Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1895-03-22

never URuIcu III puoIlo lllVi h"o
never taken any apparent interest
In politics and has studlously
avoided meeting people, thus
making himself tue least known
millionaire in the metropolis. His
clothes have the appearance of the
ready-made article, aud Ia every
way this modern CrOesus looks the
plain, ordinary business man.
Arriving at the building of the
Stand ard Oil Company, which
OyerlOOks the historic Bowling
Green. Mr.. Rockefeller goes at
once to his suite of private Offices.
There he is met by his two private
secretaries. One of these secre
taries attends to that part of bis
business relating to the Standard
Oil Company, while the other at
tends TO his personal business
interests.
Hundreds OF letters addressed
to the rich man are received every
day, but he does not see Que out
OF twenty OF them. The secretar-
les, stenOgraphers, typewrlJers and
clerks take care of the others.
1t Is the same With people who
call with the intention Of seeing
the Oil King. Many of these
callers have reheareed in their
minds what they would say aud
how they would act to favOrably
impress the millionaire only to be
met by the polite secretary, who
in very few words, turns the caller
hOmeward a disappointed man,
The chiefs of the various depart.
ments make condensed reports
for the daily pelusal of Mr.. ROcke-
feller, and the reading of these
occupy nearly the entire morning.
Few OF these chiefs have ever had
any verbal communication with
Mr.. Rockefeller, although many of
have been connected with the
company for years.
There are less than haIfa dozen
men IN the army Of people employ
ed by the concern who have access
to Mr.. ROckeielleI's personal sane
tum. These men include Henry
NJ Flagler, the representative Of
the Charles Pratt interest in the
company; William G. Whitney, as
the representative of the Payne
family; William Rockefeller, his
brother and one or two others.
A large per centage Of the cal
lers are men and women, who,
having read of the philanthropy Of
man who endowed single educa.
tional institution IN Chicago with
$4,000, 900, think it would be an
easy matter to induce him to turn
some of the golden stream in thelI
direction.
Bot it is just here that the per-
sonal private secretary of Mr
Rockefeller comes 10. This geD-
tleman devotes nearly all his time
to the philanthroplc work of hi
employer. How much money The
latter gives away In a year car
only be c0njectured. His charltlet
are conducted on the same retiring
transformations plan that chsract
or yes his whole life. No ont
outside of his secretary and hIn
self knows what he gives away.
AS an example of the genero'ltS
aud the desire to escape nOtOriety
of Mr.. Rockefeller little incident
which happened four years ago a
Christmas time we'll illustrates
The Rocksfellers are great church.
going people aud are extremel,
earnest followers of the beliefs o
the Baptist Church. They are th'
main support of DIR. McArtbur'
Baptist church in West Fifty
seventh street. Some years age
DIR. Arthur had a mission schem'
10 view which would costs a con
siderable SUN to put in operation
/ on the lines mapped out. Fl
mentioned the matter to MI
Rockefeller in the hope that il
, would draw goodly subscription
= from the millionaire. Mr.. Rock
8 efeller had the project investigate
- and it seemed feasible as an agency
T for accomplishing much good
j. He said nothing more abou
1 the matter until tho arrival O
e Christmas Dsy.-Tban he calle'
at the parsonage OF the church
r After wishing DR.. Macarthur th
] customary compliments OF tb
}, season be broached the subject {