The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-07-23
WOMEN WHO HAVE FORTUNES.
Interesting Tales of Sudden Wealth
of Pioneers Wives and Daughters.
From the PhiladelDhia Press.

I
of Pioneers Wives and Daughters.
From the PHILADELPHIA Press.
KANSAS CITY, July 13.-There is an ex
travagant saying here that the fool who
three years ago stuck 500 into real estate
easily pulled out fortune. If this be true,
it is equally certain that the legitimate
wearer of cap and bells as soon parted with
his quickly acquired fortune. Men and
women, too, who made their money by
lucky turns of the wheel were, in many
cases, led into all sorts of absurd extrava-
gances, and their property, burdened with
mortgages, has reverted to the original
owners. Western real estate men say,
however, that women are much less apt
than men to lose their heads, when great
and unexpected wealth overtakes them.
Possibly they have fewer temptations.
One of the richest people in Kansas City
is a woman-Mrs. Sarah w. Coates, who
came from Lancaster county, Pennsyl-
vania. She was a Chandler by birth, and
came with her husband, Kersey Coates, to
this region in 1850 She is Of an educated
Quaker family, and began life as a school
teacher. Her husband was educated the
law in the office of Thaddeus Stevens, and
when first seen by her was riding in an OK
cart on his fathers farm.
After the war Col. Coates purchased
twenty-acre tract Of Missouri farm land,
paying about 81, goo for it. That tract is
now part Of Kansas City and is now worth
probably $10.000,0O0. 1t lies III populous
quarter of the city-the West side-and
has located upon it our largest hotel, the
Coates house, as well as the Coates
opera house, the homestead and the man
sion built by Mr.. Coates in 1854 Many a
wlseacre then shook his head sadly over the
folly OF those yankees Indeed, Coates
was considered little daft with ''invest-
ments" that didn'I pay, and when the story
went abroad that he had borrowed money
for his bridal trip amusement at his expense
grew all the merrler. In early days, while
Coates in his shirt sleeves looked over the
territory and saw with broad vision that
Kansas City, not Leavenworth, was to be
the metropolis of this valley, the wife
economical at home, looked thriftily after
the children and the loose ends, and making
for this daring pioneer the best of wives.
The woman who found it easy to live on
1880 n year, and who might now spend
! 100, 900 year if she choose, is still sim
pie in her tastes and transformations in her
manner Of life. At her husbands death
Mrs. Coates chose child's share of the es-
tate valued mOdeStly at S3,O0O,00O. She
did this with the power OF willing 1t to
whom she pleased.
She has three children, two of whom are
daughters, each of whom will have per
sonal fortunes of $4,000, 900, of which they
will be absolute m.stresses. One of the
great heireSSes has Just come of age. They
are both wel-educated and cultivated,
and simple in their tastes like their mother.
One of the most romantic homes about
Kansas City is Burlington park, which oc-
cupies five acres on Independence avenue.
The house Is q Queen Anne structure, with
large, airy rooms, a grand music hall, and
any number OF cosy hooks. The grounds
are superb and well wooded, with a vista
of the river through the trees. Here resides
Mrs Amanda ii. Marsh and her family.
The young ladies, bright talented girls,
were schoOlmates of Mrs. Cleveland The
estate is estimated between one and two
millions. 1t was said at one time that the
Marshes had property in every state in the
Union, but this report arose from the fact
that the father brought Tennessee money
here, and had beside property in Louisi-
ana.
The Marsh home is a delightfully."- refined
abode. The ladies', Misses Georgia, Kate
and Willimore, are clever housewomen,
andmay be seen any evening cantering down
the avenue Unlike the traditional west
ern mlllionaires, these people are unosten-
tatious. eschewing diamonds in public places
and showing refined taste when occasion
demands display.
The vicissitudes of fortune in the world -,
which often gives healthy appetite to
those who have no money and denies TO the
millionaire the blessing of good digestion
are aptly illustrated in the life of Mrs. Har-
ret March, another very rich Kansas City
woman. Her youth was a long and bitter
struggle against poverty. Her husband
was given a town lot for wag s. but it was
considered poor bargain for him, as no
one wanted to buy the lots Some years
later Mr.. March died, leaving besides his
wife, one child, daughter These two
labored and lived on for years in love and
poverty. One day new railroad came to
Kansas City, bought the old lots for very
large sum of money and Mrs March became
rich women. Her daughter. however,
soon died, and with her last breath all the
happiness went out of the lonely mothers
life. Mark the satire of fate! Since then
every thing she has touched has turned to
gold. few weeks ago she refused $500,
600 for a single piece of business property.
1t is said she would resign every penny she
has to regain her lost child. Fortune has
come TO her too late to do her any good
In a smaller way there have been a num-
Der of successful women in the west who
have sailed triumphantly through II sea of
trouble Not a few have retired from bust
| ness; perhaps they were content with less
| than would have satisfied a more rapacious
sister. A few school teachers placed their
earnings in now valuable property so that
they no longer WELD the ferrule. l heard
the other day of two milliners, now retired
One cleared 81, 900 in one year, quit bust
ness and doubled the money in real estate
options Another who began with stock
of $50, by pioneering in matters of taste, 50
to speak. was able to retire worth 5000, 900.
She is living now in Los Angeles. Southern
California. Another sparkling black-eyed
woman who, when deprived of her hus-
band, went to taking boarders, had a streak
her home She had sense enough to drop
the boarders and sell out. She is now worth
about $4,000, gotten together by ventures
in real estate.
Strange to say, western women are noted
for holding on to money when they once get