The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-01-02
THE wEALTH1BsT AUSTRALIAN.
Death of the Squatter Who Lived to
Finance His Government.
(From the London Chronicle.)

" I'm lAIV i@OlIuOu SuIOIllClt.)
James Tyson is dead-the holder of vast
territorial rights, possessor of countless
herds and f1ocks, the meanest man prob
ably that the present century has known.
the stock target for the gibes of the small
Try OF the press. A man who won nobody S
love, excited the envy of only the sordfd
rev, and yet one of whom no one can
truthfully speak ILL., For to be mean is
IN one so scrupulous as was James Tyson
so exact and exacting, so rigidly honest
and truthful-to be the incarnation of
simple justice. He gave nothing, and took
nothing without paying FOR it his estimate
of its precise value; he ate. drank, and
wore only what bare necessity required.
and he required from those in his employ
the same strict abstinence, and. as far
life. 79'O-'' eN'o'i'Nue III 'ne business OF
More than fifty years ago Tyson emf
grated to Australia, worked as a station
tlcally, every penny put his savings as
they accrued into sheep or cattle, and thus
formed the nucleus Of his immense focks.
lie attributed his successful acquisition of
wealth to his own strict habits of self
denial He never smoked, drank nothing
stronger than tea, eschewed even the
minor luxuries of the table. never kissed
GIRL and never visited a theatre or other
house of entertainment. Arriving unex-
pectedly at his head station, FELTON,. on
the Darling Downs he became aware of
his manager and staff had dared to in
dulge in Flash tucker" Tyson disdainl
fully termed it, and promptly dismissed
I all hands for perpetrating such wasteffl
extravaganza 7
One true story, which has never vet ab-
peared in print. relates how in his inseh-
safe straining for economy he overreacHed
himself. In the early sixties the chly
steamers tratfcking on the Austria IAN
coasts were those of the old A. s. n. Go.
Fares We're high, and Tyson, having fire.
quent occasions to travel between Sydney
and Brisbane, invariably went storage
ana took his own rations-the bushhan' s
bread, beef, and tea. During his prolonged
soJourn IN the back country al rival
steamer company opposed the monbpoly,
fares were cut down to Vanishinglpoint
ana included the free supply of meals. Ty-
son returned to the coast, and. unaware of
the full extent of these CONCESSIONS paid
the required fare, and took his owl ration
bag as usual. Not until the termination Of
the voyage did he learn that thu money
he had paid entitled him to three free
meals day, so he demanded h rebate
from the company, but apparently his
sense of equity prevailed, for ihe claim
was not pressed.
A man of his great wealth became
naturally a butt for collectors for chart
ties and churches, but they RARELY caught
their bird. He was tackled once by the
late Joshua Bell for a handsome donation
to the Brisbane hospital, witch was in
sore financial straits you otght to give
a thousand, >, said Bell. "Wh! should i?''
give, thousands. You won't find three men
in this city who will gife even $3.50
apiece added Tyson.,"If you can before
l O'Clock I'll give the same Bell, always
generous, gave one sum himself. ana
coaxed two friends to do likewise. Just
for +he sake of landing Tyson" who, al
ways faithful to his word promptly paid
James Tyson never speculated, but he
kept a keen watch on the stock markets,
climatic changes, and political develop
ments of his adopted country, and invari-
ably turned his observations to financial
profit. OF patriotism or sentiment of any
lind he had none. Much has been written
and printed Of his famous offer to lend the
Queensland government million sterling
and, later, on the eve of the financial
crisis of 1898. taking UP a quarter of
millions worth of treasury bills 1t was
cool business instinct Characteristic of the
man. He wisely preferred the security
land liberal INTEREST," of the government
to that of lettering banks.
~ the old miser of fiction, James Ty-
son = left millions behind, but no
loved ones to enjoy them. lie had but one
known relative. q brother, whom he never
favored in life. His Intentions with regard
to the disposition IL his wealth We're one
of his most jealousy guarded secrets.