Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-02-17

NJ. Francois Blanc, Originator of the
Famous Gambling Resort.

NJ. Francois Blanc, Originator OF the
Famous Gambling Resort.
From the Pail Mall Budget
One evening in the days of the second en-
pire a crowd of men were reading the even
ing paper in a salon in the Rue de Rivoli.
"Ah," said one breaking the silence $50
FIVE millions are still wanted to finish the
new opera house"
A silent listener took up pen and filled
in and signed a check for the amount with
out 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.
Charles Monselet is responsible for this
| curious little anecdote. the hero of which
was Francois Blanc, directeur of the Casino
of Monte Carlo. Blanc. a man of vast am
bition, born financier and administrator
who might under certain conditions have
been a Rothschild, but who lives in history
as a mighty organizer of gambling enter
prise, was really one of the simplest Of
men. To see him in his brown overcoat, his
gold spectacles half dropping off his nose,
one would have taken him for a petit rem
tier whose widest dreams Were of the con-
| struction of a little grotto in his little gar
den with little plaster rabbits and foun-
tain which, like Wemmick's, would almost
wet the back of ones hand.
Before his Monte Carlo days he had been
| the guiding spirit in the direction of the
| Casino of Homburg. Benazet, according to
| his flatterers, was the Louis Quatorze of
! Baden-Baden. Blanc, who was impervious
to fattery, might with equal justice nave
| been called the Colbert of Homburg A
ha-d-headed, silent man of bourgeois exter-
| ior, man without enthusiasm and weak
| nesses. who kept lavish table and ate
| sparingly, who directed a huge gambling
machine and permitted himself no more ex-
Lie a
lizards after dinner. l have heard it said in
| the Tatte-sall family that old Dick the
| founder of the historic corner" never
made a t Of more than pair of gloves in
| his life.
So Francois Blanc rose superior to the at
| fractions of his own table. despised trente-
| et-Quarante and was afraid of roulette.
| What he was not afraid of, however, was
| ends he laid 1t out lavishly; and he might
SO they say, have been credited with many
| acts of genuine benevolence and public
spirit, whereof the story of the opera house
| at Paris may serve as an example.
| After the war the glories of Homburg and
Baden departed. and on their ruins rose
Monte Carlo. Monte Carlo was the great.
| the browning achievement of Francois
| 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 Med
| iterranean litoral. But it was not done
| without keen oposition. He made the for
tunes of the Nicols in spite of themselves.
| At every fresh opposition he simply opened
! his purse. ard the golden shower fell in the
sacred name of local interests. Nine.
! Blanc, the most excellent of wives, was a
| 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 were of
/ figures and finance, was content that he-
taste should crown his work. 1t needed a
| hard head to Withstand the attacks thatvere
made upon him. Every days post brought
with it a hundred propositions and threats
| There were people who had lost their
money. and demanded its return with fierce
| who proposed combin9 tons; there were
even temptat tons Offered of the kind which
assailed the sainted Anthony; pitiful sup
plcationS and warnings of intending sui
/ cides-place and date carefully specified SC
that there should be no mistake
Il Once even at Monte Carlo, the Villa Blanc
was actually assaied, and two servants
| were seriously wounded in its defense But
| the equaniTnity of Francois Blanc was
equal to adventures. Threats prayers. all
! temptations, left him untouched: he liked
best to stay in his own family circle, refus.
ing all Invitations, and INDUCING himself
only with a good dnner,a bottle of Chateau
LATTE, a cigar, chat about financial oper.
ations-which would sometimes excite him
and family game of billiards.
The only outlet which he allowed for his
irrepressible energy was frequent change
of abode. In one year he lived in Paris
Avignon, Monaco, Dieppe and Loueche-ies
Bains, in Switzerland. where he died al la ST
of asthma. a respectable man, as respect
ability goes fond of his family and a good
citizen, but withal, perhaps, the best-abusei
man in Europe, and certainly the indirect
cause of as much mischief as any man in
| EurOpe