The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1886-01-27
LORDS OF LUCRE.
MAGNATES WHO ARE POSSES
SORS OF MANY MILLIONS.
Some of the Enormous Private For
tunes of Europe-Wealth Of For
cign Rulers-Some Rich
Americans.

For many years the rlchcst 1ndlVldual
in all Russia was Herr Stciglitz. When
he retired from affairs in 1860 he held
property to the value of $9,000,0OO. But
the richest men in the land of the czars
at the present time are the two Noble
brothers. They are of Swiss origin.
While travelling in interior Russia they
saw thousands of acres of land aglow
with the light of oil-gas. They at once
purchased entire districts of the apparent
ly worthless fields, sunk OF wells, and
now control more petroleum than any
concern in the world. Their wealth is
really beyond calculation, though the
London Times correspondent thinks that
$400, 900, 900 is not an extravagant esti-
mate. 1t is to the Rothschilds, however,
that belongs the honor of being the rich
est among men. Their united properties
and their properties must be considered
as united, from their peculiar family and
business relationships even beyond the
millions.
In the past twelve years they have
loaned to certain European governments
nearly $475, 1000, 600. Their lordly power
is shown in modern instance. In 1856
the Prussian government demanded an in
demnity of $25, 1000, 900 from the city of
Frankfort. The head of the Rothschild
house in that city sent word to Count
Bismarck that if an attempt was made to
force the levy, he would break every
bank in Berlin. And Bismarck was COM
PEELED to give way. Of course it would
have been different if it had been ques-
tion of hogs, when Bismarck would have
felt himself right at home.
The enormous wealth of the Roths-
childs is doubly remarkable from the fact
that the family was totally unknown
century ago.
Inferior only to the Rothschilds are the
Barring brothers, who have ''at instanta-
neous command" $500, 900, 1000. 1t is
noteworthy that the Barings owe their
commercial rise to an American, Mr.. VIM.
Bingham. of Philadelphia, who many
years ago had the house appointed the
American agency in London
Claus Spreckels, "the sugar king OF
the new world" as he likes to call him.
self, is said to derive an income of
SIS, 900, 900 from his sugar plantations
in the Sandwich Islands. In his domain
he wields the most .autocratic power OF
any monopolist in the world. His home
at Honolulu is like the dream of Sy-
barite. His wants are served by an army
of negroes.
Among the richest of moderns is the
car of Russia, who enjoys from his per-
sonal estate an income Of $40, 900, 600.
The sultan of Turkey is allowed for the
Of his court Sc, 600, 900; in addi-
ton to this he has private income OF
50, ,0O0,00O The emperor OF Austria IS
granted a yearly allowance OF 81, Ooo,-
600, and as wiener-wurst and beer are
not expensive, he continues to save few
dollars for his children.
Queen Victoria's personal estate is estl-
mated at $50, 900, 900, and her lands and
estates are worth fully $15, 900, 600 more.
But there are several noblemen in Eng
land with wealth greater than that OF
their sovereign. The dukes Of Buc-
clcuch, Devonshire and Norfolk, and the
MARQUIS of Butte have each of them rent
rolls of $2,OO0,O 900 per annum. The
Duke of Portland, who died recently, lett
unentailcd property of O,00O, 900, and
this, too, after long life of the widest
The greater par: OF ms
palace was constructed under ground.
His banouet-hall, ballroom, riding-gal-
lery, and any number of superb guest
rooms are veritablc tunnels. decorated IN
!, fashion so splendid as to seem when
described like story of the Magi
Richer even than any Of these titled
millionaires is the Duke of Westminster,
who undoubtedly has the largest income
of anv individual in the world. His for
tune lies largely in the diametrically op-
posite regions of London known as the
West End and Seven Dials. He owns
acre upon acre Of the most arlstocratlc
domain of London, and his tenements
cover miles of the worst slums III the
world. His income quite passes the limit
of the credible, and is said by some to
amount to $50 a minute.
Among the richest American estates
ever gathered is that of the Astor family.
Efforts are made to conceal the enormous
figure that would express the worth OF
the property, but it is probable that $780,
600, 600 is not an extravagant estimate.
The estate of William II. Vanderbilt was
5000. 900, 900. A. T. Stewart was worth
At the time of his death fully $50, ,OOO,-
600, a large part of which has gone one
way or the other, but mostly the former.
Jay Gould may be credited with $780,
600, 1000, and just as much more as
he pleases to make. Armour, the Chicago
hog packer, is worth SIS, 1000, 600:
whose step-daughter, the child
of California camp-barber, married the
prince of the ancient house of Colonna, IS
worth at least $50, ,0O0,0 900, and Fair, his
former partner has fully that amount.
Edwin D. Morgan, the heir of the ex-
governor, has $50, 900, 900. James Cor
don Bennett, one of the richest OF the
Younger men of America, has fortune OF
SIS. 600. 900. and so has Samuel J. Tllden.
Miss Catherine Wolfe, the richest spin
ster in the country, has nearly Sl3.Ooo,-
900, and is the last of her linc.--Ihtta-
delphm North american.