The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-02-04
THE MAN WHO MADE THE BANK.
Story of the Founder Of Monte Carlo
the Great Gambling Den.
From the Pail Mall Gazette.

From the Pail Mall Gazette
Everybody has heard, thanks to music
halls and barrel-organs, Of the man who
broke the bank at Monte Carlo, but per-
haps less abont the man who made the
bank at that famous resort. Yet the
latter was the more real of the two, and
not the less interesting. One episode in
his career is historic. 1t is related by
Charles Monselet, who was an actual wit
ness Of IL. 1t was in the days of the
second empire. A group of men, mostly
eminent and wealthy, sat reading the
evening papers in salon in the Rue de
RiVoll "Ah," said one, breaking the
silence, $50 100000 are still wanted to
finish the new opera house, A silent
listener took up pen and filed In and
signed check for the amount without a
word. BY and by, when the new opera
house was finished, that silent man was
somehow the only person forgotten in the
distribution of seats for the grand OPEN
ing night. His name was Francois Blanc.
and he was the head of the great gam.
bling den of Monte Carlo.
Vast as were his ambitions and achieve
ments, he was really one of the simplest
of men. To see him in his brown over
coat, his gold spectacles half dropping off
his nose, one would have taken him for a
of the construction of a little grotto in his
little garden with plaster rabbits and
fountain, which, like Wemmick's, would
almost wet the back of ones hand Be
fore his Monte Carlo days he had been
the guiding spirit in the direction of the
Casino of Homburg. Benazet, according to
his t1atterers, was the Louis Quatorze of
Baden Baden, Blanc, who was impervious
to fiattery, might with equal Justice have
hn - A
hard-headed, silent man of bourgeois ex-
terror, man without enthusiasm and
without weakness, who kept a lavish
table and cat sparingly, who directed a
hugh gamb ing machine and permitted
himself no more exciting dissipation than
quiet game of billarda after dinner.
1t has been said In the Tattersall family
that old Dick, the founder of the historic
Corner" never made a bet of more than
pair of gloves in his life. So Francois
Blanc rose superior to the attractions of
his own tables, despised trente-et-uua-
rante, and was afraid of roulette What
he was not afraid of, however, was spend
ing money. To compass his business ends
he laid it out lavishly, and he might. so
they say, have been credited with manv
acts of genuine benevolence and public
spirit, whereof the story of the great
opera house at Paris may serve as an OK
1uipASs IAO uE6W d1l TO f1OulDurQ.
where was laid the foundation of that
fortune which was ultimately estimated
$4,000. 900 francs, or over 8, 000, 900 sterling
At Homburg he had the courage to en-
gage Mime. Patti, just then become Mar
quise de Caux, for a series of perform
ances at 81 900 an evening. Nowadays
the great singer would think little of
such an engagement, but there was some
thing horoic in the figures then, and the
people talked. Blanc liked to hear the
people talk-better, maybe, than he cared
to hear the diva sing
After the war the glories of Homburs
and Baden departed, and on their ruins
rose Monte Carlo. Monte Carlo was the
great the browning achievement of Fran
co.'s Blanc's life-the desert cape which
by mere force of millions he turned into
one OF the most wonderful of the gardens
Of the Mediterranean littoral. But il was
done without keen opposition. He made
the fortunes of the Nicols in spite of
themselves. AT every fresh opposition he
simply opened his purse, and the golden
shower fell in the sacred name of Local
interests. Mme, Blanc, the most excel
lent Of wives, was tower of strength 10
him. Where questions Of art and ele--
gance came in, hers was the directing