The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-10-02
He NAY BUY A DUKEDOM
The Vast Estates of a Noble
Italian Family Are for
Sale.
OFFERED TO F. G. NEwLANDs
Eastern Capitalists Refused the
Tempting Bait Of Income of
the Property.

A rich Italian dukedom, title, ancestral
castles, fat acres and all is being hawked
about America, and half dozen of the
moneyed kings of the country have been
offered an opportunity to exchange the
titles given them by the newspapers for
genuine right to nobility.
II is not impossible that resident of the
Pacific Coast whose vast possessions in Ne
vada and California have raised him to
high position among the moneyed aristoc-
racy OF the land may yet prefix the title of
Duke to his name, and after adding an to
his name figure in years to come as a gen.
uine old stock Italian noble.
The family to which the estates and title
belong some time since, for some reason or
other, decided to remove from its native
land, and concluded that few millions in
cold cash were preferable to the ancestral
acres that were to be left behind A pur-
chaser was looked for, but in the marts of
Europe italian dukedoms and titles were
at discount and the vendors turned
toward America, where smaller titles with
out the estates often sell high
An influential New York firm of Italians
was given commission to make the sale
ana number of wealthy Eastern men
were approached on the subject. William
II. Vanderbilt thought the matter over for
day, but declined to purchase and the
proposition was then offered to James
Gordon Bennett and George Nj. Pullman,
the multi-millionaire carbuilder, whose
daughter married into the nobility, with
out success. Despairing of making a sale
in the East the nobility brokers turned
toward California and put the matter in
the hands of a prominent Italian real estate
firm of this City with orders to get pur-
chaser if possible.
These people called upon General W. II.
l.. Barnes to enlist his aid, and for some
time past the matter has been in his hands
Walter S. Hobart, the millionaire turf
man, was offered the opportunity of be-
coming duke, but he declined with thanks,
and then the astute attorney bethought
himself of Francis G. Newlands.
Ofcourse General Barnes did not go to
Mr.. Newlands and say:
''Here, Mr.. Newlands. is chance to be-
come full hedged Italian duke by the
expenditure of a few Millions" but took
him the typewriter description of the
property, which gives in detail the dimen-
sions of the estate, its income and outgo
and many other particulars. The indorse-
ments on the document place it beyond
suspicion.
judiciously Photographed sentence
states that the genuine title of duke goes
with the estate, and that the owner of it
will be duly recognized by the Italian no.
bility as member of their circle. As
commercial proposition on paper the OPP
portunity looks golden, for the estate is
large, the villas and furniture are de-
scrlbed as ''royal' and the property brings
in a large revenue above all legitimate ex-
penses.
And then there is the title.
According to the documents which
General Barnes now has in his possession
the estate lies on both slopes OF one of the
Apprentices, commanding view of the
Mediterranean OH one side and the Adri-
attic on the other.
Noble forests cover the 1880 hectares of
s5nd equal to Il, 696.5 acres), the number
of trees being estimated at $500, 900, or 500
TO the hectare. Beautiful lakes are de-
scribed as resting like jewels in the fertile
valleys, while the sea is enhanced by regal
villas and stately castles that nestle con-
.fidingly in the valleys or frown sternly
from the heights upon the surrounding
country. Waterfalls in the glens that feed
the lakes lend grandeur to the landscape,
and both streams and lakes are said to
TEEN with fish of many varieties.
The estate is divided into three tracts,
one being the grounds of the main villa,
another the fat farms that are said to raise
anything, and the third the forests,
which are also very productive.
The forests are apparently the source of
the greatest revenue, for while the farms
are estimated at $500, 1000 lire the former
are placed at 8, 954920 lire, and the ratio of
increase in the value of the trees is COM
puted very high.
The matter of the income of the estate is
not forgotten. 1t is stated to be 100000
lire per year, with expenditures which
bring the net revenue down to 80, 800 lire
per year, sum considered ample for the
support of ducal retinue in the land of
King Humbert. The commercial value Of
the estate is sought to be enhanced by the
statement that the place would make
magnificent climatic resort.
Then comes another pleasant reference
to the fact that he who becomes the proud
.possessor of this great Italian paUrimony
will also be duke and entitled to mix
with the blue blood of the grand seigneurs.
Those who are negotiating the sale of the
estate are reticent regarding the matter
and will give no particulars regarding the
property except the typewriter descrip-
ton and the fact that the price is in the
neig hborhood of 81 900, 900. 1t is known,
however, that the place was offered to Mr..
Newlands, and that soon after he departed
for Europe, where he is at present.