The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-05-09
THE LATE NITRATE KING.
How Col. North Made His Money
and spent IL.


From the Washington Post.
Col. North was one Of the peculiar
products Of the century. a man who. com
-ng from the lowest stratum of society,
achieved notoriety as the concomitant of
a great fortune. Just what part of Eng
land gave him birth is a mystery. but
as he always spoke with strong York
shire twang, he was probably of York
shire birth. When a lad of Is he went to
sea on an old-t!me "Blackball Liner, -
most 10 the renowned baltimore Clip
pers" of 1S49-'55.
His fortune was the outcome of a lucky
accident. North met In Peru, South
America, an Englishman who was hope
lessly i'll. All he wanted was to get
back home, where he might be laid to
rest where his father slept Ever kind
ly man, the English sailor saw that his
fellow Brton was sent home and furnish
ed with money enough to maintain MIN
the few months he had TO live. In return
for this the stranger confded to North the
secret Of a mighty deposit of nitrate IN
Peru, that made for its lucky possessor
one of the greatest fortunes ever gained
in a single lifetime by any Engllshman
of this century. Commercial fertilizers
were just then coming into use 10 re
vivify the lands-those in grass partlc-
ularly-that had almost been exhausted
by centuries of cultivation.
How Col. North doated his nitrate com
pany is one of the commercial romances OF
the nineteenth century. In thirty years
the weak concern grew into vast com
pany paying annually as much as % per
cent dividends. II made for North tl2,-
090O 900 sterling. With wealth, there came
the usual ambition of the British prollta-
riat a desire for high social distinction
But though ne had money, ne ala not pos,
sess the ability to acquire the ways ana
manners of the social rank to which he
Col North won the favor of the Prince
of Wales by a bold coup. His royal high
ness, owins to somewhat inordlnale
fondness for the pleasures OF TINS word,
was behind" about $4,000. Inc, accom-
modatings sons OF Sheen, VINO had seen a
good deal of Wales promise TO pay, nat
IL refused to ''dO another billf for the
prince until he had arranged certain ar
Tearages long over due. AS the prince S
financial extremity was the talk of the
clubs and town, II soon became known
to North He boldly wrote a note TO the
prince, saying he would be glad 10 ASSIST
him, and asked for an interview, when
was granted North came to the meellng
with a large travelling bag IN ms hahd.
How much do you need was lHe mir
About 100000" answered Wales. Par
lament has refused to make an add
tional grant to him, and the heir TO Eng
land throne was in bad nix
~ have here" said North unlocking his
bag. 1900 900 pounds ($l,0OOWO in Englsh
thousand pound notes. You can nave as
much as you want; all of II, If you wish.
"But about repayment gasped the
prince 1t was the Count of Monte Cristo
come to life. a.,
"Pay when you cam said the other; Il
will never press you.
Nor did he Wales rockwell, Just now
much no one ever knew outside OF the
two, and neither ever told.
1t took all Wales tact 10 carry North
but he did II in a way. The stewards of the
Derby refused TO have North as mem
Der Wales caused him to be elected. The
Duke of Edinburg swooned when North
appeared at a luncheon given by the
Prince of Wales, attired in an impossible
suit yellow plush vest, shirt of yell
low ground, interspersed with monkeys
heads, this being his idea of the correct
attire of an English gentleman for a
luncheon with royalty. Wales had his
protege made colonel Of a Norfolk Volun-
teer Regiment. The drill the nitrate man,
like the late Judge Lamar, never could
learn. But he gave his command $4,000
to erect an armory, one of the handsom-
est in the shires.
Though a terror socially, like Squire
Abingdon, who died a year or two ago,
North was exceptionally shrewd in money
matters, and did not become the prey of
the noble deadbeats. How much he gave
away TO impecunious lords will never be
known Wales he aided to the tune OF
three millions North's son and heir, Is
a captain In the English army, a quiet,
sensible young fellow with his father
clear business head, and none of the sire's
inextinguishable Vulgarity. The Prince Of
Wales will probably be a handsome bene-
ficiary by NOrthS death.