Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-08-05
How John D. Rockefeller Spent His
Vacation.
HTO FIRST HOLIDAY IN TEN YEARS
Queer Anecdotes About the Hun
dred Millionaire.
RESTAURANT EPISODE
Downright. 1899. BY the Author)


first vacation this summer that he has had
in ten years. His name is John D. Rookie
Teller His wealth figures well into the
hundreds of MILLIONS. He has worked ten
hours a day. six days in the week, for
more than thirty years in order to bring
himself to a point where he felt that he
could be as merry as the average New York
dry goods clerk who goes to the country
for a summers holiday. In his whole life
although. as 1 have said, he is the richest
man in the world-he has only been across
the American continent three times and
been twice to Europe. These trips were not
vacation trips They concerned business.
This summer in two private cars he took
with him his wife, his children and party
of relatives and friends, across the CONT
nent and afterwards to Alaska. The richest
man in the world amused himself on the
way by talking with the poorest people he
could find; by doing those things which or
climbing a glacier. In all, he covered more
than ten thousand miles by boat, by rail-
way and by stage coach, and he devoted
less than five weeks to his holiday
The trip was unique with Mr.. Rockefeller
because it offered him the first opportunity
he has had for many years Of getting really
near TO the people of the country. He him
self had begun as poor man; as dis
credited man; as man whose dreams of
the advantages of concentrated wealth
came FEAR to making him a mailman in the
opinion of his fellows. When his success
finally came to him it came with a vast
rush-a rush which has probably never
been equaled in the career of any other
man. But before 1t had come, he was
forced to suffer all the privations which
had been known by the people whom he
talked with on this western journey.
He Left Shop Behind.
Only once on the entire trip did he speak
of his own business. He went from New
York TO San Francisco and from San Fran
cisco to Alaska and back without referring
to his affairs except when he told why the
Standard Oil Company has been unwilling
to recapitalze.
No presidential candidate on a campaign
tour ever showed greater eagerness to
study the populace than Mr. Rockefeller
did as he went through the west. The con-
dition of the people, the state of the crops
the business prospects-everything that
could possibly affect the common folk of
the country he asked the most minute
questions about Once off his train and his
conversation was with bootbacks, porters
farmers, sailors and miners, almost exclu-
sively.
The trip itself with it's novel experiences
was an immense relaxation for the million
are This was shown when as the special
train speeded westward he leaned back in
chair in the observation car and said
with enthusiasm: This is the way to
travel
1t was not of his luxurious equipment that
Mr.. Rockefeller was thinking as he said
this This was evident when he added:
Il love tranquility. Here we are avay
from all strife and struggling a party Of
good friends. 1t reminds me of my boy
hood days in New York state when we went
to picnic
Father and Son Are Chums,
The trip afforded to all those about Mr.
Rockefeller demonstration of the ideal re-
iatlons existing between him and his only
son, John D. Rockefeller, jr. Young Rock
efeller has passed his twenty-sixth year
business men have told me that if
John D. Rockefeller should die tomorrow
ms son IS In every way competent to stem
lnto MS fathers place In the direction of
an the great enterprises IN which the elder
MI. Rockefeller is moving spirit Tho
young man has gained his educational
equipment to great extent in the school
OF pfactcal experience. His college coursa
was interrupted by ill-health, and he want
on for a year to ride horseback and sniit
wood at a suburban home He still nrac-
ttces Wood-splitting every morning in the
StaDie yard OF his New York residence hut
ne IS now director-and very active one
Ill companies conducting all sorts of bust
ness enterprises in all parts of the country
John, Jr.'s, Itinerary.
IL was John, jr., who had full and COM
plete management of the trip from man.
ping out the itinerary to experimenting
the checking of baggage. He even looked
al'er the tipping" as transpired at a res
taurant where the party had stopped for
iuncheon One of the members of the
party, struck by the sad face of a delicate
appearing waitress, slipped a half dollar
In her nano, as ne supposed, surreptitious-
~. AS he was leaving the room Jobn n
Rockefeller did the same An how 10
however he approached the fellow trav
eler, saying. reproachfully: You did wrong
IN .n Ieeins that girl, and 1 did wrong; John
a tens IN me mat he gave all the walters S.,
and he requests that we fee no one"
Almost every day from start to finish Mr.
tSoche1elier met with an interesting adven-
lure. lure th tan, resulted in what he called
good Tune, but he probably had more
fun out of an hour spent in a Tacoma
Nasn., court room, than he had at any
other place. He and his particular "chum"
among his party went out to see the sights
manly way. They travelled 'fncog.' and
strayed into the court room where a dam
age suit was on trial The plaintiff and de-
Iendant had had free and easy street
Ight, resulting in considerable damage to
the plaintiff, who, to get even, sought
money damages.
With his chum. the oil magnate climbed
into seats in the back of the room. The
was diHhoSt as Tree ana easy as the
night had been, and the two voyagers from
the east fairly ached with suppressed
laughter But out of respect to the digni-
fled court, they contained themselves until
an adjournment was announced Then
they rolled out into the street and laughed
until the tears rolled down their cheeks
For two blocks they ha had! at every
step. Suddenly Mr.. Rockefeller's face
Strengthened out, and he pulled himself to-
gether with jerk
Here. stop that, Stop it at once. We
judge WAC
And behave themselves they did. In or
der that his honor might not be scandal
lied. Unfortunately for the millionaire's
good time. an evening paper printed the
fact that he had attended the trial The
result was that when the two chums got
around to the court room next day 1t was
packed with a crowd of people curious to
see the king of the Standard OIL Mr..
Rockefeller was Disguised, as he does not
enjoy the center of the stage. Without
waiting for the end of the trial he got out.
PrOvident Giver.
Time and again during his travels the
millionaire declined requests to aid in rails
ing the debt from some church. To one
such applicant he said:
In the first place 1 cannot oblige you
T how had