The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1896-04-30

DUKE OF WESTMINSTER.
minister's holdings will doubtless top
those of the Chinaman and the Ameri-
can. He is certainly the heaviest own
er of real estate in the world. There
Is considerable uncertainty as to the
title Of property in China. 1t is the
subjects to-day; it may be the en-
peror's or it may be parceled out among
other citizens tomorrow. Mr.. Rookie
feller's is largely in stocks and Sc
curities. The dukes is principally real
estate. Its value and earnings are lit
tie affected by outside causes. For a
century indeed the only variation has
been an increase of value and rentals.
The duke is interested in many COM
mercial enterprises and railway and
other corporations, but, as was said,
the bulk of his belongings is in the
nature of real estate, business blocks,
market places, houses and farms. His
income ranges from $4,000,0OO to $5,-
100000 annually. 1t is not so great as
that of several Americans, whose ag-
gregate wealth is much less than that
of Westminster, but if their returns are
larger their risk is greater. The dukes
belongings. real and personal, amount
to about $175, 100000.
The dukes popularity is as great as
his wealth. If his position were cleo
tive and he were to resign, he would be
returned again at the next election.
He is truly democratic peer-making
the true distinction between democracy
and the vulgarity and viciousness of
Aylesford, Queensberry and other no.
torious aristocrats dead and alive. He
is beloved of his tenantry and admired
by people of all classes whether they
are his dependents or otherwise His
popularity was not gained in politics
or in diplomacy, but from association.
His hospitality is boundless and his
many ancestral seats are always filled
with guests. The fire is alight the
year round. IT is in the hunting field
that his grace finds greatest joy. He is
a true sportsman and is careless
whether farmers or princes accompany
him in the chase. 1t is the game he
seeks, not society. He is the best judge
of horse. in the United Kingdom, and
is not wholly theoretical in his informa-
ton. He can fit racing plate to
horses foot with the skill of a master
smith. His horses are the pride of his
life. His stud farm is the estate on
which his principal country seat, Eaton
Hall, is situated. This is in Chester,
near Hawarden, the home Of Glad
stone. The lords of the stud are the
great Ben dor and Ormonde.
The duke, who describes himself as
being in the prime of life, was born
October 1S, 1926, and is now in his
seventy-first year. He has been mar
ried twice, the first time in 1852. His
wife was Lady Constance Gertrude
Leweson-Gower, daughter of George
Granville, duke of Sutherland. They
had eleven children, of whom six are
now living. The first duchess died in
1880, and in 1888 the duke married
Katherine Caroline Cavendish, daugh-
ter of Lord Chesham. They have three
children.
In discussing the democratic ways
of the duke Englishmen relate the
story of a stranger who desired to see
the art treasures of Eaton Hail. He
met an elderly man walking about the
grounds, and from his dress, which was
a semihunting costume and not too
new, thought the man to be retainer
of the duke. The stranger asked the
man to show him about the place,
which the person did, pointing out, ex-
planning and listening to the visitors
comments on the duke and the family
with interest and received with thanks
a half sovereign to requite him for his
trouble. The following day the visitor
rode out to the hunt and in the master
of the hounds, who was also lord lieu
tenant of the county and Duke of West
minister, he recognized his guide Of the
day before. 1t is explained by the en-
thusiastic fellow countrymen of the
duke that the reason the great man did
not decline the "tip" given him by the
visitor was his fear of disconcerting
the stranger. 1t would have been so
utterly out of character for an English
servant to decline money that the peer
would have been obliged to disclose his
identity to explain his refusal.