Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1905-05-27
THE HOUSE OF RoTHsCHILD.

Cnllu, Dedu 81 the Hftutu biahCh oi TUG
banking house bearing the name o1
Rolhschili, and governor of the Bank OF
France, brings to mind many interest
ing facts in connection with the rise Of
the banking houses bearing the ROths-
child's Dame.
In the middle of the eighteenth cen
tury there lived in the town of Frank
fort-on-the-Main husband and wife OF
the Hebrew persuasion, who layished all
their care5ses upon 4 son, whom they
destined for the profession of a school
master.
The boy, whose name was Meyer An
selm Roihschild, and who was born in
Frankfort in the year l743, exhibited
such tokens of capacity that his parents
made every effort in their power to give
him the advantage of a good education,
and with this view he scent some years
at Furth, going through such a curricu-
lum of study as appeared 10 be proper.
The youth, however, had Il natural bent
toward the study of antiquities, and
this led him more especially to the
examination Of ancient coins, IN the
knowledge Of which he attained to con-
siderable proficiency.
Here was one step onward In the
world, for in after years his antiquarian
researches proved the means of extend
ing and ramilying his Connection in
society, as well as Of opening up to him
source of immediate support. His
parents. however, died in his eleventh
year, and on his return to Frankfort he
set himself to learn practically the rOu-
tine of tie counting-house.
After this be w-nt to Hanover in
the employment of wealthy banking
house, whose affairs he conducted Tor
several years with care and ability, and
then there opened under his auspices,
in his native city, the germ of that
mighty business which was destined to
act so powerfully upon the governments
OF Europe. Before establishing his lit
tie banking-hOuse Meyer Anse,m i;Oths
child prepared himself tor the venture
by marrying, and his prudent choice
contributed greatly to his eventiul sue
cess. Subsequently he returned TO
Frankfrt, where, after having engaged
in the banking business on his own ac-
count, be became the banker OF William
TX, the landgrave of Hesse.
Meyer Anselm first became known as
a negolator Of government loans in 1892
by procuring from the Landgrave an
amount of money sufficient to pay the
ransom imposed by the French General
Custine upon the people Of Frankfort, as
an alternative Of the sacking of their
city. Thisincident caused his services to
be afterwards frequently in demand
among the smaller German potentates.
Insl 500 Napoleon decreed that the states
of the sovereigns of Hesse Cassel and
Brunswick were forfeited, ard sent an
army to enforce the decree.
The elector of Hesse decided on fleeing,
but being,lhe possessor Of 70, 600, 900 in
silver, which he was unwilling to giveup
TO Napoleon, he was in a quandary what
to do with it. Sending for ROthschild,
he offered him the use of the money
without interest if he would remove it to
a place of safety. The offer was accepted
and the great sum was enjoyed by the
banker and his two sons until the ban
ishment of Napoleon to Elba, when the
elector gave notice that he would with
draw it.
The return of Napoleon, however,
caused the elector so much alarm that be
urged the Rothschilds to keep his treas
ures at the interes. of 2 per cent. per
annum, which they did until 1923. The
faithful and able management of the
Rothschilds won for them the confidence
of courts and fnanciers. Meyer An7elm
had 10 children, 5 of them sous, all ol
whom survives him.
The five brothers constituted but one
irm, in which each had an equal inter
est. but transacted business under five
branches, in as many different European
cities, each being in the charge of one
Of the brothers. Nathan RO.hschild i:
said TO have realized $l,000,000 by
knowing the result of Waterloo eight
hours before the British government. Fol
many wears the Rothschids have been The
taSers of the loans of the European GOV.
ernments, and have in more than one in
stance prevented war by refusing to fur
nish its sinews.
What Peabody did for London the
Rolhschilds we're doing for Paris in erect
ing model cheap dwelling houses io
workmen. Last July $4,000, 600 wa;
presented by the Barons Alphonse, Gus
taye and Edmond de ROthschild to thu
municipality of Paris for this purpose
and the proceeds from renting out th'
apartments, instead of being devoted t.
The erection OF more model dwellings, a
Peabody specified, will be used in Pari
to found cheap restaurants, baths, hotels
amusement places, and all that can trans
form tbL workmen's neighborhoOd int
healthy. comfortable and agreeable lo
cality.
Baron Alphonse originated the scheme
and was president OF the committee com
posed of six members of the Rothschllt
family and four prominent men. I6i
gift has particular Importance from th'
fact that it is the first effort OF the kin'
seriously made in France. 1t had beer
vaguely hoped that parliament might, a
some time, vote a special appropriation
for such purpose, but the day scenes
T so distant that the Rothschilds generous
/ ly stepped into the breach, to the grea