St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-04-22
vANDERBILT,s WEALTH.
The Enormous Accumulation of tin
Chief millionaire of the Day.

The Enormous Accumulation of the
CMief millionaire of the Day.
Correspondence Indianapolis Journal
Ills fortune was at one time placed as
nigh as $500, 600, 600, but a good Judge
lately SAID that he thought $3.50, 900, 600 was
now nearer the mark.
Stlll he IS the richest man in the world.
None OF the ROthSchildS ever had any
thing like his wealth. The banking bust
ness OF tnat famous house still, of course,
goes on In London P arts and Vienna, but
II IS now In the hands of young men of the
Kotnschlld family, and it's wealth has been
uistriouted among quite number of its
members by will, as one by one the old
men Oh the hrm died. The combined capital
vi thaI family Is now about $3.50, 600, 900, and
some writer's have declared that MI Van
derDlltS fortune exceeded that of all the
Rothschlds put together. but this is an ex-
aggeration. 1t would not be at all slrpris-
| ing If Mr.. Vanderbilt's wealth should. be-
fore he departs this life, fully Justify such a
statement, but for the present it is enough
to know that he comes as near as he does TO
| the figures mentioned, and that he is not
only Tar richer than any single member of
the Rothschlld family, but is, as already
statedthe WealthieSt man in the world. None
OF the traders OF antiquity of which we have
| any record, none OF the present financial
Dar0ns OF France or England, none of the
| mOneyed princes OF Germany, Austria or
Russia, or OF the world of haute finance
| anywhere, can really compare with him in
| point OF personal possessions. Old John
Jacob AStor with his fortune of 800. 600. 600
was, forty years ago, the Vanderbilt of his
day, but even after making due allowances
| for the greater purchasing power of money
| In those times he came nowhere near the
enormous accumulations of the chief mill
| ionaire of to-day.
His wealth is largely in government
bonds and railroad securities. He takes an
inventory of his wealth once wear. In
January, 1888, he told friend that he was
worth $194, 900, 900, and added: II am the
| richest man in the world. In England. the
Duke of Westminster is said to be worth
$500, 900, 900, but it is mostly in land and
houses. 1t does not pay him 2 per cent"
This was an unusual Outburst of boastful-
ness on his part. A year ago he had SD
600, 600 i'll government 4 per cent bonds.
but the amount was afterwards reduced to
S35, 900, 900, partly for the purpose of aiding
| his sons who lost SO, 600, 900 by Wall street
speculations. Later on, however, he pur-
chased about $40, 200, 900 more of the 4 per
cents, and he has besides 81, 600, 600 in the
government bonds that pay 81 per cent.
His government. bonds are worth, as near
as can be stated, $40, 900, 600. He owned a
year ago 240, 200 shares of Michigan Cen
| tral, 800, 600 shares of Chicago 81 Northwest
ern, 200, 900 shares of Lake Shore, 10000
shares in the Chicago and Rock Island road.
| 10000 in the Delaware Lackawanna.
| besides some 1000 shares in other rail
hat al no Ill
$4,000 shares of railroad stock. A large
part of these he still owns, though he is re-
ported to have sold considerable Lake Shore
stock
He owns S22, OOO,O 900 worth of railroad
bonds, it is said, beside So. 200, 900 worth of
state and city bonds, and has 81, OOO, 900 in
various manufacturing stocks and mort
cages. He valued his house on Fifth avenue
at $3,oOO,0OO, the art gallery being
worth, with its contents, $1,000, 900. He
Maud 5 for $4,000 last year. His ordi-
nary expenses in a year, he has said were
$500, 600, but his ball given in 1883 cost
hlm $40, 600 extra. Mrs. Vanderbilt's dia-
mondS are valued at $4,000 He wears
none himself. A Wall street statistician. in
referring to Mr.. Vanderbilt's wealth said:
''From his government bonds he draws
~, 372 600 year; from railroad stocks and
bonds, 81, 394, 900; from miscellaneous Sc
curities, S576, sos; total, in round numbers,
$40, $50, 600 a year. His earnings are thus
S3S, 600 day, 81, 300 an hour, and $1975 a
minute"
This was year ago, when his wealth
was reckoned at $500, 600, 600. The value
of his securities has decreased since through
the hard times. The depression i'll trade
has not improbably reduced his wealth
nearly $50, 600, 600, but his fortune and his
income are of course still almost fabulous.