Los Angeles herald., 1906-11-11
CROESUS PLANS
REGAL JOURNEY
FORMER PEoN HAS WEALTH IN.
MEXICAN MINES
Riches Amounting to $t5o,ooo,ooo Are
Kept in Palace Strong 5ox--Has
offered to Pay the Govern
ment Debt
Special to The Herald.

Special to The Herald
PARRAL, Chihuahua, Mex, Nov. 10.
Pedro Alvarado, the noted citizen of
this place who has been metamor-
phosed from lowly peon into veri-
table Croesus during the last six years,
through the fabulous richness OF the
Palmillo mine, is preparing to make
his first visit to the outside world He
has decided to make trip to the City
of Mexico. If he were going on trip
around the world and intended to call
on all of the crowned heads of the
countries to be visited, the elaborate
preparations for the journey could
hardly eclipse those which are now be-
ing made under his direction for his
proposed trip of few hundred miles
to the capital of the republic.
Senior Alvarado's entry to the City
of Mexico promises to be as gorgeous
and full of regal splendor as character
ized the advent of the conquering Cor
tez into the capital of the Montezu-
mas In the centuries before. special
train of Pullman cars is being fitted
up for his accommodation. 1t is said
that 1t will be the handsomest train
ever brought into Mexico. 1t will be
stocked with the choicest foods and
viands that money can buy. He has
invited a number of his friends, s,in Par
raj, including the parish priest and
several of the men who were his peon
companions in his days of poverty, to
accompany him on his trip. He will
also take along with him his physician
and his lawyer
The wealth of Senior Alvarado is es-
timated all the way from $75,000,0 900 to
$3.50, 100000. He has little faith in banks
and a vast store of his wealth is kept
in strong steel vaults in his new mar
BILE palace. 1t is said that he will carry
with him on his trip to the City of
Mexico many millions of dollars in
gold, and this fact has given rise to the
report that the object of his visit is
to call in person on President Diaz
and renew his offer to pay the govern
ment debt.
Offers to Pay Government Debt
Minister of Finance Jose Ives Lii
mantour is said to have refused this
offer two or three days ago, although
it was insisted upon by Senor Alvara-
do in letters which he wrote to Senor
Limantour. Senior Alvarado is a very
honest and conscientious man. He
SAYS that he obtained his vast wealth
from the ground, and as the ground
was a part of Mexico, he feels that the
government is rightfully entitled to
good share of it. Some of Senor Alva-
radios friends say that he is going to
the City of Mexico on mission of
charity and that he Will distribute the
millions of dollars which he will take
along with him among the poor and
needy in the republics capital. He is
beloved by the poor people Of Parral.
He has taken a warm personal inter-
est in their condition ever since his
rise to fortune. He built, at his own
expense. a fine cathedral here, and is
devout Catholic.
Ten Thousand Canaries to Soothe
His palace is one of the sights of
Mexico. The rooms are furnished with
a luxury unequaled by any home in
Mexico, and probably by few in the
United States. There is piano in
every room, and 10000 canary birds
make the building resound with their
melodious notes. This multitude Of
songsters are Senior Alvarados special
delight.
Annexed to his palace is the big
storeroom, where the supplies for the
establishment are kept. 1t is a COM
monplace room, as compared with the
remainder of the building. 1t is in this
storeroom that Senor Alvarado delights
to gather a few of his old-time cronies
and spend a pleasant hour. He saws
that the rooms of the palace are some
what oppressive to a man who has
been used to an active life in the
mines. The ornaments in the different
rooms are of solid gold and are valued
at big fortune in themselves.