The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1897-09-16
THE WORLDS
RICHEST WIDOW.
BY ALBERT C. WHITE.
hrTHE Countess of Monte Cristo" is

1.-THE Countess of Monte Cristo" is
the title the Chilians have given
Douna Isadora ConsinO, the wealthiest
woman in all South America. In fact,
there are few persons in the world
richer thanshe. Her money is seeming
Iy ireXhaustible and her disbursements
are iimitless. Sonora COnsino comes
of distinguished family. Some of her
ancestry figure prominently in the an
mas of Old Spain. Before the union of
Arragon with CASTLE one Of her fore
fathers held an important command be
meath the banner of Arragon and was
one of the leading spirits in the con-
summation of the alliance. One Of her
ancestors was among the first to seek
his fortune in the new world. He was
a thrifty soul. He came to what is now
the republic of Chili-a narrow strip
of country along the Pacific coast,
walled in on the east by The snowman
ted AndPan COrdilleras and on the west
washed by 5000 mics of sea-and i'll
the division Of the lands and spoils of
tire conquest he obtained a large share,
which he kept and gradually increased
by adding to the lands given to his less
careful neighbors. His descendants fol
lowed in his footsteps and greatly and
persistentiy increased the famiIy's pos
sessions. The father of Sonora Con-
sino was the richest man in Chill. She
being the only child, this immense es-
tate eventually became her own. Thir-
ty years ago she became the wife Of
Senior Consino, whose possessions, ac-
quired in a somewhat similar manner,
were second only to hers. The CON
sO,idation of these two estates made
their owners famous as one of the
wealthiest families in the world.
At his death, ten years ago, Senior
COnsinO bcqueathed all his wealth to
his wife, making her the sole possessor
of millions of acres of land and mil
lions in money. This woman's wealth
has been varjOusly estimated, some
placing it as high as $500 900 She
has hundreds of thousands of cattle
and sheep; blocks upon blocks of real
estate in the two chief cities of Chilli,
Valparaiso and Santiago; many copper,
coal and silver mines; a small fleet of
steamers, smelling works, two raj
Dads and numerous other pieces of
productive property which yield her
an income of several millions year.
Sonora COnsino owns the only coal
mines in South America, from which
she has an income of $6O, 900 per month.
She enjoys monopoly in this fuel, as
those who will not buy of her must i'm
port their coal from England. Her
coal trade extends from Panama to the
Straits of Magellan, and around Cape
Horn to the ports of Uruguay and Ar
gentine. All this coal is shipped in her
own vessels-irOn steamers of capaci-
ties ranging from 1000 20 1000 tons
which were built in France. The dirty
little mining town of Lota, hidden away
in the hills some 100 miles below Val
paraiso, is owned by the senorita, and
here she spends most of her time, look
ing sharply after her interests.
She practically makes her home in
small, Imprinted house in this smoky
place, although but few miles dis
tant she has a mansion which cost her
million dollars to build. 1t stands in
the center OF the most magnificent pri-
waite park in the world-an area of 300
acres of land laid out with marvellous
skill, embcllished with marble statuary,
FLASHING fountains, playful brooks, sill
very cascades, graveled walks. winding
invitingly beneath beautiful trees. cool
caves where Turk shadows dim, fantas-
tic grottoes suggestive Of elves and
sprites. and everywhere a bewildering
profus;on of flowers, bright and fra
grant and almost endless in variety. 1t
requires the labor Of 40 gardeners, hired
by the year, to keep the place in trim
There is another park and palatial
residence, a short distance from San
tiago, belonging to the "wdow." This
is part of "Macul," the most valuable
hacienda in Chill, if not in all the south
ern continent. 1t is not surpassed any
where. The estate proper extends from
the suburbs of the capital, through n
broad and fertile valley, far into the
Andes, whose snow-crested peaks mark
its eastern boundary. Here are great
stretches Of cultivated fields. orchards
and vineyards, while upon the hills