The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-05-23

Rockefeller. it is thought. He controls the
company and is alleged to own $64 600 600 of
its capital stock. If such be true his wealth
increases $640000 every time the stock adj
vances point; it has advanced at that rate
sixty-fiVe times since Dec s. increasing the
value of his holdings Sal, 600 within five
months. This monstrous wealth is only
part of his estate
ROCKEFELLER'S WEALTH.
Mr.. Rockefeller owns 'mudh of the Mes
saba and Gogebic iron ranges, if he is not
the sole proprietor of the richest veins.
Steamboats,. and railroads. and piers in lake
cities in connection Herewith are part of
the great plant He is said to have other
big and profitable investments. Great iron
and steel plants may be added soon. He is
worth $225. 900. 600 conservative men say if he
is worth one cent. The combined wealth of
the big eight would sustain a nation
through war and pestilenee.
Rockefeliers wealth is not all locked up
in the Standard Oil Company. He has near
ly a solid $780, 600 600 invested in many enter
prises of vast magnitude. In real estate he
has tied up $15,000G00; in steamship lines,
81, 900 600; in iron mines, $4,000 600; in rail-
road stocks and bonds. $25 600; in bank
stock So 600 000 in natural gas stock, 81
600 600; in manufactured gas stock, $3OOO,OO0;
in mines in Western States, $50OO,OO0 IN
government bonds and miscellaneous SecuIl-
ties, about $12,000,0OO and in cash about
81, 600 900.
All of the figures Just given are approx
mate, as the securities are constantly huc-
tuating, and the 1ncessant How OF income
necessitates new investments. A total esti-
mate, however of $244, 000,000 can be re-
garded as conservative. His fortune may be
greater by $10000.000, bat 1t is hardly less
than the figure just given.
This places John d. Rockefeller at the
head of the milionaires. not only of this
country but of the world. AT one time 1t
was said that Ii Hung Chang was worth
$500 900 goo, but this was proved an eXagger-
alton the noted Chinaman not owning prop
erty worth one-ifth of that sum.
None of the potentates of the world has
the fortune or the income of Mr. Rocketel-
Ter. Queen Victoria receives 2,OOO,OJO
year about one-ninth of the income of
Rockefeller and out of this sum she must
spend 81 100 600 to maintain the court she
doesn't even have the pleasure OF spending
it, either; the government performs that
duty The Car of Russia enjoys trihe
larger income than Victoria, but officers or
the court attend to the spending OF II But
no one dictates the disposition OF the ROCK
! efeller income He can invest it in interest
bearing securities give 1t away to Baptlst
! churches and colleges, or build floral time
pieces in the gardens OF his TarrytoWn pal
| ace.
John D. Rockefeller is a unique character;
| He is a study in mental relief and moral
| perversty. He is as plain, transformations
| and free from society's polish an honest
| farmer yet his company owns mlnlons VINO
| are in society for the companys good. lie
| gives millions to university. yet his COM
| pany brides a legislature or steals an cleo
| ton with impunity He hates newspapers;
| yet his company maintains secret press
| bureau at a large salary 10 produce news
| that will affect the stock market. AT us
head is one of the shreWdest schemerS the
| newspaper field in this city has produced
| He breaches honesty in all things yet his
company resorts to methods that would en-
title it's minions to membership in every
tracks were not so skillfuly covered. He is,
fgurativeIy, negative; his company is posi-
tive; combined they get you coming and
The history of the Standard Oil Company
is in brief, story of the brutal success OF
power and wealth over all opposition, by
| honest means when convenient lawlessness
| when necessary. Every man has ms price
has been the encouraging axiom that , mas
guided it, The price depended upon how
| badly thing was desired. Palaces Tor the
successful wrecked homes for the van
quished, strew its path There are are, e4 pen5
sylvania and West Virginia TO supply the
worlds market. They are Standard on
wells bought to prevent competition or
wells abandoned by men who tried to fight
and failed. Oil is cheap and the buyer
makes little complaint. What It might ha ave
trust no one can say Trust men always
hold that trusts prevent complete democrat
Teller was bookkeeper for the original
company once at $40 a month; he IS at IT'S
head to-day. It's history is of his deVislng
and, in a large measure, is one story Oh ms
me- THE CROEsUs AT HOME.
1t is the anomalous condition of mans
| morals as here outlined that confronts you
in studying Mr.. Rockefeller. What he would
| be under different circumstances is risky
conjecture In his personal life he is one
man, as a standard Oil official he works for
the Standard Oil Company. At home he is
said to be grand character; at the office
damnable schemes have been concocted.
| His family is small and his devotion to
it has been one of the charming features of
| II mi s,,,Ixr tx4yn lou
one married young Mccormick of the har-
vesting machine firm about year ago. He
| came on from Chicago to have a big we'd
| ding, but became i'll at his hotel. The mar
riage was celebrated in the quiet of his pri
| Vate quarters after which the bride re-
| ceived her friends at her fathers home. All
| of the family are as democratic as humans
can be. The wife and daughters have every
| advantage of great wealth; the latter were
graduated from fashionable colleges. but
neither is bookish at all Their friends are
of the fashionable set as well as from the
Others yet season after season mas come
and gone without the young women at
tempting to shine as society leaders. The
whole idea seems to have been revolving to
| them They have always been devout
church people and found their happiness in
the delightful companionship of other men,
bers of their family and in church and Sun
day school work. To help the poor, not for
the purpose of gaining notoriety but TO re-
lieve suffering. has been one of their
| dreams and it has brought more enjoyment
than all the balls at the Waldorf could have
done Many original schemes of relief have
| been successfully carried out. and they have
often entertained the poor children in their
richly furnished parlors or at picnicS In
Central Park. Their ideas are much like
those of Miss Helen Gould.
This man of millions has encouraged and
aided his family in all their schemes. He
contributes enormous sums weekly to or
ganized charity and church work. His gifts
of something like 100000 900 to the Chicago
University are well known
Mr. Rockefeller has the rich mans dis
like for the tax assessor. He and his broth
err William are much alike in all things as
previously stated. In this last particular
| they are full twins. Each has magnificent
! country home at or near TarrytoWn, In
| Westminster county. They have long con-
| tended with the assessors, and at last nave
! successfully eVaded town taxes with 9TH
| ers however they were mulcted by the
| county assessors this year. The grand jury
| indicted two of the eight assessors last year
for emitting the rich mems personal es-
| tates from taxation. This year the assess
| nent was increased about $1,000 600.
At these suburban homes simple but eX-
! uuisite elegance is maintained. Their
| grounds are superbly kept A recently
| added attractive decoration is q floral time
| piece. 1t is a large bed Of Yari-colofed now
| ers. so planted and of such species as TO
! open at different hours OF the day. 1t Is
| novel and most attractive.
They Dug Him Up.
! Kansas City Journal.