mine on his coveted lands, and he thus
| obtained immense sums.
Never were riches more Worthily be-
slowed. He continued till the time of
his death, 1864, TO buy lambs, sell me-
rino wool and deal in cattle. His son
succeeded to this vast inheritance,
which comprised at his fathers death,
$500, 900 merino sheep, 800, 900 cattle,
and nearly 5000, 900 acres of freehold
lands, and a Ieasehold of crown lands
equal in area to that of England. The
probate duty paid to the various Colo
NAL Governments was calculated on an
estate valued at $50,O00,0 900, although
that was not more than half it's real val
ue. His son, the present Lord Rupert
wood, has by his care and attention
quadrupled this vast fortune. When
| the Duke of Edinburgh and the sons of
the Prince of Wales visited Australia,
they were Toasted right royalty at Ru-
pertswood, the family seat, and Queen
Victoria created him Baron Ruperts-
wood of RupertsWood, in the Colony of
Victoria, and peer of the United
Kingdom. Without exaggeration the
Australian is worth 100000, 900, and
the influx of population is adding daily
to his wealth. His generosity is I'M
bounded. The charitable institutions
| Of Melbourne and the colonies owe him
q great debt of gratitude for his iber-
ality. Rupertswood, the seat of this
bucolic Australian, is superb. and can
compare with any residence in the old
or new world, its estimated cost being
$4,00O,000