FIRST BILLIONAIRE by Philadelphia Press

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Mountain View, California · Apr 5, 1905

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 31, No. 14.

FIRST BILLIONAIRE.

By Philadelphia Press

Calculations as to the Fortune of John D. Rockefeller, Emperor of Oil.

John D. Rockefeller, billionaire? Yes, if he lives a few years, and continues the exercise of business prudence, combined with audacity, which has characterized his past career, he will write his fortune down $1,000,000,000, and will figure as the first billionaire the world has ever seen. Experts compute his wealth to-day at more than $600,000,000, and the capitalization of the enterprises controlled by him at more than $5,000,000,000.

Fifteen years ago the guesses on this subject, based on the most trustworthy information available, placed the amount of Mr. Rockefeller's wealth at $200,000,000. In the intervening period the figures have been increased until it is believed that they might be tripled without any exaggeration.

In Standard Oil alone, eight years ago, according to one of that trust's magnates, John D. Rockefeller's share amounted to more than $150,000,000, with an income from it of $15,000,000. This statement had reference to his oil interests alone, and was made, too, before the great increase in prices in recent years had added at least one-third to the market value of these holdings.

It is pretty well authenticated that for the last dozen years, Mr. Rockefeller's annual income from all sources has been steadily rising from $30,000,000, and that he is receiving practically compound interest on his investments, which must have added $300,000,000 to his capital.

Oil, steel, railroads, banks, and trust companies have not been equal to the task of providing occupation sufficient for the fast-multiplying Rockefeller millions. Important items of the Rockefeller fortune are holdings of real estate and mortgages, and of government and municipal bonds. They are so vast that the threads leading to them would take one to every part of the United States and across the Atlantic. His beneficent attentions have been bestowed also on big insurance companies, steamship and telegraph and building corporations, and other things too numerous to mention. Taking into account all these widespread interests, it is not difficult to figure out that John D. Rockefeller is already possessed of $600,000,000, and that the accumulation of his yearly income will carry him to the billionaire stage, without any allowance for the appreciation of the properties in which his money is invested.

A chronological table of Mr. Rockefeller's fortune, the reward of fifty years of concentrated effort, of frugality, of industry, and of the employment of tactful ability, would read about as follows: 1855 ........................................................... $..................... 1865 ....................................................................... 5,000 1870 .................................................................... 50,000 1875 .............................................................. 5,000,000 1885 ......................................................... 100,000,000 1890 ......................................................... 200,000,000 1900 ......................................................... 400,000,000 1905 ......................................................... 600,000,000

Financially, Mr. Rockefeller is the world's greatest potentate. The Czar of Russia enjoys an annual income of about $12,000,000; Emperor William, as King of Prussia, receives a little less than $4,000,000; the Emperor of Austria-Hungary, $3,875,000; King Edward, $2,225,000; and the King of Spain, $2,000,000. King John, emperor of oil, king of steel, banking, and railroads, and prince of several dominions of less importance, can buy and sell them all.—Philadelphia Press.