Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1897-11-25
THE WORLDS
RICHEST WIDOW.
Ey ALB .RT C. WslTE,

NHE Countess of Monte Cristo" /
the title hhe Chilians have give
Donna IsadoTa Consino. the wealthies
woman in all South America. In fac
there are few persons in the worl
richer than she. Her money is seeming
ly ineXhaustiole and her disbursements
are limitless. Sonora Consino come
Of distinguished family. Some of he
ancestry figure prominently in the an
mas of o.d Spain. Before the union o
Arragon with CASTLE one of her fore
fathers he'd an important command be
Meath the banner of Arragon and wa
one of the leading spirits in the con
summation of the alliance One of he,
ancestors was among the first to seel
his fortune in the new world. He wa.
thrifty soul lie came 20 what is nov
ehe republic of Chili-a narrow strlr
of country along the Pacific coast
walled in on the east by the snowman.
tied Andean. Cordilleras and on the wcsf
washed by 5000 miles Of sea-and II
the division of the lands and spols Oh
the conquest he obtained large share
which he kept and gradually increased
by adding to the lands given 10 his les
careful neighbors. His descendants fol
lowed in his footsteps and greatly auC
Persistent,y increased the family's pcs
sessions. The father of Sonora Con.
sino was the richest man in Chill. Sht
being the only child. this immense es
tate eventually became her own. Thir
ty years ago she became the wife al
Senior Consino. whose possessions, ac
quired in a somewhat similar manner
were second only to hers. The cor.
so,idation of these two estates madt
their owners famous as one of the
wealthiest families in the world.
At his death. ten years ago. Senol
Consino bequeathed all his wealth to
his wife. making her the sole possessor
of millions of acres of land and mi,
lions in money. This woman's wealth
has been variously estimated. som,
placing it as high as S75,000,0O0. She
has hundreds of thousands of catt'l
and sheep; blocks upon blocks of rea
estate in the two chief cities of Chill
Valparaiso and Santiago; many copper
coal and silver mines; a small fleet OF
steamers, sme,ting works. two raj
roads and numerous other pieces Of
productive property which yield hel
an income of several millions a year
Sonora ConsinO owns the only Goa
mines in South America. from which
she has an income OF 100000 per month
She enjoys a monopoly in this fuel. as
those who will not buy of her must i'm
port their coal from England. Hel
GOAL trade extends from Panama 10 til,
Straits of Magellan, and around Cap,
Horn TO the ports of Uruguay and Ar.
gentine. All this coal is shipped in he,
cwn vessels-iron steamers of capaci
ties ranging from 1900 TO 1000 tors
which were built in France The dirty
little mining town of Lota. hidden away
in the hills some 100 miles below Va,
raraiso, is owned by the senorita. anC
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 |
pace, although but few miles dis |
tsnt she has mansion which cost he |
million dollars to build It stands ir |
abe center of the most magnificent pr |
vate park in the world-an area of 3OC |
acres of land laid out with marvelou,
skill. emhellished with marble statuary
plashing fountains. Playful brooks. sill
very cascades. grave,ed walks. windirc |
fnviting.y beneath beautiful trees. coo
caves where Turk shadows dim. fautas
DC grottoes suggestive of elves an6
sprites. and everywhere a bewiIderinr
profus;on of flowers. bright and fra
grant and almost endless in variety. l.
requires The labor of 40 gardeners. hirec
by the year. 10 keen the place in trim.
There is another park ard palatiai
residence, a short distance from San
tiago. belonging to the widow" Thu
il part of "Macul." the most valuable
hacienda in Chill. If not in all the south
ern continent 1t is not surpassed anv
where. The estate proper extends from
The suburbs of the capital. through q
broad and fertile valley. far into the
Andes. whose snow-crested peaks marx
rs eastern boundary. Here are rrea- /
stretches Of cultivated fields. orchards
sc vineyards. while upon the hiils