River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1904-12-22
THE WORLDS RICHEST MAN
Income and Possession of the Gear of
Russia-Simplicity of His
Life.

1t was reported from st. Petersburg
the other day, on semioficial authority,
that the car had given $100,000,000
from his private treasury to Russia's
war fund. If correct, says the Chicago
Journal, this is the largest single gift
ever made by an individual donor to
any cause.
The car is the richest man on earth.
Even Mr.. Rockefeller's many millions
would look small by comparison.
His expenditures are almost incredi-
BILE. 1t is estimated that the magniti-
cent state ball which was given just as
the war with Japan broke out cost over
$1,000,0O0.
The cars gifts to the orthodox church
in the course of the year average over
$2,5O0,00o.
On the other hand, the church turns
over large revenues to him, estimated
to exceed the amount which it receives
With the exception of the shah of Per-
STA, the czar owns greater fortune in
diamonds and precious stones than any
man in the world.
The car is the luckiest man on earth
in the matter of "windfalls." His loyal
subjects are constantly leaving him
large sums of money by will, which are
not always accepted.
Delicate diplomacy is required to in
duce the car to accept legacy. AS
rule, wealthy Russian who desires to
leave money to him communicates with
some official of the imperial household
before he makes his will, and obtains
the gracious consent of his majesty to
his design.
Even when this has been done, and
the man dies, careful investigation is
made before the money is accepted, with
the object of finding out whether any,
body who had moral claim on the
testator will suffer by his disposition
of his wealth. If so, the car orders
that the money be diverted to the proper
channels.
never used by the car for his private
qualification. He regards them as a
trust fund, and they have been so re-
garded by most of his ancestors. This
fund is drawn upon for charitable and
religious purposes.
Five millions of rubles (2 ,50OO01)
were given from it to relieve the starv-
ing peasants during the last terrible
famine in Bessarabia.
The car made liberal donations from
it to the last Indian famine relief fund
and the aid of the negro peasants of
Martinique who suffered by the erup-
lions of Mont Pelee.
cit is impossible to arrive at any
exact estimate of the wealth of his i'm
perial majesty" said high diplomatist,
from whom most of the facts set forth
in this article were obtained; "but
should think that, on the most conserva-
tive estimate, he must be worth, from
all sources, far more than $50 ,000,O
a year.
This is actual revenue, and does not
take into account the huge treasures
in specie, bullion, and diamonds which
are stored in the vaults of the Peterhof
palace, in the citadel at Kronstadt, and
elsewhere.
Although he is undoubtedly the
richest man in the world, his imperial
majesty is man of the simplest tastes,
ard his purely personal expenses would
probably be easily covered by $50 day.
Except when it is necessary to as
sumo the outward show of his exalted
rank, he dresses in suit that you could
buy for $25. He dimes very simply, ex-
cept at state dinners; and many stock
brokers smoke far more expensive
cigars than he does.
''Her imperial majesty the empress
is equally simple in her tastes. She has
finer diamonds, and more Of them, than
any other woman; but she does not wear
diamonds half dozen times a year.
''She goes driving in St. Petersburg in
g much less snowy and less expensive
equipage than nine out of ten of those
which you may see any day in Hyde
Park, and SO does the dowager en-
press"