Bennington semi-weekly banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 1894-1902, 1895-08-09
ENGLAND's RICHEST MAN.
The Career of Colonel North. ''the Nitrate
King"

The Career of Colonel North, "the Nitrate
King"
Few stories Of today arc more romantic
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 1.-THE Nj
trate King" both because it is to that
product that he owes his fortune and be-
cause of his open handed way Of distribut-
ing his wealth.
Although now tho richest man in Great
Britain, his origin was most humble. A
Yorkshire mechanic, he went to Chile
when he was 28 years old, 20 years ago,
and riveted boilers in the town of Huasco.
AT this time the nitrate fields Of Peru wero
beginning to be talked of as good field
for speculation. He believed that he could
employ his mechanical ability there and
left as soon rs he could afford to make the
venture. His work was largely in the nj
tratc fields, and he was one * the first to
purchase nitrate. For go years he con-
tinued to purchase 1t. He mastered every
detail Of the nitrate business and began to
erect works here and there in Tarapaca
1t isncedless to track the progress OF the
Nitrate King in detail through the sue
cessive stages which have Ld to his posses
sion OF fortune exceeding $780, 900, 600
His farsiRhted business sagacity enabled
him to see opportunities for money max
Ing that were not apparent to others
Gradually he secured control of tho greater
part Of the nitrate beds. Water is a precious
commodity in that region, so North got
control of the water companies. He need
ed ships and railways for transportation
Of freight and passengers, and he built
them. When the war between Chile and
Peru broke out, he found new openings
for the rapid accumulation Of wealth and
promptly awaited himself Of them, getting
control of railways, gas works and other
corporations which in 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, ho engaged in new enterprises,
the chief of which was the manufacture Of
cement in Belgium, which has proved al
most rs lucrative rs the production Of nj
trate of silver. Even to this day he per-
sonally supervises all of his vast business
interests.
In Great Britain Colonel North quickly
became famous. His prodigal liberality,
the magnilcence of his entertainments,
and the palaces which he built for himself
quickly made this Monte Cristo the cyno-
sure of all eyes. His wealth opened tho
doors of society to him, he became 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 distribu-
ton of his favors.
Colonel North is well known as 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 cost
ly objects of art and he is always ready to
buy any that come into the market,-Chi-
cago Times-Herald