The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-12-21
JOHN d. RocKEFELLER's MILLIONS.
How Newspaper Reporter Became the
Richest Man in the World.

New fork Norlu.
There is some doubt as to whether John
ID. Rockefeller or William Waldorf Astor
Is the richest American. Their fortunes at
any rate are so nearly alike that they may
be set at the same figure. Ii not already
the richer of the two il is reasonably GER
tain that Mr.. Rockefeller soon will be. His
income last year is said to have reached
the enormous sum of $15,0O0,o0o. There is
probably no fortune in the world growing
as fast as his, although Jay Gould has
Joined in the great race of the Crrsuses
whose goal is the accumulation Of the big
gest individual pile of gold.
To Mr.. Rockefeller belongs the distinc-
ton of having made money faster than
any other mortal. Less than score of
years ago he was a small storekeeper in
Cleveland, o. He had previously been
newspaper reporter. In some way his at
tention was directed to the opportunity
for refining the product for the Pennsyl-
vania oil fields. He started a small reiin-
cry, the operation of which demonstrated
the need of facilities for transporting
crude petroleum TO the different markets
He laid 4 small pipe line from one of the
wells TO a railroad, where the oil was
turned into tank-car. The experiment
was success, and from it grew the most
powerful monopoly OH earth-the Stand
ard oil trust
The astonishing growth of the Standard
Is illustrated by the fact that i'll 1880 lis
capital was only 100000, whereas, it is
now 100000 The par value of the
stock Is Sl00 share, but it is quoted at
$l70. 1t pays dividends amounting TO 10
per cent per annum. Mr.. Rockefeller is
understood to own personally majority
of the stock, so that somewhere in the
neighborhood of 100000 of his great
fortune is represented in the trust. He is
in addition large owner of government
other corporations.
Mr.. Rockefeller looks and acts like
preacher. He has STOPPING shoulders and
q solemn face. He is, in fact, deacon in
the Baptist church, and one of the largest,
If not the largest, contributors to the
work and institutions of that religious de-
nomination. He is schemer without
peer. 1t is next to impossible to gain ac-
cess to him. From behind portals he
yields his enormous power. His power is
proved by the way In which opposition To
the Standard in all forms has been crushed
out. If an independent pipe line or renn-
cry is started, and its business reaches pro-
portions sufficient to make it a formidable
COiilpttlbOT, us PURCHASE Dy the CtdnUdrQ
is attempted. If the offer for it is refused,
the Standard puts down the prices, inter-
feres with facilities and makes business so
improbable that the competitor has to sell
or go to ruin.
Mr.. Rockefeller lives in house almost
as big as hotel in West Fifty-fourth
street, Just around the corner from Fifth
avenue. 1t is in the neighborhood where
the Vanderbilt mansions. the most mag
nincent in New York. cluster Little is
seen of Mr.. Rockefeller in public. He has
few diversions About the only one is
driving. He occasionally goes TO the
opera, but as general thing his evenings
are spent at home with his family. His
business interests are so vast that they
leave him little spare time. Indeed, he
does not seem to care for much else be-
sides business. Mr.. Rockefeller's career
well demonstrates the great opportunities
for money-making that exist in America
as his vast fortune has been amassed in
single generation.
William Rockefeller has accumulated his
fortune through association with his
brother, John d. Rockefeller. He has at
Tarrytown-on-the-Hu Hudson, country place
which is probably the nnest and costliest
in America. He has spent 100000 or so
on the house and grounds. No house in
the world has SO complete system of cleo
trio lights Wires are extended all over
the grounds, but out of sight, so that the
demesne can be lighted up as bright as day
by merely turning a switch. Mr.. Rookie
Teller is a lover of fast horses. He built at
Greenwich, Conn, when living there, a
private race track at an expense of thous-
ands of dollars.