The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-02-22
Belt VIII Be
a Billionaire.
SneciaI to The Globe.

Special to The Globe.
LONDON, Feb. 21.-Albert Belt, the
richest individual in the world today,
and erstwhile partner of Cecil Rhodes
III the Kimberley mines. has been sick
and it is said may not have long
tenure of life before him.
London, just now, is conjecturing
what he will do with his Millions since
he is not and never has been mar
ried.
OF course he has relatives in Ham
burg, from whence he sprang, but his
fortune is so enormous, probably sew
Ell hundred or eight hundred millions,
that the public expects he will do
something unique with at least por-
ton of it, as did his aforetime part
ner, the Colossus of South Africa.
Mr.. Belt is yet a young man, being
in his forty fifth year, and although
he CONTROLS the majority of the De
Beers stock has the largest diamond
business in the world in Holborn. con-
trolls the copper mines of Rhodesia,
owns gold and silver mines in South
America, Siberia and Korea, the Onei-
da and Mariposa mines in California
and the shares formerly held by Mrs.
Hearst in the Anaconda mine, together
with controlling interests in electric
street railways in South Africa, Mex
leo, Chile and Portugal he is con-
stantly adding to his investments.
Mr.. Belts fortune is due to his long
years of patient work with Cecil
Rhodes, with whom he was linked in
such events as the promotion Of the
Jameson raid and the buying up of
the majority of the diamond mines
of South Africa for consolidation.
Each of the enterprises required
nerve, and Mr.. Belt, tagging along be-
SIDE his partner, never gave any signs
of quitting even when things reached
the mos critical condition.
Alfred Belt had the advantage Of a
University education, the same as had
his partner Rhodes, and before he VEN
tured to South Africa he served a long
apprenticeship to a banking house i'll
his native city.
This over, he started for the new
Eldorado at about the same time his
present partner, Wernher, went out to
South Africa.
Beit laid the foundations Of his enor-
nous fortune in Kimberley, but the
worked on a difficult system to that
on which Rhodes clique built up their
fortunes. He and his partners all He
brews from Hamburg, bought up
claims right and left from disappointed
people who had reached the verge of
ruin without striking any pay dirt.
1t was not till 1899 that Belt went
into the sink or swim scheme with
Rhodes to consolidate the Kimberly
diamond mines. but they were part
ners thenceforth.
One of the historical incidents Of
MI. Belts career occurred when he
paid one of his periodical visits to the
Rand. He gave a fancy dress ball to
300 friends in Johannesburg, which was
one Of the most sumptuous events
ever chrOnicled. Every lady present re-
ceiVed as a souvenir a diamond of over
carat weight.
Mr.. Belts big mansion In Park Lane
is one of the finest in London, and oc-
cupies an enormous ground space In
1T there is collection of Louis Seize
furniture that cannot be duplicated.
One little story they tell around
Park Lane concerning the building of
Belts bungalow, as it is called, Illus
trates the character of the man. In
order to build he had to become a
ground tenant of the Duke of West
ilIIIlISlCI5 NIOy VI course, DIS d 0Y0Q-1n-
the-wool aristrocrat, looked with some
suspicion upon the African mushroom
millionaire. The dukes agents made
SO many stipulations as to how the
building was to be considerations not
to interfere with views from Grosvenor
mansion Ghe ducal house, or stables
to be located In a position where they
would be a nuisance and endless other
pieces Of red tape, which made the
diamond Croesus very tired. Finally
the duke received a note stating that
the duke expected him to spend q mini
mum of 10000 on the house. Belt
replied that he would expend that
amount on his stables.
Mr. Belt is a small man and used to
serve admirably as a foil for Cecil
Rhodes when the two went out to-
gether. The two men were contrasts.
mentally and physically, Mr.. Belt being
q detail man, While Rhodes was a gen
eralizer and hated getting down to
petty figures. Mr.. Belt is a blonde,
with steel blue eyes and speaks with
decided German accent He is one Of
the quietest men imaginable and dress
es with exquisite taste according to the
standard of the London clubman.
1t has been subject of endless per-
turbation to the mothers with mar
riageable daughters that the enormous
bungalow has remained SO long with
out mistress.
Endless opportunities have been pre-
sented to the quiet young man to
marry, and it is said that some of the
greatest catches of the season might
have been his, but the intimates of the
diamond magnate aver that even if the
Queen of Sheba could be reincarnated
and offer her hand to him Alfred Belt
would remain a bachelor. OF course, so
desirable a parti is often gazetted as
being engaged to some prominent
beauty, but such canards are all made
out of the society reporters magma
ton.
Between Rhodes and Belt there was
positive chasm so far as social SYM
path1es were concerned, although thew
were ideal partners. TempermentaIIv
they were as opposite as the poles
Their connection commenced with the
consolidation Of the De Beers mines
Rhodes, as soon as he had money
enough stopped the mere amassing Of
money and devoted himself to his pas
sion, what he considered the further
ance of the interests of his country in
that part of the globe which he had
studied so thoroughly. He had achiev-
ed his ambition and, like many an
other of his countrymen felt like doing
something for the flag to which he
owed the opportunities that had made
him.
Mr.. Belt will never consider that he
has money enough. If he should cheat
the doctors and make hearty old man
he will probably be the first billionaire
ever chronicled, for with investments
such as those in which his millions are
now sunk there can be nothing hut
enormous profits. He will grow so
t1Nyi q 31on l..