The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1907-09-18
BILLION DOLLAR FORTUNE.
Immense Fortune Piling Up for Mar
shall Fields Sons-ro be Held for
Forty Years

VI
Upon the survival for thirty-eight
years of two somewhat fragile lads,
says the Chicago Record Herald,
hangs the ultimate disposition of a
fortune, which at that time, is like
ly to amount to round billion
Of dollars.
According to the best estimate that
Is the approximate sum which should
be available in the year 1916 for divi-
sion between Marshall and Henry
Field. AS the resduary Iegatees of
the estate, the major part Of the
merchants huge fortune Is to be held
In trust for them until the elder Of
the two boys, who is now 1S years old,
shall have attained the age of So,
Should both lads live until then,
Marshall Is to have three-ffths of
the residuary estate and Henry,
who is two years young r than his
brother, will inherit the remaining
two -fifths.
l. Already the two striplings are
probably the wealthest minor BROTH
ers, in the world. Should both live tn
realize the partition Of the estate un-
| der the terms of their grandfather's
VIII, the share of each should be suf-,
ilcient to rank him among the wealth
lest men in the world. : If, on the 9TH
er hand, either Marshall or Henry
should die without. issue before the
year 1945, the survivor of the two. to
whom under the will the deceased
brothers share reverts, might easily,
become that visionary much discuss
ed phenomenon-Ameri first bill
| lionlire. M
When Marshall Field the elder died
a year ago last January estimates of
his fortune varied all the way from
$100.000,000 to, $15O.O0O,0 200. When
the executors filed their inventory in
the. probate court, in January, 1907,
securities all being listed at their par
value. the figures totaled about $780,
100000. and good financial authorities
computed the actual value at the then
market rates at about sss, 900, 900.
Mr.. Fields $4,000 shanes of the
stock Of the corporation of Marshall
Field & Co.. the par value Of which is
ss,4oo,ooo. for instance. are we'll
known to be worth far more.
Henry Clews in 1905 estimated the
Field estate at s1oo,oo0o00. and it is
argued that 1t must have increased
since that time to s125,ooO, 600.
If the present value of the estate be
figured at any sum between the con-
servative s75.ooo.roO and 800. 600, 900
and multiplied by $9.454, the sum
WHICH 81 will equal If allowed only to
rest and gather 6 per Gent semi-an-i
nually, CON pounded for the thirty
eight years of the trust period, the
total residuary will become close to
the billion mark. 81
Estimating It now at round $780,
100000 and giving it only the benefit
out special regard for appreciation in
the vast real estate holdings. the to-
tai residuary estate in I945 would be
$s45, 100000.
This is upon the per cent basis
whereas 1t is practically oSrtain that
the annual income of the estate even
now is $4,000, 900, and it may be as
high as s15.00O.OOO. IT may and
probably will go to treble that amount
annually by the time the thirty-eight
years have expired. Then, with prin-
cipal adding to principal, and piling
on interest semi-annually, the wealth
Of the two Field boys not only will be
far above the billion mark. but may
be represented in figures more like
$1,000, 900. 900. ~
OF course, as the estate grows. so
will the expense Of caring for it and
administering it, but these will be In
finitesimal as compare with the vast
growth Of the residuary estare.
At present these two young grand
sons for whom fond old mans hopes
| cast so brilliant horoscope are re-
| siding with their mother in England,
where she has leased Danesbury,>
fine country mansion in Hertford-
| shire.
The lads are attending school at
Elton. but are destined later to ma
circulate at Harvard