The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1904-04-24
RICHESTRuL
Gar of Russia and His Bound
less Wealth.
ESTIMATE OF HIS MILLIONS
Comparison of Property Of
Other Rulers.

him in fabulous sums of money every
wear. Theoretically everything in the
empire belongs to him, although as a
matter OF fact, private ownership is rec
ognized among the Muscovites, as well as
elsewhere. 1t was announced from st.
Petersburg recently that the car had
given 200o00,0co rubles (about $leoGD,ooO)
from his private treasury to Russia war
fund. Probably this is the largest single
gift ever made by an individual donor to
any cause.
But the car can well afford 1t. He
is unquestionably the richest man on
earth. Even Mr. Rockefellers many mil
lions would look small by comparison
with his multitudinous sources Of wealth
and the vast treasures boarded for him
BY his ancestors for the ROmanoffs were
always a saving race. No living man
can tell the full extent Of his wealth,
not even Baron Friederichs. the comp
troller Of the imperial household.
The value of the erlperor's private for
time and its Importance in relation 10
the affairs of the empire may be gauged
in some degree by the fact that the
Baron his private treasurer, is counted
among the greatest officers Of state and
is . member of the principal deliberative
and consultative councils. such as the
committee of ministers and the council of
state. which help the car to direct the
course Of Russian policy.
The official revenue Of Nicholas IL
his salary, so TO Speaks nearly $1,000
go per annum. II is difficult to arrive
at il exactly. for it is said in various
ways and under many heads, and the
sum total nuctuates from year to year.
But S10GJ0. 900 may be taken as fair
average.
1t is only a small part Of his wealth,
however, and the expense Of maintain
ing his royal state more than accounts
for this vast sum. II he depended upon
mis- official salary he would find it hard
10 make both ends meet. His expendi-
tures are almost incredible. 1t is es-
Gimated that the magnificent state ball
which was given just as the war with
Japan broke out cost between 1000 900
and 100000 rubles. The cars gifts to
the orthodox church in the course of a
year average from 100000 to 6GI0,0vJ
rubles and orthodox Russians sometimes
complain-conndenti Of course-that
with his predecessors. On the other hand
the church turns over large revenue to
him. estimated to exceed the amount
which is receives.
With the sole exception Of the Shah
of Persia the car owns a greater for
tune in diamonds and precious stones
than any man in the world. The IA
mous Orloff diamond is only the great
est star in an immense constellation
1t was given to the previous ear by a
Count Orloff one Of whose defendants
was the famous Count Orloff who de-
voted his life to improving the breed of
Russian horses and created the "Orloff
horse" now used almost exclusively by
the Russian cavalry.
when Nicholas II. was crowned a few
years ago the E,mir OF BCkhara and
the Khan of Khiva. his two principal
Vassal princes, We'd with one another
In making him the richest gifts within
their power. The Khan gave him
priceless rope of pearls which is said
t. be the finest in the world besides
diamonds. emeralds and rubies galore.
ills presents are estimated to have been
worth. at the lowest computation,
price could really be put on them. His
rival the Emir. was not far behind him.
and the hetman Of the Don Cossacks.
Prince Sviatoposk Mirsk. H.. came
forward with some handsome contribu-
tions. as did all the leading mobiles and
princes of the empire. TO say nothing of
foreign potCutatoS.
The car is the luckiest man on earth
in the matter Of ''windfalls" His LOYAL
subjects are constantly leaving him
large sums of money 10y viii. which are
mot always accepted Delicate diplo-
macy is required 10 induce the car to
ACCEPT a legacy. As q rule, a wealthy
Russian who desires to leave money to
him communicates with Baron Frieder-
1chs or some other official of the imperia,
household before he makes his viii and
obiains The gracious consent of his ma
1esty to his design. Even when this has
been done and the man dies careful invcS-
tisation is made before the money is ac-
cepted, with the object Of finding out
whether ANYBODY who had moral claim
on the testator viii suffer by his DISPOSE
tion az his wealth. II 50 the car orders
that the money be diverted to the proper
channels.
These legacies. when accepted. are
never used by the czar for his private
qualification lie regards them as 4
trust fund and they have been 50 re-
sarded by most of his ancestors. This
fund is drawn upon for charitable and
religious purposes. Five millions of ruhles
were given from II TO relieve the starry
ing peasants during the last terrible
famine in Bess2rabia. But it is not
confined 10 Russian objects alone. The
car made liberal donations from It n
the last Indian famine relief fund and
In aid of the negro peasants OF Marti-
niqUe who suffered by the eruptions of
Mt. Pclee
some Of the lcsacies reach immense
sums. y merchant named Steohanof.
who died 1T Mini Novgorod last year
lett the car u.eo5clo rubles ("to b.
applied for any object his imperial ma
5esty may be sraCiously pleased u con
siaer for the good Of holy Russia - \
Moscow banker named NICHOLAS Niehol-
acvtch UkhtarsIy left 1el20c0 rubles
two r three years aso "a his monarch
absolutely free Of any limitation or pro
vision. And these amounts misht d.
- led Ia many other cases. Haralv
@ passes wjtho0t ,he car receiv-
frs VIII what most men would con
s. large fortG2e.
IH car pockets more mining royal
tics han any other man on earth. The
silver. gold. platinum and lead mines in
the CsaI meun;ains are government
property. Most of The proceeds 80 into
tn government treasury. hRt royalties
r.n-.nE from s 70 il per cent ore nall