The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1907-12-04
MEXICAN CARNEGIE
Don Pedro Alvarado is Giving Away
Twelve Million Dollars Year.
Chicago Chronicle.l


In Don Pedro Alvarado Mexicans
say they have a Carnegie of their own
Don Pedro has vowed that in spite OF
| owning a mine which can produce net
profits of $12,O00,OO0 year, he is go.
ing to die poor. In order to attain this
purpose he offered not long ago to pay
off the national debt of Mexico. But
in this attempt to empty his treasury
he was thwarted. The Mexican Gov
eminent was so proud that it declin-
ed the favor. Don Pedro, however, is
not man 10 be easily discouraged. He
is going to give his money away In
spite of obstacles. And so, after long
deliberation he announced last week
that he would give $10,000,000 to the
poor of Mexico, the money to be dis
tributed by the Government. Little,
if any, is to be given outright to any
applicant, but each of those who are
found worthy in the eyes of the Gov
eminent will receive a small farm, be
provided with a home or helped to
establish himself in business Provis-
ion has been made to found free
schools with the fund, and a small
amount will be given to struggling
churches 1t is estimated that as
many as 10000 persons will be bene-
fitted by Don Pedros generosity.
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
it is his indifference to the making of
Although his mine, it is said.
can be worked by an American com
pany to produce $1,000,000 month
Don Pedro contents himself with much |
less than that amount.
He has been reported as only work |
ing the mine now and then when he |
needs the cash, but this he denies. II
operate my mining plant" he says,
the same as you gentlemen from the
United States would if you had it, but
With this difference; don't try to dig
,ut all the silver in it at once If |
lid | might spend it all and be poor !
nan again. At the rate my 500 min
,rs are working I'll get 100000 a
month as long as / live"
Another strange thing about Don
'edro is that he loves, his poor rela-
ives. He keeps his house at Parral
He'd with them. Anybody who CAN /,
race the slightest connection with the
7ealthy mine owner, either by birth
r marriage, is welcome within his
ates. And when he can not spend his
1come on his people fast enough at
ONE he charters a special train,
acks them all aboard and starts off
n a journey, just where he never
nows in advance. Accordingly he al
avs makes arrangement with the q
abroad company to stop his special !.
e made a trip to the City of Mexico
)t long ago, distance by rail from (,
IS home as far as Chicago is from (
ew York-and it took him seven
lys. Three times each day the train
as halted that Don Pedro and his
tests might pour out on the plain
Id have picnic.
When a poor American gets rich .
. is almost sure to move to the most '
part of his city. Not so
tn Don Pedro Alvarado. When the
Ines which he had inherited from his CT
retailers suddenly opened up an al
ormously rich vein, about IL years ts
o, and he soon found himself rich b,
ough to build what the Mexicans n,
II palace" he erected a new home CO
lavish cost right on the site of the te
one, in squalid part Of Parral. tn
rear windows look out on the Par p'
River, which is hardly more than Al
great open sewer. tn
Unlike the average American who tn
,ws wealthy, Don Pedro does not al
e for personal attendants. He III
,ves himself, cuts his own hair TO
cks his own shoes and docs a part az
his own cooking. After his wife ar
d he for a long time dressed HIS Of
90 chfldran himealf Nor ~ ha va