The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-02-25
THE MAN VINO MADE MONTE CARLO
Tr.it. or che Mnn whose reeuiisr EATER
prise Ruiusd Thousands.
rrom a. Pail ksH B~4sst

Traits or che Man whose Feeuiisr Ester-
prise Ruiusd Thous.nds.
rror u. rsH ksH B-s9s
One evening in the days Of the Second En-
pire crowd OF men were reading the evening
paper in a salon In the Rue de RlvolL
AL" said one. breaking the silence. so
I'VE millions are still wanted to finish the new
opera house"
A silent listener took up q pen and fllled In
and signed . check for that amount without .
word. By and By. when the new opera house
was finished. that silent man was sons chow the
only person forgotten in the distribution Of
seats for the grand opening night.
Charles Monselet is responsible for this
curious little snecdote. the hero OF which was
Francois Blanc, dlrecteur Of the Casino OF
Monte Carlo. Blanc was man OF vast smbi-
tlon. born lnancler and administrator. who
might. under certain conditions. have been q
Rothschild. but who lives in history as mighty
organizer OF gambling enterprise. and was
really one Of the simplest OF men. To see him
In his brown ovsrcost. his gold spectacles half
dropping OF his nose. one would have taken
him for a petit RENTER. whose widest dreams
were OF the construction OF . little grotto in
his little garden. with little plaster rabbits,
and q fountain which. like Wemmick's. would
almost wet the back OF ones hand.
Before his Monte Carlo days he had been tho
guiding spirit In the direction OF the Casino
OF Homburg. Benazet according to his fiat
terers. was the Louis Quatorze Of Baden
Baden. Blanc, who was impervious to fat
terry. might with equal Justice have been call
ed the Colbert OF Homburg. A hard -headed.
silent man OF bourgeois exterior. Q man with
out enthusiasm and weaknesses. who kept .
lavish table and ate sparingly. who directed .
huge bling machine. and permitted him
self no more exciting dissipation than quiet
game OF billiards after dinner. have heard
It said in the Tatterssll family that old Dick.
the founder Of the historic corner" never
made q bet OF more than pair OF gloves In
his life.
30 Francois Blanc rose superior to the at
fractions OF his own table, despised trente- ct
auarante. and was afraid OF roulette. What
he was not afraid Of however. was spending
money. To compass his business ends he laid
eT.ssd 81
story Of the Opera iHous. st Psri: may serve
After the war the. elor!es of Hombure, and
Baden departed. and on their ruins rose Monte
Achievement Of Francois Bisno's IifsStSe dss-
ert cape. which By mere forge OF millions. he
~
m AIDE the fortunes Of the Nicols In spite OF them-
opened his purse. and the golden shower fell
IN the sacred name Of local interests. Mime.
Blanc. the most excellent Of wives. was . tower
Of strength to him.
Where questions OF art and ELEGANCE came
In hers was the directing spirit. and the good
man, whose thoughts and talk we're OF figures
and finance. was content that her taste should
crown his work. 1t needed n hard head to
withstand the attacks that we're made upon
him. Every days post brought with IL q hum
dred propositions and threats. They were
people who had lost their money. and de-
manded its return with fierce menacss spscu-
lative and inventive people who proposed
com binatiops: there were even temptations
offered OF the kind which assailed the sainted
Anthony; pitiful applications and warnings
OF intending suicides-placs and date carefully
specified, so that there should be no mistake
Once. even at Monte Carlo. the Villa Blanc
was actually assa!led. and two servants were
seriously, wounded in Its defence. But the
equanimity Of Francois Blanc was equal to
left him untouched; he liked best to stay in
his own family circle. refusing all Invitations
and induging himself only with good din
ner. q bottle of Chateau Lafitte. q cigar. q chat
about financial operations-whichw would some
times excite htm-and game OF billiards.
The only outlet which he allowed for his ir-
repressible energy was freQuent change OF
abode. In one year he lived In Paris. Avignon.
Monaco, Dieppe and Loueche-les- Bains In
Switzerland. whore he died at last OF asthma
respectable man. as respectAbiltty goes,
fond OF his family and o good citizen. but
withal perhaps the best abused m an In Europe.
aud certainly the indirect cause OF as much
mischief as any man in Europe.