THE "NITRATE KING."

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 2081, 7 March 1889, Page 3

THE "N ITRATE KING."

The Nitrate King is undoubtedly the Greatest " paragraphed " man In England, [ere are a few extracts which we have oalled from varioas sources : Oolonel North's ball ls still the absorbing subject of London conversation , and loud Is still the praise of the host's hospitality, and equally loud the curses on the bad management m the supper room. All acoounts agree ln stating that the fight for food and drink waa as fierce as the onslaught of the ansegatod Zulus at Issandnla or the bad quarter of an hous ln the sorimmage at Xl Tab. Next to the Oolonol, the cynosure of every one was his daughter. Sho Is a slight girl of medium height, with fair hair, blue eyes, regular features, and decidedly pretty. Already the host of Impecunious or broken peers have descended upon thla richest prize of the London season. People are hoping that Ojlonel North's robust Yorkshire sense will save his daughter from unscrupulous fortune-hunters with handlea to their names and not a drop ol honest blood In their hearts. Rumor says that Oolonel North's ball oost somewhere "m tbe neighborhood of " £10,000, as the Americans say * the best wine In the Metropole oellats was on tap, and ran like water, and tbe flowerswell, the Duchess of Montrose wasn't "m it " — are said to have represented a value of nearly £2000 sterling. Oolonel North has provided a dowry of half a million for his only daughter. He has not attaobed any conditions to it as to the birth, rank, or fortune of tha husband who Is to help her spend it, Tbe lady Is to make her unfettered choice, and tbe money Is to be forthcoming, no matter who or what the bridegroom mr y be. 11 The Nitrate King's " son oame of age a little while ago. During the birthday supper Oolonel North banded to his heir a cheque for £10 000, not as a portion of his patrimony, but just as a little present with whioh to boy some memento, or to take a little holiday 1 Oolonel North reoently, so it Is said, bought an estate In Wales for £100,000, No sooner WSS the purobase completed than up went the price of coals, and within a few days he was offered #200,000 for his bargain. It Is also reported that a certain prominent politician has landed i £16,000 over some shares allotted to him by the genial and. clever financier, who is just now tbe celebrity of the hour. At a Meeting of the Loud* Town Oounoll, on January 2nd, tbe Mayor referred to the gift by Oolonel Nortn, of Klrkstall Abbey, to the town of Leeds, after which, the Oouncll reiolved to oonfer upon the oolonel tbe freedom of the borough, In recognition of bis very handsome gift to bis native town. Oolonel North, who has lately acquired large mineral properties ln Glamorganshire, has been the recipient of two presentations from hundreds of employees et Meuteg and Tondu, In acknowledging the same he promised several hundreds of pounds for the foundation of a oottage hospital aad other public Institutions. It Is said that Oolonel North has purchased Iddeselgh and Mirror, and that the Nitrate King is going m for a big racing boom.