Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1904-01-01

NN&s8A wealth Is above
All $25o0OO,0OO, yet
when he first en-
AH' hocAIfhL'Eh' barked in the Oil
business he was so poor that he could
| not get credit for carload of oil.
| Morgan's every step is known to
the world at large. To-day he Is scour-
| ing the country in his private, ear. To-
morrow he is buying painters mas
terpiece In Paris for 100000. Next
week he is taking party Of clergymen
TO California to an Episcopal conven-
ton. He gives great dinners to cap
| tains Of industry and princes. He dons
knee breeches and calls on the King
Of England. He buys palace in easy
reach Of London to spend his last days
| in. He promotes monster corporations
| for a bankers commission. He is
| patron Of the opera. He breeds fine
dogs.
Rockefeller's doings are never heard
| of. When he gets to his office at 20
Broadway, New York, not even his
clerks are aware of It. He employs
$4,000 men, and not more than 300 Of
them ever saw him. He gives away
$75O,000 every year in charity, and en-
ploys clerk at $4,000 annually to
keep track Of his givings, except when
he hands over to President Harper
million or two for the Chicago Uni
versity.
This shrinking, delicate man, this
Yelled Prophet of Bowling Green, con-
trolls rs per cent Of all the oil product
of the land. He owns more stock in
Standard Oil constituent companies
than the Standard Oil Company itself,
and is the largest stakeholder in the
parent company. He controls vast
railroad systems. He owns every oil
car in the United States, 10000 miles
Of pipe line, 200 ocean and river steam
ers and $4,000 delivery wagons.
Rockefeller's first money was earned
in speculation in hoop poles. He had
| saved few dollars on the farm Of his
father, and with them bought raft of
poles, which he foated to mill on the
Ohio river and sold at profit of $50.
John d. Rockefeller and his brother,
William, are members Of the Stock
Exchange but neither is to be seen OH
the floor. If the former should walk
upon the floor there would be a panic
among the brokers. They would con-
clude at once that he had bought out
the Exchange lock, stock and barrel,
and owned all the securities In the
world. His brokers are unknown to
the public. Some are hired to sell to-
day and others to buy Tomorrow
Secretaries and attorneys attend to
all Of Mr.. Rockefeller's business ex-
cept signing his name. He positively
refuses to let details annoy him. and
knows nothing Of them. He Is as plain
ly dressed as any man Of small salary
In New York.
Rockefeller never drinks, and it Is
said there never was bottle Of wine
on his table at home. While less fond
Of corned beef and cabbage than Nor
gan, his tastes in food are simple. His
favorite meat is bacon. He likes cod
fish balls and tomato sauce. Once in
while he yields to the cereals.
There is not court in the country
that has ever convicted Standard OIL
magnate, though all the crimes in the
calendar have been charged. Attor-
neys General and Solicitors General
have toiled like madmen to catch John
d. Rockefeller in the meshes of legal
nets, but he always has escaped.
Mr.. Rockefeller had a standing offer
OF $1,000OO0 year to a young man
who could satisfactorily manage the
affairs of the Standard Oil Company
and relieve him Of the care Of the bust
ness. The young man never came.
You can hear anything about this
strange man-good. bad and indiffer-
ent. He is the deepest, darkest of mys-
teries. Intensely pious Che Is nick
named "Pious John" in the street,,
giving millions to churches-Lord
knows how many he owns on mort
gage!-he Is almost parsimonious at
home
Whenever anything threatens the
equanimity of ''Pious john he gives
million to church, 100000 to a hos
pital, 100000 to President Harper's
toy college and goes early to Sunday
school. For breakfast he drinks hot
water. He does not smoke. His men,
tor is his good wife, who used to be
school teacher In Cleveland.
No Other Course Open.