The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1895-11-07
ENGLAND,S RICHEST MAN.
The Great Fortune Made by Colonel North
In South america

The Great Fortune Made by Colonel North
In South america
Few stories of today are more ro-
mantle than that of the rapid rise
to wealth of John Thomas North,
who was defeated for membership
IN parliament by Herbert Gladstone.
North is known as the Nitrate King,
both because it is to that product
that he owes his fortune and because
OF his open handed way of distribut-
ing his wealth.
Although now the richest man in
Great Britain, his origin is most
humble. A Yorkshire mechanic, he
went to Chile when he was 80 years
old, % years ago, and riveted boilers
in the town of Huasco. At this time
the nitrate fields of Peru were be-
ginning to be talked of as a good
field for speculation. He believed
that he could employ his mechanical
ability there and left as soon as he
could afford to make the venture.
His work was largely in the nitrate
fields, and he was one of the first to
purchase nitrate. For 20 years he
continued to purchase it. He mas
tered every detail of the nitrate bus
mess and began to erect works here
and there in Tarapaca.
1t is needless to track the progress
of the Nitrate King in detail through
the successive stages which have led
to his possession of a fortune exceed
ing 500, 000,000 His farsighted
business sagacity enabled him to see
opportunities for money making
that were not apparent to others,
Gradually he secured control Of the
greater part of the nitrate beds.
Water is a precious commodity in
that region, SO North got control of
the water companies. He needed
ships and railways for transporta-
ton of freight and passengers, and
he built them. When the war be-
tween Chile and Peru broke out, he
found new openings for the rapid
accumulation of wealth and prompt
ly availed himself of them, getting
control of railways, gas works and
other corporations, which m his
hands paid as they never had done
before.
After Colonel North had become
one of the worlds richest men he
placed his South American affairs
in competent hands and returned to
England to enjoy the fruits of his
toll. Far from resting, however,
he engaged in new enterprises, the
chief of which was the manufacture
of cement in Belgium, which has
proved almost as lucrative as the
production of nitrate of silver. Even
to this day he personally supervises
all of his vast business interests.
In Great Britain Colonel North
! quickly became famous. His prodi-
gal liberality, the magnificence of
his entertainments and the palaces
which he built for himself quickly
made this Monte Cristo the cynosure
of all eyes. His wealth opened the
doors of society to him, he became a
friend of the Prince of Wales. and
from that time his name has been
on the public tongue, though of late
it is said he has been more judicious
! and less lavish in the distribution
of his favors.
Colonel North is we'll known as a
patron of the turf, his racing stables
being the best in England. He is
also dog fancier and an admirer of
the work of artists. His country
house at Ethan is filled with costly
objects of art, and he is always
ready to buy any that come into the
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