The news-democrat. (Providence, R.I.) 1906-1909, 1906-12-05
DON PEDRO ALVARADO
is MEXICO'S CARNEGTS

in Don Pedro Alvarado Mexicans say
they have Carnegie OF their own Don
Pedro has vowed that, in spite OF owning
mine which can produce net profits OF
sl2ooO.WO a year, he is going TO die poor.
In order 10 attain his purpose he offered
not long ago to pay off the national debt
or Mexico. But in this attempt to empty
his treasury he was thwarted
The Mexican government was so proud
that IL declined the favor. Don Pedro.
however. Is not a man 10 be easily dis
couraged. lie is going to give his money
away. In spite of obstacles. And so. after
long elaboration. he announced recently
that he would give $l0,O00.O00 TO the poor
of Mexico, the money to be distributed by
the government. Little. II any, is to be
given outright TO any applicant. but each
or those Who are found worthy I'm the
eyes OF the government will receive r.
small farm. be provided with home or bs
helped TO establish himself In business
Provision has been made TO found free
schools with the fund. and a small amount
viii be given TO struggling churches IL
is estimated that as many as 10000 persons
VIII be benefited by Don Pedros gener-
osity.
To the American mind Don Pedro Is an
enigma. 1t is not his philanthropy that
causes the Yankee TO wonder, for the
Yankee can be one OF the most generous
givers when so inclined, but IL is his in
difference to the making of money. AL
though his mine, IL Is said, could be work.
ed by an American company TO produce
81 100000 a month. Don Pedro contents
himself with much less than that amount.
He has been reported as only working
tho mine now and then when he needed
the cash, but this he denies. II operate
my mining plant" he says. "the same az
yoL gentlemen from the United States
would. If you had IL. but with this diff
ference: i don't try to dig out all the
silver in IL at once. If did might spend
" all and be a poor man again. At the
rate my 800 miners are working I'll get
100000 a month as long as I live"
Another strange thing about Don Pedro
is that he loves his poor relatives. He
keeps his house at Parral filled with them.
Anybody who can trace the slightest con-
nection with the wealthy mine owner.
either by birth or marriage, is welcome
within his gates. And when he cannot
spend his income on his people fast
enough at home, he charters a special
train, packs them all aboard and starts
>off OH a Journey, just where he never
knows in advance.
Accordingly he always makes an ar
rangement with the railroad company to
stop his special train wherever he takes
the notion. He made a trip TO Mexico
city not long ago, a distance by rail from
his home as far as Chicago is from New
IL loOh MN seven udNS.
times each day the train was halted that
Don Pedro and his guests might pour out
OH the plain and have a picnic.
Unlike the average American who
grows wealthy, Don Pedro does not
care for personal attendants. He
shaves himself, cuts his own hair.
blacks his own shoes. and does a part Of
his own cooking. After his wife died he
for long time dressed his three chill
dren himself. Nor is he as circumspect
in his spending of money as many Ameri.
can capitalists. III he takes fancy 10
something he will buy of IL dozen times
as much as he needs.
A year ago he met an American sewing
machine agent, who so interested him in
his particular machine that Don Pedro
bought 50 OF them and put one in each
room in his house. Another great source
OF enjoyment for this peculiar man is To
give work TO the poor. IL a beggar asks
him for aims he Will shake his head mo,
but I'll let YOU work for me and pay YOU
for your labor" he will say. Not long
ago, when the grape crop in the region
around Parral proved failure. most OF
the farmers went to work for Alvarado.