Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1895-03-13
March 10. 1895.
THE RICHEST NAN IN AMERICA.
John ID. Rockefeller has a Fortune Of
Sf45, 700, O,OOO--Liues Plainly
aud Gives JudiciouslU.
W. ". B. GALLAHER, Editor

NNU 0ttCo CN0tr'ON'hU'
What does the richest man in this
country do in day?
John D. Rockefeller, the Standard Oil
king. is the man. His fortune has now
reached the gigantic figure of s145,000,-
900. Before the end Of the year it will
have reached the terrific sum of $780,.
100000. People who claim to know say
that his wealth is growing at the rate OF
S15,000,000 year. He is not an extrav-
agant man; his family are even more
modest in their tastes than he is, and that
he does not spend one.twentieth Of his an
nual income is generally believed by bis
friends.
Mr.. Rockefeller's income is unquestion-
ably somewhere in the neighborhood of
s15,0O0,0O0 year. The Standard Oil
Company pays immense profits to its
owners, and Mr. Rockefeller is the prin-
cipaI owner. Based upan an unnual in
come of S15,0OO,OOO, the oil king has
81, 100000 a month to spend, or s4l 500,
every day in the week, including Sundays
and holidays.
A great many men would be satisfied
to retire from all business pursuits if they
had as a fortune just one days income Of
Mr.. Rock efeler. Not so with the latter
Perhaps the ambition of his life is 10 have
daily income of 100000 In that
event he would have built up fortune
of 1926, 100000, and have every cent o.
it bring in as much interest as his present
fortune.
1t is not without the pale Of possibili
tv that Mr.. Rockefeller will live to Sc,
his daily income reach the 100000 fig
ure. Thirty-fve years ago Mr.. Rocke
feller was worth $4,000 In that time
practically starting on nothing, he hai
made S145,000,000. He is 80 years ole
now,vigorous and healthy, aud in all prob
ability will live twenty years more, il
which time it would not be unreasonabl,
to suppose that he could double his enor
nous wealth.
Mr. Rockefeller's day is plain, mat
ter.of-fact one He spends it much tn,
same as the man working on a salary anC
with family to support There is NJ
show or ostentation about what he does
I Few people in the financial or bushes
4 world know him even by sight. Not ont
!. out of fifty of the employees of the Stand
ard Oil Company in its Offices on lowe
Broadway, New York, have ever spokel
word to him. Many Of them would no
; know him if they saw him.
. Mr.. Rockefeller is methodcal in every
thing. He gets up at in the morning
and breakfasts with his wife and tw,
- daughters, Alta and Edith, and his son
John, D., Jr., at s o'clock At 9 O'Clock
; he starts for his downtown office. Th,
= Rockefeller home is on the south side o
Fifty-fourth street, just west of Fifth av
, enue, and overlooks the park fronting ST
,; Lukes Hospital on the opposite side O
the street.
The house is big, substantial brown
stone affair of 10 particular kind of ar
chitecture It is built on the line Of solid
comfort, with a vide entrance in the mid
die and With large rooms opening on th'
central hall. The house has a miniature
park around it, very exceptional thing
in that part of the city, where ground il
S worth in the ncighborhood Of $4,000
front foot.
When Mr.. !, ckefell.r leaves his hous
at 8 a m, ifii3 day is fine, he walk. to
ward Fifth avenue Very often he start
uptown in the direction of Central park
Sometimes he is accompanied By one o
both of his daughters and sometimes b
his son, young mau Of p years, who i
now learning the ropes of the oil compa
ny.
Mr.. Rockefeller is Il great believer j
(, the efficiency of walking and all kinds G
exercise as health givers, and he ha
taught all the members of his family