Evening star., 1914-02-06
CROESUS Of MEXICO
HAS TO GO TO WORK
Alberto TerTazas' Immense Income
Tied Up by Three Years of
Revolutions.
Leaves With Family for California,
Where He Will Work Farm
for Livelihood

Eli PASO. Tex. February ellis i'm
mense income tied up by three years of
revolutions, Alberto Terrazas of the fam
lily whose name in Mexico is a synonym
Tor great wealth, has been compelled to
seek means OF livelihood.
This information, AS astounding in Mex
leo and along the Rio Grandc border as
similar news Of Rockefeller or a Van
dcrbilt would be in tho United States.
became known hero today with his de-
parture for Pasadena, cal lie was ac-
companied by his family, but not the
usual retfnue of servants. Near Pasa-
dena Terrazas expects to buy or lease a
small farm, where he can make modest
living. He is one of those who secs no
prospect of peace i'll his native land, and
until tranquility is restored the income
OF the vast Terrazas family fortune. esti-
mated at $50. .OO0.OO to $40, 600, 600 in Amer
lean gold, will be tied up. Even in the
event of peace it may DO lost, for the
rebels have declared it confiscated.
Il do not mind going to work; it may
be a good thing" he said to friends be
fore his departure, and then smiled at
his own remarks, for his prodigality with
money has been II story, chapters of
which have been written on two conti-
nents-in London and Paris, in Mexico.
Texas, California, New York and in Chi
huahua-
Once chihuahua s Governor.
Terrazas always has worked as rich
men have to. and once he was governor
of the State of Chihuahua, but he did not
work for a living. Now, according to
himself he is to labor for bread and
butter. He learned much of farming
and the breeding of horses and cattle on
his own ranches, and his friends say he
will be able to hold his own in wrestling
an income from the soil.
The Terrazas fortune was founded
by Don Luis Terrazas, now an octoge-
marian refugee in this city, in land
grants from Presidents Juarez and Por-
tirio Diaz. These holdings have been
augmented constantly, until now, as
train schedules are in Mexico, it would
take II passenger train three days to
travel the boundaries OF this domain. 1t
stretches from Juarez $40 miles south
to Jiminez, and west to Casas Grandes.
On it are towns. hamlets. mines, facto-
ries and fertile farms. All this was the
property of the senior Terrazas and his
three sons, Juan, now in the city of
Mexico; Luis. jr., held at Chihuahua as
hostage by the rebels, and Alberto,
contiscated.
Beginning with the revolt of Francisco
Madero. more than three years ago. the
soldiers of northern Mexico on either
side of that and the succeeding revoiu-
tions have practically lived on the Ter
razas fortune. Immense sums We're con-
tributed by the family to favorite causes
or were extorted by the enemy.
100000 Ransom Demanded
A recent instance was the million-dol-
lar ransom demanded for the release of
Luis, jr. He was incarcerated in the
municipal palace at Chihuahua, but de-
clined to contribute until he was taken
out, beaten with the fiat of a sword and
a moose placed around his neck and gem
tly frightened. In this predicament he con-
tributed $59o,oOo. all the ready money at
his command. He was then permitted To
join his family and is still there. The
additional ransom now demanded is S25o,-
600, but it is believed that Gen. Villa pre-
fers to hold him as a hostage to deter
other members OF the family from tnanc-
ing new revolt in the north to harass
the rebel rear on its march to Torreon-
In the early days of armed disorder in
Mexico those of the TerraZas family who
came to the United States Travelled i'll al
most regal state. Numerous servants,
governesses and dependents came in their
train and whole floors of hotels here, IN
Los Angeles, and other cities We're re-
served for the party. This time. how
ever, they have been living very moder-
ately. How much money the elder Ter
raZas has on this side of the border is
not known, but his intimates say it is
comparatively little.
He. like his sons, always had an anchor