The Abbeville messenger. (Abbeville, S.C.) 1884-1887, 1886-03-16
DOWN IN URUGUAY.
A Cnstnwny Who Becomes a Millionaire.

A man named w. D. Evans. well adj
vanced in life is one of the wcalthicst
citizens of the Uruguayan Republic.
Evans claims to be an American. He
struck Montevideo about thirty years
ago without n cent to bless himself with,
having been wrecked while mate Of the
ship Young Mechanic, of Rockland, Me-,
and saving only the clothes on his back
and u battered old boat, in which he
got away from the wreck. He had un-
limited pluck, however, and went to
work to make q living by 1errying people
about the haibor to and from ships
lying in the roadstead, and jobs of that
sort. Not long after he took to the
business he was caught by n sharp squall
just outside of the harbor and was cap
sized. -Four hours later a steamer COM
ing in hove too and picked HIM up while
he was clinging to the keel of his up
turned craft. He thanked the officer in
charge of the men who had put off to
rescue him, but declined to go on board
the steamer, asking as a great favor that
the sailors help him in righting his cap
sized boat, as it was all he had in the
world to make a living with. Admitting
his grit, they gave him the required
assistance, and an hour after the ship
dropped her anchor he sailed past, and
was given a hearty cheer by the men on
the fo'castle deck.
HE picked up little money by means
Of the old tub he had refused to desert,
and invested in a bit of property, which
o o doubled in value, and then, going
into real estate as a business fortune
smiled on him, and he became wealthy
in a few years. Now he owns whole
blocks of houses in the city, and his own
place is one of the finest in the entire
country, while his fortune is continually
swelling. His hospitality is a by-word
down there, and it appears to give him
especial pleasure to entertain Americans.
while for the Yankee naval officers and
shlpmasters who sail into port he cannot
make too much fuss over them. He
often talks about Philadelphia, but does
not say anything about coming back to
live. Poverty is no bar to a man finding
a friend in Mr.. Evans, for he is as ready
to welcome a poor chap out of the
fo'castlc as the commander of a man-o'-
war, but he won't take any stock in men
unless he thinks that they arc square.
lie has always given very cold shoulder
to Winslow, the Boston forger, who
found a haven in Montcvidco.
"In the centre of his private park
there is n splendid bronze fountain
which cost him a good many thousand
dollars, and it is surrounded by a huge
basin, stocked with splendid trout and q
big school of gold fish. Floating about
on the waters of the basin Is the old
boat he saved from the wreck and he
thinks as much about it as he does of his
children. No stranger ever escapes being
AIKEN to do reverence to the boat that
twice saved his hosts life and laid the
foundation of his splendid fortune.
"When ! was fiat broke she was nv
only FRIEND he says to the people he
takes down to the fountain to SEQ his
rickety old pet. and though you may
not notice anything pretty about her.
she's the most beautiful thing ! ever
saw Ofcourse such a man is immensely
popular, and 10 all the valley of the
River Platte there isn't a man who don't
feel proud of Evans's acquaintance If he
has the pleasure of knowing him.