The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1897-08-04
RICH NOMADS THESE.
FlFTY-Slx, ALL OF ONE FAMILY, AND
HAVE $4,000 IN GOLD.
startipg From Brazil They Have Wan
dered over the World and Will Now
settle In This Countrywide Tribe IL
Ruled on PstTiarchal Principles.

Miguel Nicolai and his family, con-
sisting of 30 persons. arrived at New
York recently from Europe on the Ham
burg American line steamer Patria.
They had ten dogs with them, cat
and six bags of gold, together with va
rious curios gathered from all sections
of the globe. The gold is in American
So, $40 and $50 goldpieces, the cash
capital of the family amounting, accord
ing to its head, TO 1920. 1000
The Nicolai family has travelled more
than 90, 900 miles. The head Of the
family is 20 years old He is a Brazilian
gaucho or ranchman Fifty years ago
as he stated TO reporter, he began to
raise coffee, children and cotton in
Brazil All of his children are alive. as
| is his wife.
"This is not the first time that we
have been in the vicinity of New York, y
he said. "About four years ago when
| business became bad down in Brazil we
sold out our ranches aud plantations,
| and it was agreed that l should act as
| chief of our band We decided TO come
| to the United States aud raised all the
cash we could on our property and ex-
! changed it for United States money.
1.-THE family at that time was not as
big, of course, as it is now, but we
came 10 New York and then went 10
Louisiana, where we settled on a cotton
| plantation As the members of the
family all stuck together and never
quarreled we got along nicely. If there
were any disputes between any mem
bers of the band, it was left TO me to
settle them. Everything was left in
my hands. If a marriage was TO be con-
tracted, was consulted. Then | would
make an investigation. If | thought 1t
proper to allow the marriage TO go on,
/ would start the new branch of the
family under prosperous circumstances.
II il was thought best not 10 have a
marriage contracted with any member
of the family, would simply explain
the matter and argue it in a proper
manner until | convinced the member
that it would be better for his welfare
not TO marry.
Probably there is not king or an
: emperor anywhere in the world who
rules his people as | do. The reason
that am able to rule them so we'll Is
because | give them almost everything
they want The handling of money be-
longing to the family is very re-
sponsible duty. My brothers and my
father act as a sort Of consulting board
and everything propose comes before
q them at meeting held for the purpose
, If three out of the four decide agains
! nv proposition, abide by the result
\ and then request them to suggest some
| thing else. In this way we Away
manage to agree. Of course mistake
are made by my brothers, by my father
q by myself, but as rule we keep on tn
v right track.
a "All of us speak good English,
o least good enough to make ourselve
h understood Naturally we speak Por
!. tuguese and Spanish, and we have &C
= ouired German, French and Italian
y The female members Of the family d
a not speak any English. They keep {
. themselves and do not mingle with out
siders.
. 1--WE are all happy because we hav
;. health and money. That is all any on
;. lives for We are greatly attached t
A each other. None of the children
;. uuarrelsome, because they never sc
their father and mother quarrel. Th
!, children are taught to love every mem
q Der of the family.
=. II will tell you the way we come
be here now, if you think 1T interest
- any one. When we sold out our posses
y sions in Brazil and came to the Unite
~ States first, we made lot of money
. cotton planting in Louisiana. lt wa
y down there that we learned to spea
French. Then we took trip out
Missouri, deciding to settle there, br
"A we found it was not prosperous couf
Z. try. so we came right up to New Yorl
q. and on the 18th of November last W
"a sailed for Europe. We had nearly 1925
h. 600 at that time, but our trip TO EuroI
ri cost us over $4,000 1t was our inter
ton to go to Russia and go into ii
IN ranch business there. We went to Ru
Mt STA by way of Hamburg, and when "
a got to st. Petersburg we soon learne
10 we had made great mistake IN leavln
y America. We found that the cheape
IF meat there cost 20 cents pound. Oth'
h. provisions were just as high in propo
" ton. We decided it would be better II
ga us to return to America and raise Gait
+. here. Then we thought we might get
ia good price for our meat If we sent II
be Russia 1t would pay us better to Sc
so meat to the Russians than to buy
a. from them However, we got away FRO
of Russia as quickly as we could.
m "Then we went to France. We foul
nd no chance for us to make money Their
de SO we went to Switzerland. lt w
Il. worse there. Then we went to ltai
Ir where we found people starving. so
went to Prussia We found Germany
@. be very nice country, but not as nj
70. as the United States. "
he When Chief Emilio pronounced c
: words United States, each OF the mer
bers of his band, who were about hii
kissed the palms of their hands, al
the chief, continuing, said; "fou
how our family love this country, Eve