The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1907-01-18
RICHEST MAN
In History Was Pstiomkin, Whose In
come Was s2o.oo0.ooo a Year.
] RalfImora Sun.l

Rockefeller Is the richest man In the
world today. but that he is the richest
man In history Is far from certain.
Hundreds and thousands OF years ago
there lived men whose wealth. judg-
ing by its purchasing power In their
time. probably greatly exceeded his
Croesus, King Of Lydia, to whom Mr.
Rockefeller is often compared, owned
a whole empire-and incidentally died
dead broke. There were plutocrsts In
ancient Egypt and Rome whose rich
es were so vast that they had to en-
ploy armies of men to collect their
revenues. Some of these antique bill
lionaires we're high livers, and one OF
them once gave a dinner which cost
more than 100000. Beside that.
the extravagances of John ID. Pales.
Nearer our own time was Patfmo-
kin. favorite OF the Empress Gather
inc III. of Russia, and the most famous
spendthrift of modern times. Potion
kin began life as Lieutenant in the
Russian Imperial Guards, and on the
day that Catherine seized the throne
from her drunken husband had the
good fortune to encounter her. She
was in uniform at the time. but lacked
the plume which Russian officers then
always wore in their helmets. Patiom-
kin plucked out his own plume and
handed it to the Empress. She smil-
ed, placed it in her hair-and Patlom-
kin's fortune was made.
Catherine in her day was much
married lady and most of her morgan
attic husbands were Apollos, but Pat
iomkin, who had the honor of being
one of them, was man of ugly and
forbidding appearance. He was fat,
misshapen and bald, and had lost an
eve. and his manner was gruff and UNI
couth. But all the same he was a
man of splendid Imagination and for
many years after Catherine deserted
him for another he held post at the
Russian court comparable to that once
held by Mr.. Harry Lehr in New York
society. In brief, he was the official
master of the revels and superinten-
dent of entertainments.
Patiomkin was a most unscrupu-
lous CRATER and made money rapidly.
Within year after he took up his
residence at court it was commonly
reported that he was worth $4,000 900.
Ten years later he owned 5OO,OOO
acres of land, 20 palaces, 10000 slaves,
and was reputed to have an income OF
$40 100000 a year. Catherine made
him Prince of the Tauria, Grand Adj
miral of the Euxine and presented him
with a magnificent marble palace in
st. Petersburg-the same T2uride Pal
ace In which the recent Douma held
its sessions. He grew richer and rich
er, and finally accumulated SO much
money that he found it utterly out OF
the question to spend it.
But when Catherine set out upon
her historical journey through the
Crimes, even Patiomkin managed to
make an appreciable dent in his for
tune. The arrangements for the trip
were placed in his hands and he made
it one long. glittering revel. At his
own expense he constructed 500 miles
of road and provided sleighs for the
entire court.
GATHERINGS own sleigh was large
enough to hold eight persons. In 1t
the Empress dined and slept, and each
evening the curtains were let down,
fires were lighted and she entertained
her travelling companions at cards.
Thirty horses drew this gigantic con-
veyance and there were frseh relays
every five miles. 1t is estimated that
the mere transportation of the court
cost Patiomkin, $7OO0,OOO:
But that was not ALL by any means.
Besides hauling the Queen and her
fr1enQS, lie Hdu 10 entertain CuCm' hhu
so there were halts every few days to
enjoy vast festivities.
It took 81 days to reach Kief, where
Catherine took ship on the rivers
Borysthenes and Dnieper for the lower
Crimes Patiomkin provided 80 of the
largest ships he could find. and each
one had band aboard Every men,
Der of the party was given state
room and sitting room, both hung
with silk, and for Catherine herself
there was an entire ship. In all, 5000
servants were needed to look after the
travellers. not to speak OF 5000 sailors
and 10000 soldiers. Patiomkin paid all
the bills.
ION the slow voyage down the riv-
err" says a historian. "the most won
derful sights presented themselves,
which led those who gazed on them In
surprise to imagine that they were
raallv witnessing splendid theatrical