The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1905-01-14
THE WORLDS RICHEST MAN
Income and Possession of the Gar Of
Russia-Simplicity Of his
Life.

the other day, on semiomclal autnoritiy'
that the car had given s100,O00.0oo
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 loon small by comparison.
His expenditures are almost incredi-
BILE 1t is estimated that the magnin-
cent state ball which was given just as
the war with Japan broke out cost over
81 600 600
The cars gifts to the orthodox church
In the course of the year average over
s., 500 900.
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 car 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
1.-THE object of finding out whether any
body who had moral claim on the
tes,ator will suffer by his disposition
of his wealth. If SO. the car orders
that the money be diverted to the proper
channels.
These legacies. when accepted, are
never used by the ear 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 (S2,500 ,000)
were given from it to relieve the starv-
ing peasants during the last terrible
famine in Bessarabia.
The car made liberal donations from
| 1t to the last Indian famine relief fund
and the aid of the negro peasants ol
Martinique who suffered by the erup-
lions of Mont Pelee.
1T 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 fortf
in this article were obtained; "bnt
should think that. on the most conserva
tive estimate, he must be worth, from
all sources. far more than $50 600. 0O'
q year.
This is actual revenue. and does no
!. take into account the huge Treasures
in specie. bullion, and diamonds whicl
are stored in the vaults of the Petrho
palace, in the citadel at Kronstadt ant
elsewhere. so
. although he is undoubtedly tn
richest man in the world. his imperia
majesty is a man of the simplest tastes
and his purely personal expenses woui
: probably be easily covered by $50 day
Except when it is necessary to as
sumo the outward show of his exalte
rank, he dresses in a suit that you coul
: buy for SIS. He dimes very simply, ez
I eept at,state dinners; and many stoc
brokers smoke far more expensiv
cigars than he does. -
Her imperial majesty the empires
: Is equally simple in her tastes. She ha
: finer diamonds, and more of them, tina
: any other woman; but she does not YEA
:. diamonds half a dozen times year.
/. 'She goes driving in st. Petersburg
a much less snowy and less expense,
: equ;page than nine out of ten of tho:
- which you may see any day in Hyc
!, Park. and SO does the dowager en-
= press"