The Detroit times., 1909-07-13
MONEY KING LIVES
IN SQuAtIO ROOM
Valentine Christ, Bavarian Million
aire of Cleveland, Passes Declining
Days Over Saloon.

III " CLAM, W., july L. w -"
one exception, John ID. Rockefeller -
The least pretentious of the several
Sundred millionaires OF Cleveland.
That exception is Bavarian named
Valentine Christ. who came TO Ameri-
Gu at the age OF 10. with a mother
and four brothers and sister. to try 10
support.
Alongside OF Christ. Rockefellets
Wanted simplicity OF life looms up
> like barbaric splendor.
Until little while ago Christ lived
in an alley in the downtown district,
his neighbors being foreigners ana
Negroes and the very poor.
Now he has moved aud has one room
over a saloon in the factory district
He lives there with his sister and her
family who look after his very sim,
pie wants.
Valentine Christ is 4 power In Cleye-
, land finance. And yet
lie has no offices. no clerks, no Sec
retaries, no stenographers.
He mas no automoblles-an old horse
anu buggy serving him when he wants
10 20 anywhere.
with double bed his horse and bug
gy-these supply his wants.
Until lately, when he had grown
too weak to get around easily, Christ
did all his own collecting and buying
and selling Now nephew takes this
on his hands
Finance Kings Call.
But bank presidents and lawyers
and big real estate men still come 20
the room upstairs over the saloon 10
talk over big deals with this old man
deals involving thousands OF dollars.
When he lived in the alley down
town these same men had TO pick their
way through the mud to see Christ.
Coarse-fuccd women shouidered them
as they talked finance at the door
step.
A milllonaire-even a millionaire In
an alleys entitled TO some peculiar
tiles
For Valentine Christ has the money
all right
He is better than millionaire. He
owns business blocks, farms. prosper
GUS humes-he admits that. he owns
property in every township in tho
county He is the biggest property
owner in the city.
Christ is bachelor. nearly 10 years
old He almost had romance once.
He tells the story himslef.
He had picked out the girl, she was
willing. and they were driving to the
church. where the priest was ready TO
tie the knot
when we're married." was the
theme IF the girls conversation as
they rode along. She mentioned hav-
ing "A hired girl.
why, we're not going 10 keep d
girl" protested the bridegroom. You
can DO the cooking all right. Why,
when | was in the army | cooked for
200 men, You can cook enough .or
Couple Did Not Marry.
The girl protested. "All right" said
Christ. I'VE will go back home.-
And stunned round and drove back
That was all there was TO the mar
rage.
Christ wasn't much different-to
look at-from hundreds and thou
sands OF emigrant boys when he land.
ed in this country in 1853, He got
work at pittance, but saved his mon
ey.
Then the war broke out and Christ
went to the font No. not as a SOL
der. He loined the commissary do
partment at SO "A month. and picked
up more from cooking snecial dishes
for the soldiers and officers. When the
war was over he had a comfortable
pile
Land was cheap then. and Christ
figured that as the best investment
for his money. He has always stuck
to land buying ever since.
Christ once tried living in a 5000 900
mansion he owns in an exclusive sub
urb. But he didn't like IT. and went
back to his shack.
Christs clothes are mean and patch
ed, his demeanor quiet and backward.
His relatives consist OF brother
and sister and their. children, who
will inherit his money