OIL KING'S ROMANCE

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 80, 25 September 1911, Page 3

OIL KING'S ROMANCE

THE SMITH MILLION'S

STARTED WITH £2.

i view of the fact thai something of ■ a romance attaches to the "Smith mil- ■ lions," it is interesting to read extracts ' from letters recently written by the "Oil King" to Mr. W. Clay, of Auckland, and ' to Mi's, ('lay, his niece. Replying to a letter written by Mr. Clay, relative to his chances of starting life as a colonist in Canada, the millionaire'wrote from Strathray, Ontario, as follows: "I scarcely think I would advise you to come to this country as you are swnv successful, and as your wife lias not been educated to the requirements of a new country, and as no man can get together more wealth than his wife will allow, 1 hesitate to recommend you what courst to take. I was in Saskatchewan in 1882 when it was only peopled by Indians. I took up four homestead sections stud bought a Canadian-Pacific railway section of <>4o acres. I ploughed 147 acres i'> one year and there was no rain. My wife would not go out there, so I threw it up. A great many immigrants came, into this country without capital, and ] myself had only 12 when I landed here. 1 came in a timber ship of SIM) tons burden, and we were six weeks crossing the I Atlantic and seven.-days coming up the country from Quebec. Like yourself j am a mechanic, and I found it very handy when I wanted a few dollars to go back to civilisation and earn enough to help nie in my endeavor to win .a home in the forest land. The best thing to'do, 1 think, is to get leave of absence from the'firm you are with and come and judge for yourself what the opportunities are in this country. I have a friend who has spent the summer in the West, and of all the provinces he says Alberta is the best., I had thought of going to ling-1 land, and could have met you, but at jny time of life (7i>) I thought it too much of an undertaking, and so I shall never see Kngltind again. If you come by way of New York you could buy your ticket through this place and 1 would be pleased f.o see you. We could then talk, over this great question of your future life."

Even more interesting is the following excerpt from a, letter written by thb aged'millionaire to his niece. Mrs. Clav, in which he declares that all his riches ilid not recompense him for the loss of his dear wife:

.."My dear wife died ten years ago, and though I am surrounded by every blessing this financial world can give me, I have never ceased to lament my great loss. I have a beautiful home here, the produce of mv own industry. A friend ] of mine was here on Saturday last and' called my home paradise, hut not to ine since the loss of iriy dear wjfe. I would Cod.had taken everything from me, had ]fe left her, but .it was not to lie. But T live in hopes of a reunion in isonie time when there will lie no more parting, f pray Cod will guide you in deciding the change (if it is to be), and that whatever you decide to do will be promoting your happiness. Relieve me, j happiness does not exist in what we have, but m what we are. With kind regards,--! am as ever respectfully yours, I Richard D. Smith."