Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1902-05-10
ALBERl Bell, /. Richest s.S Man IN Europe.
MINIMUM

gold mining from a speculation into q
steady, well-organized, conservative
business. He had the wit 20 import the
highest quality Of American machinery
and 20 pay prOdigi0us salaries 10 such
mining engineers as John Hays Nam
m0nd Herman Jennings and Louis Sey-
mour to advise and superintend this
huge enterprise, which before the war
was putting out 800 100000 worth OF
precious metal year, and which, be-
sides paying heavy taxes to Kruger
turned s20,O00.0O0 a year OF profit over
10 us shareholders.
This lucky son Of Hamburg was grub
bling along with only q meager two or
three millions In 1900 Most Of the
stream Of wealth that has poured into
his Golfers ever since came from the
gold Of Johannesburg and the diamonds
OF Kimberley Some OF the diamond
fortune was pure luck When Rhodes,
Beit and poor Barney HarnatO became
NE governors, under the original De
Beers charter, they stipulated, without
dreaming that much would come OF II
beyond making an impression on the
shareholders. that they should have a
fourth part OF the profits, after the
company had paid 30 per cent to the
shareholders. But the diamonds were
so astoundingly plentiful that this
fourth Of the surplus turned out for
ten years before the war about mil
lion dollars year When q Is con-
sidered that Rhodes and Belt were like
wise the chief shareholders with their
30 per cent, and their three-fourths OF
the surplus profit. one can understand
how II is that they didn't run short OF
pin money.
OF course. the war cut or most Of this
income and Mr.. Belt doubtless feels The
pinch of poverty severely II Is hard 10
have TO live on the interest OF 100000
900 or so when you have had formerly
an additional income Of maybe million
or two a year for current expenses.
The Belt interests are not limited,
however to johannesburg and Kimber-
ley. lie helped to originate the British
South Africa company, and has huge
interests In the Chartered company,
paying his share Of the c0mpany's an
nual deficits with steady confidence
that showed his loyalty 10 Rhodes. The
Del}eers company got a grant Of 400
square miles In Rhodesia, too, in re-
turn for its help at the time Of the
Alatabele war. Belt is director in the
Rhodesia Railways, Limited and was
go much In sympathy with Rhodes that
he had hand in the Jameson raid. |
Through his firms he controls com |
panies having a nominal capital OF |
ll0O 600, and as most OF the stock Is |
listed at high premiums, II may be i'm |
lgined how great is the influence he ex- |
arcises. Like Rhodes, again. he doesn't |
speculate, and the confidence in his |
Judgment and financial integrity Is so |
great that there is whole swarm OF |
little fellows with only 10 or 20 millions
apiece ready to put as much as he asks |
Tor into any scheme he has on hand.
What manner of man Is II who has a
grip OF more power on human fortunes
han ever the autocrat Of all the Rus
,las?
He seems TO be chiefly remarkable for
negative qualities. He has none Of the
llap-dash. devil-may. care ways that
distinguish Barney Barnato. none OF
he taste for blufilng that made HooIey
none OF Rhodes command
ng individuality, no fads, no taste for
and no niggardliness. You
,ould not find better example OF pol
"hNNf N'hi t'SuTf itNiNtlllt Wtl DdlduCeu |
nan Of the world
A man who has dlned occasionally I'm
Belts Park lane house says he Is an
admirable host, not effusive, certainly
lut simple and cordial and genuine
fhe house Itself has been furnished
With an eye TO the avoidance OF display.
Perhaps its most striking feature Is a
'ockery just or the dining room, which.
with the pressure Of a button, becomes
/ beautiful series Of waterfalls, delight.
ng the eye and cooling the afr. Choice
linners are given there occasionally,
md high and mighty folk are often
lmong the guests, but most of them
nave business connections with
he host In one way or
another, and women are rarely in
'luded.
IL Is dramatic TO picture q multi-mil.
ionaire as working harder than any
II his employees, and as being Obliged
o live like Rockefeller. on crackers
md milk, providing one can't go to the
'ther extreme and have him light his
igars with 81 900 bills and have his pet
'oodles teeth filed with gold. which
asst manifestation Is matter Of rec
rd In the history Of Hooley. But
this quiet and cour-
eous little German Jew does not come
ID to any Of these requirements. He
,aa not atrou ufnrlr ha 900 A.. !