The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-08-25
|MENCO'S NEW CROESUS
xHD1o ALvARDos INCOME PUT
 AT e000, 900 A MoNTH
1e Was e Peon Laborer . Year Ago 1efore He Struck Mine Won derfully Rich-$200, ,0o0
 as Pocket Money.

New York Sun:
 People m Western Mexico are talking about Peuro Aivarado. Less than one year ago he was Q peon. He lived at Parrai. mining town in the state Of Chihuahua. in a dilapitated shack and there was nothing about him to. dis tinguish him from hundreds of other Mexican laborers in the mines. He wore sandals on his feet. and on his head was a big cone-shaped sombrero which is the delight of t--e peon.
 Today he is living in luxury. He has . monthly income of more than $2oo,- 900. He is more talked about in his home city and in every mining camp in that part of Mexico than any other man in that country. President Diaa not excepted. ..
 AIvarado got his quick rise to for tune through discovering a mine of wonderful richness. He is another atratton. except that his wealth came probably more suddenly and in larger amounts than that of the Colorado mil llOnaire. It is not his sudden rise to af1luence that Is causing the comment about him so much as his remarkable manner of spending his money.
 He seems to have no idea of its value and his chief anxiety is to get rid of his income as rapidly as possible. Thomas Welch. an American mining man who has Just arrived here from Parral. related Q number of instances of Aivarado's reckless expenditure, to The Sun correspondent. He said: 4
 T spent several weeks at Parral and saw Aivarado almost daily. The inter ct of every man. woman and child in that city seems to be centered in the man, since last November his net profits from his mine. which Is named the Palmilio, have aggregated q. soc 900, and prier to that time he had probably taken out about $500. 900 of ore. He will not put his money in bank. but keeps it at his home, where it is constantly guarded by a large force of armed men. his person whenever he goes out on the street or elsewhere. and an armed guard of eight men always accompany him. The members of his guard are dressed in fantastic Mexican costume, and Aivarado is always attired in the heightsof fashion. He pays a Mexican taller a high salary to kee2 him clothed properly.
 "Alvarado spends his money with a lavish hand. A few days ago g. travel ing jewellery and diamond peddier struck Parrai with his wares. He was going along the street when he attract ed tho attention of Alvarado, who, with his armed guard. happened to be pass ing. He showed his goods to Aivarado, and the latter asked how much he would take for the whole sot. The ped pdier replied that he would sell for siS,O0e. Without any quibbling over the exorbitant price Alvarado drew out the money and came into possession of the cheap watches. ornaments and fake diamonds. The man seemed as pleased as a boy with a new top over the trade he had mads.
 "A short time before this Alvarade purchased three pianos of the most costly make. The instruments will so to ornament the palace which he is building for his permanent hsne. The building will be the finest private resi- dence In Mexico. No expense Is being spared in its construction. It is esti- mated that 1t will cost not less than s50A, 900. and for that distant part Of Mexico. where adobe buildings are the rule. 1t will be something wonderful.
 "Alvarado is taking the deepest in- terest in the progress of his palace. He says that he will furnish 1t with the hest that money can buy when 1t is completed. He has purchased scores of useless articles and simply buys things for the pleasure that they can give him for the moment.
 With all his reckness expenditure of his wealth. he is displaying a philan- tilropic spirit. He has not forgotten the pcons with whom only a short time ago.he was closely associated. He has undertaken the construction of a large charity hospital for the poor of Parral. This hospital will be equipped with all the modern appliances for such institutions. and he proposes to bear all the expenses of maintaining it. In addition to this institution he Is also constructing a large church which he has named Guadalupe cathedral. This church will cost several hundred thou sand dollars.
 There Is no prospect of the wealth of Alvarado being soon exhausted. The PalmillO mine is destined to become one of the largest ore producers ever struck in Mexico. The output will soon reach 2.oee tons daily. and the monthly income of Alvarado will be increased to not less than $5oo. .0eo. He has been offered fabulous sums for the mine. but all offers are promptly de- clined. His sole ambition is to develop the mine and to spend his income as rapidly as possible. He has helped many of his old-time peon friends in q financial way and the lower class of Mexicans at Parral adore him."