The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-01-29
RICHEST MAN
In History Was Patiomlxin, Whose In
come Was $2O,0OO,0OO Year.

In 1t is generally agreed that John D.
Rockefeller is the richest man in the
world today. but that he is the richest
man in history is far from certain,
says the Baltimore Sun. Hundreds
and thousands of years ago there lived
men whose wealth,~j0dging by its pur-'
chasing power IN their time, probably
greatly exceeded his. Croesus. king
of lydia, to whom Mr.. Rockefeller is
often compared, owned whole en-
pire-and incidentally died dead broke.
There were olutoerats in ancient
Egypt and Rome whose riches were
so vast that they had to employ armies
of men to collect their revenues. Some
of tn csc antique billionaires were high
1ivers, and one of them once gave
dinner which cost more than $1,000
600. Besidec that. the extravagances
of John D. pale.
Nearer our own time was Patiomktn,
favorite Of the Empress Catherine II.
of Russia and the most famous spend
thrifts of modern times. Patiomkin
began life as a lieutenant in the Rus
sian 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 al
ways wore in their helmets Patfom-
kin plucked out his own plume and
handed it to the Empress. She smil
ed, placed 1t in her hair-and Patlom-
kin's fortune Wa= made.
Catherine in her day was a much
married lady and most of her morga-
matte husbands were Apollos, but Pa
tiomkin, who. had the honor of being
one OF them. was man OF ugly and
forbidding appearance He was TAT,
rnisShapen and bald. and had lost an
eve and his manner was gruh and un-
couth. But all the same he was a man
of splendid Imagination and for many
years after Catherine deserted MIN Tor
another he held a 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 superintendent of en-
tertainments.
Patiomkin was a most INSCRIPTIONS
CRATER and made money rapidly. With
in a year after he took up his residence
at court it was commonly reported that
he was worth SIS, 900, 900. Ten years later
he owned 100000 acres of land, 20 pal
aces and 10000 slaves and was reputed
to have an income of $20.O00.000 year.
Catherine made him Prince of the
Tauria, Grand Admiral of the Euxine
and presented him with magnificent
marble palace at st. Petersburg-the
same Tauride Palace in which the re-
cent Douma held its sessions. He grew
richer and richer, and finally accumu-
lated so much money that he found 1t
utterly out of the question to spend It,
But when Catherine set out upon her
historical journey through the Crimea,
even Patiomkin managed to make an
appreciable dent in his fortune. The ar
engagements for the trip were placed IN
his hands and he made it one long, gilt
tering revel At his own expense he
nstructed 500 miles of road and pro-
vided 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 fresh relays
every five miles. 1t is estimated that
the mere transportation of the court
cost Patiomkin 100000.
But that was not all, by any means.
Besides hauling the queen and her
friends, he had to entertain them And
so there were halts every few days to
enjoy vast festivities.
1t took q days to reach kief, where
Catherine took ship on the rivers
Borysthenes and Dnieper for the lower
Crimea. Patiomlzin provided so of the
largest ships he could find, and each
one had a band aboard. Every member
of the party was given a stateroozn and
sitting room, both hung with silk,