The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1895-12-01

NEW Ohh, NOV. Sos-hh
ly dressed man leaves Sixth avenue
IL" train at the Rector street station
every morning about 1880 o'clock, and 10
pushed and jostled about by the eager
throng hurryIng to business. In the
hustle and hustle OF commercial humani.
ty no attention is paid to him. Com
merce is too busy for that.
An Office lady an hour late bumps into
him and swears uproariously because
OF the momentary delay. bargain
counter dude with a So a week salary
starss haughtily at him, aud perhaps
calls him an ''easy going duffer." II the
man went into store no one would trust
him for a 25-cent purchase, unless he paid
over the cash. He hasn't got a prosperous
look, and il any one thought at all bout
him they would probably size him up as
$25 week bookkeeper, burdened with
large family and heavier expenses than
he can meet.
But ii these observers should follow the
quiet. looking man in his short walk
down Broadway, and watch him enter
the huge white building Of the Standard
Oil company, they would see the hall
attendant rush to the door and swing it
wide open with an admiring bow. He
would see the nervous excitement OF the
elevator man who takes the quist-looking
man up to tho sixth floor. II he were
still followed, 1t would be noticed that
the man entered an Office the door of
which Is barren of any sign or lettering
indicating the name or business of the
occupant.
1t would be necessary for the curious
man to 60 ba,k to the elevator or down
to the main hall again to get any infor-
nation, and the reply 10 his question
would be: "Why. that's the boss, Mr..
Rockefeller"
1t IS a curious fact that John y. Rookie
Teller, the richest man In the country, is
known by sight to fewer people than any
nther celebrity in thu metropolis. He
could appear before a gathering of 5U00
persons and not dozen would know who
he vas. He could 60 on the floor of the
stock exchange, when 1t was filed with
the ablest financiers of Wall street, and
not half a duzen of them would recog-
nize hin. He could walk along Broad way
from the Battery to Central park, and out
of the 30, 900 people he would pass in the
tve.mile journey, not three souls would
see an acquaintance in him.
Yet this is the man who, within the
past few weeks, astounded the world by
giving 5000. 600 in lump to tho Chi
s:s9 IN h:, sy:n s5 10 9 tSi, IN,
stitution. In years he is not much be-
yonu the half century mark, and forty
years ago he was selling newspapers IN
The streets of New Bedford. when the
people of the small Massachusetts, town
regarded him as q very ordinary small
boy.
This last gift OF Mr.. Rockefeller gives
him the rank of premier philanthropist
OF the country. His fortune Is increasing
at the rate OF SIC, 900, 900 year, and he
does not spend $50. 900 year on his FAM
lily expenses. Recent estimates of mis-
wealth havs placed it as high as $780,
0s0 900. While 1t is not probable that it
has reached that sum, it is close to it,
the richest man in tha civilized world. 1t
is said that LII Hung Chang If China has
$500, 900, 900, but this estimate Is largely
problematical. Recent estimates of the
wealth of Barney Bsrnsto, who is man
ipuIating the Kaffir craze IN London, have
placed it as high as $500, 900. 600. Other
est,m Ates have placed it as low as $685.
000,0 Conservative English papers
say that he is actually worth SIS, 900, 900,
with the possibility of the bulk OF it fad
wealth Of the Rothsohilds does not APP
proacn the fortune OF Mr.. Rockefeller.
Much has been written recently about
the fabulous accumulations OF riches by
individual Americans, but when the
wealth of the greatest of them is coIlpar-
ed with the fortunes OF tho ancients, the
modern millionaire makes but a paltry
showing.
For instance. Solomon, the richest an
of them all, was bequeathed the fabulous
sum of $4,000, 00O, 600. and was made
trustees in addition of a fund of "a, 1861
900, 900, with which to build temple.
His actual income was for several years
$1,000. 000.O 900. But Solomon was licen-
tious and spendthrift. Croesus' wealth
has been estimated at 81, 600, 600, 900. He
gave SIS, 900, 900 to the Dslphian temple.
Alexander the Great brought back $751;
900, 900, 900 as the spoils of one expedition.
Lucullus, the epicure, was worth $780,
100000. There have been many others
with fabulous fortunes. One of tina Ptol-
emys bad 81, 1886. 900, 600 and was so close
listed that he married his grandmother
to keep her money in the family. Au-
gustus was heir to $l8l, ass, 900. He spent
81. 81 o SS oG Which h' os ssA,
spent in one year in riotous living.
One supper cost the latter $$15O,000
Cleopatra dissolved pearl worth $500, 600
in vinegar and swallowed it.. Thomas
Gresham, an Enelishman OF the time of
Queen Elizabeth, did the same with a
pearl worth 100000. Claudius swallowed
pearl worth $4,000.
1t 10 a difficult matter to estimate in
dollars and cents the sum total OF Mr..
R0cKefeller' philanthropy during the
past twenty years. His previous gifts to
the Chicago university have amounted
to abont "a, $780, 900, the first one being
made in June, 1890, in the sum Of $780,
600. IL was followed by one OF 81, 900. coo
in September of the same year, and in
tho February following ne gave another
$1,000, 700. The first gift was for the en-
dowmeat OF the college work, the second
for the work of non profession graduate
instruction, and the third for general
purposes of instruction. In Deoem Der,
1892, he gave 81 00O, 5000 more. and in
May, 1893, he promised $3.50, 900. SO that
gift Of $500, 900 made by Martin A. RIVER
son on condition that $500, 900 more be
raised, should come into the college treas
ury. In November 1893, Mr.. Rookie Teller
gave $500. 900 with the proviso that not
more than S175, 900 be used for running
expenses. tho rest to be used for the gen.
eral purposes of the university. In Jam
uay. 1884, he made q contribution of $50.
600 for the purchase OF books, and in jan
nary. 1895, he gave $1,000 as New
Years present.
1t has always been o favorite method
with Mr. Rockefeller, in making cOntri-
buttons to colleges and schools and
church ORGANIZATIONS, to give a sum con-
ditonal upon the recipient raising u stip-
ulated amount to which it might be add
ed. Until he had EN- parked upon the Chi
"a