Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1888-10-10
IMMENSE FORTUNES j r
Stories Of the Rothschllds, Jay Gould IN
Other Money Kings.

IMMENSE FORTUNES.
Stories Of the Rothsohllds, Jay Gould and
Other Money Kings.
To what an extent America has be-
come the land Of promise to mon of en-
terprise, Offering them greater posi-
bilities Of wealth than any other coun-
try, some figures recently given of the
greatest private fortunes in the world
show. It is stated that the five richest
persons in the world are Mr.. Jay
Gould, Mr.. j. w. Mackay. Lord Roths-
child, the head of the English branch
of the house of Rothschfld; Mr.. George
Vanderbilt and Senator J. P. Jones.
OF these, al but Lord Rothschild are
Americans, and their fortunes we're 40
culnulated in this country.
Mr.. Gould began his career as a ped.
dler of maps. and acquired his inn
mense fortune in railways and specula-
tions connected with them. The Van
derbilt fortune was also chiefly &C.
quired in railways, while Messrs.
Mackay and Jones acquired theirs, for
the most part, in mining. E"
The Rothschild wealth was accumu-
lated more slowly than were these
colossal American fortunes. The
Rothschild family has banking-houses
in Germany, Austria, France and En-
gland. All it's members of the name
are descended from Anselm Moses
Bauer, Jewish dealer in curiosities
and old medals, who kept shop in
the Judengasse, or Jewish quarter, of
Frankfort. For a sign he used a red
tablet, or shield, and from this his
house derived the name of Rothschild,
which means red shield.
Anselm Moses son, Mayer Anselm,
who was born in the year 1743. was in
tended for the Jewish priesthood, but
became banker and broker instead.
He was intrusted with great sums of
money, and while taking care of them
faithfully, used his opportunities to &C
quire a great fortune for that time.
One of his five sons, Nathan, went to
London, established house there, and
became the leader of English finance.
The Court of Austria made him
Baron, but he never made use of the
title. On one occasion, however, he
used it as the subject of q jest. Hap
pening to meet the French Baron de
Montmorency, who, on account Of the
antiquity Of his title, was called the
''frst Christian Baron" Rothschih
said to him:
Il suppose, sir, that am just your
equal"
Chow is that, pray?" asked the
French nobleman.
because you are the fist Christian
Baron and I am positively the first
Jewish Baron!''
The present head of the house, Lord
Rothschild, is really the first person
of the Jewish faith who was ennobled
by the British Government He was
elevated to the Peerage in 1885 by Mr..
Gladstone.
Baron Nathan's bearing toward the
money of him was the reverse of
obsequious. On one occasion Prince,
belonging to some petty German reign
ing family, who called upon him, was
astonished to see Rothschild go on
writing a letter after he had entered
the room.
''Do you know, sir, who I amp" asked
the Prince.
Eyes, have just been told. I will
be at your service in a moment. In
the meantime, pray take a chair"
''But, sir, I am the Prince Won x
-w
Every we'll. Take two chairs then!"
The Rothschild's is not by any means
the only vast fortune in England.
Three English noblemen, the Duke of
Sutherland, the Duke of Northumber-
land and the Marquis of Butte, are in
cluded in the list of the twelve richest
men in the world. Two other English
noblemen, the Duke of Buccleugh aud
the Marquis of Breadalbane, possess
landed estates of vast extent. Youtb's
Companion.