Mexico weekly ledger., 1895-02-14

aPparent interest IN politics and ha;
stndiousiy avoided meeting people
thus making of himself the leas
known millionaire in the metropolis
His clothes have the appearance o
the ready made article, and in ever,
way this modern Croesus looks tn,
plain, ordinary business man.
Arriving at the building of tn,
Standard Oil company, which over
looks the historic Bowling Green, Mr.
Rockefeller goes at once to his suite
OF private offices. There he is met b,
his two private secretaries. Cne O
these secretaries attends to that par
of his business relating to the Stand.
ard Oil company, while the other at
tends to his personal business inter
ests.
Hundreds of letters addressed to the
rich man are received every day, bu,
he does not see one out of twenty oi
them The secretaries, under secre-
taries, stenographers, typewriters and
clerks take care of the others. 1t il
the same with people who call with
the intention of seeing the oil king
Many of these callers have rehearsed
IN their minds what they would say
and how they would act to favorably
impress the millionaire only to be met
by the polite but firm secretary, who,
in very few words, turns the caller
homeward disappointed man.
The chiefs of the different depart
ments make condensed reports for the
daily perusal of Mr.. Rockefeller, and
1.-THE reading of these, occupy nearly
the entire morning. Few of these
chiefs have ever had any verbal COM
munication with Mr.. Rockefeller, al
though many of them have been con-
nected with the company for years.
There are less than half dozen men
In the army of people employed by
the concern who have access to Mr..
Rockefeller's personal sanctum. These
men include Henry M. Flagler, the
representative of the Charles Platt in
terest in the company; William G.
Whitney, as the representative of the
Payne family; William Rockefeller,
his brother, and one or two others.
| A large percentage of the callers
are men and women who, having read
of the wide philanthropy of the man
who endowed single educational in
stitution in Chicago with $4,000, 900,
think it will be an easy matter to in
duce him to turn some of the golden
stream in their direction.
| But it is just here that the personal
private secretary of Mr.. Rockefeller
comes in. This gentleman devotes
,nearly all his time to the philanthropic
work of his employer. How much
money the latter gives away in a year
can only be conjectured. His charities
are conducted on the same retiring,
I Tunostentatious plan that characterizes
his whole life. No one outside of his
secretary and himself knows what he
gives away.
| As an example of the generosity and
| the desire to escape notoriety of Mr..
Rockefeller little incident which
happened four years ago at Christmas
| time well illustrates. The Rockefel-
| lers are great church going people
and are extremely earnest followers
of the beliefs of the Baptist church.
They are the main support of DIR.
MacArthur's Baptist church in West
Fifty street. Some years ago
DIR. Macarthur had mission scheme
| in view which would cost consider
| able sum to put in operation on the
lines mapped out. He mentioned the
matter to Mr.. Rockefeller in the hope
that it would draw goodly subscrip-
ton from the millionaire. Mr.. Rookie
feller had the project investigated,
and it seemed feasible as an agency
for accomplishing much good.
| He said nothing more about the
matter until the arrival of Christmas
day. Then he called at the parsonage
of the church. After wishing DR..
Macarthur the customary compi-
ments of the season he broached the
subject of the mission. He said that
he was satisfied as to its utility, and
was prepared to make subscription
if the pastor would promise not to
say one word about it to any one.
The promise was given, and MIR.
Rockefeller placed in the hands of
DIR. Macarthur check for S10o, 900.
The promise was kept, but it became
necessary in time for the officers of
the church to know of the donation.
Then some of the wives of the officers
heard of it. 1t was not great while
before many of the people in the
church knew of the Oil Kings gigan-
tic subscription, but it was months be-
fore the outside world got wind of it,
and then only few papers made any
mention of the 100000 gift.
Mr.. Rockefeller is not an indis-
criminate philanthropist. All of his
charities tend in the direction of re-
Iioion or education. In consequence
not one out of fifty of the callers at
his office have their wishes gratified.
| Mr.. Rockefeller always lunches in
his office, and spends his afternoon
until 4 O'Clock going over reports and
debating instructions.
At O'Clock he starts uptown, usu-
ally walking all the way home 1T
the weather is stormy he goes home
in his brougham, which invariably
meets him on inclement days. He
dimes plainly at O'Clock, and seldom
goes out in the evening unless it is to
attend some important church meet
ing. He goes very little into society
and is very rarely seen at the theater
or opera. Mrs. Rockefeller and the
two daughters care as little for So
ciety and the pleasure of the play as
| Mr.. Rockefeller.
| Most of their time is spent at home.
Thus the wealthiest individul family
| in the land leads the quietess ana
most prosaie of lives.
| The Youngers correspondent to the
CeutraIia Courier says: Judge Fiynt
received letter from Nevada stating
that his older brother, James, aged 10
wears. was found dead in the noun
to;,,u IN, his cabin seven miles from