Omaha daily bee., 1901-02-13

Negotiation for the purchase from An
drew Carnegie. the steel king. of his tre-
mendous steel interest for round sum.
estimated variously from siiO.ooOoo to $780,
oIpsHO, nis attracting attention everywhere,
The news Is vitally interesting because or
what Is to follow close on the heels of the
vast purchase. which will necessitate the
largest amount of actual cash passing
from hand to hand on record Following
close on IL will come the amalgamation of
the iron and steel interests of the nation
and Capitalization OF capital of a magni-
tude, the like OF which has never even
been mentioned before In connection with
one enterprise.
The sale of the Carnegie interests will
be the first step in the forming of the
sl.no.Goo,Oo0 steel trust, The term billion
dollar" is no general term In this instance.
It IL a living. actual fact. beyond the COM
prehension OF most mortals. 1t Is true, but
an actual, cold fact. One billion dollars
is talked OF as the actual capitalization OF
the forthcoming trust. a sum on which
the revenue stamp requisite TO the papers
OF capitalization would be the fortune OF
a rfetim, for all but the few American
millionaires.
With the proposition of the gigantic
mentioned. Others are heard, but that of
j. Pierpont Morgan is central
Power Of Organization.
II is the mighty brain of that mighty
fnancier that grasp the details of the or
ganization which is to startle the world and
1t is in that mighty brain the seed OF the
idea that will blossom forth has been stead
fly nourished and developed. without that
brain the project probably would never
have been possible. No matter whether
the Rockefellers, Vanderbilt, Rodgers,
Gates and a dozen others, with their mil
lions. are associated with IL, theirs is but
the mere accumulation of dollars. His is
the individual power of organization, that
quantity without which SO many gigantic
deals Of the past have died in their in
fancy. And It a. the possession OF this
power that makes him the giant i'm wall
street and the name of J. Pierpont Morgan
the central one in every movement of cap
itsl where hundreds of millions are to be
considered.
No one knows the exact fortune OF j.
Pierpont Morgan. He probably does not
know himself. but an estimate OF $50, ,00o,-
900 Is considered conservative and Is prob
ably not far from what he is actually
worth. II is a mere bagatelle in the carry
ing out OF his enterprise, but every deal.
no matter whether II be the forming of a
coal trust. the absorption OF thousands
of miles of railroad. the purchase OF lines
OF steamships. the monopolization OF
government loan or movement to in
fuence the now Of gold. bears the name Of
J. Pierpont Morgan. because he is the
soul and the spirit OF such movements OF
capital.
An analysts Of the life OF such a man Is
Interesting because OF the wonderful range
OF interests II covers. Business hours over,
and he is essentially a type OF the man
about town. He knows yachting from good
weather TO the woof OF the sails. he can
pick a dog and tell you price he will give
for him at a glance. he is an art connois-
seur and critic whose judgment might
be consulted by those who have made art
a study OF a lifetime. and his collections
OF antiques, extending over every known
historical race and episode OF hundreds Of
centuries, is valued for the discretion and
thoroughness OF Judgment he has shown
In assembling the individual specimens.
He loves rare books and rare flowers, builds
his country places where nature Is at her
best and can furnish him the sport and
pastine that old woodsmen crave, and while
he Is playing with millions ON his checker
board he is thinking of some rare gems that
he viii add to hts collection.
II J. Pierpont Morgan were TO be known
for nothing else he would always be re-
membered Tor his philanthropies. With
stroke OF his hand he writes a check for
$1,000 900 with which to establish a lying-in
hospital, and with another stroke he adds
sSoo.ooo that the work may be carried on in
manner, 'behttins It's foundation. In