European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - October 4, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Pago 14 the stars and stripes Money matters tuesday october 4, 1994today�?Ts rates following Are fixed rates at which Community banking and credit Union facilities will sell foreign currencies to . Personnel for personal use British Pound. 1.62 dutch Guilder 1.69 German Mark. 1.51. Note the rates above apply within the Host country. Figures Are expressed in dollars to the British Pound other currencies to the Dollar following arc Interbank rates that fluctuate and should be Rev Garden As the approximate value of the . Dollar to foreign currencies austrian Schilling .10.980 Bahrain Dinar. A belgian franc �32.07 British Pound 1.5760 Canadian Dollar 1.3465 danish Krone .6.8180 dutch Guilder. 1.7445 French franc 5.3137 German Mark 1.5580 greek drachma 237.90 italian lira. 1,557.50 Kuwait Dinar. A norwegian Krone. 6.81980 portuguese escudo .158.75 saudi rial. 3.7505 Spanish peseta .128.48 Swett franc. 1.2940 turkish lira. 3,4050.91 note figures Aro expressed in dollars to the British Pound other currencies to the Dollar. A Gold quote $393.45 an ounce. Sliver Quale s5.5b an ounce sources mor Chanis National Bank amp Trust co. A a a a and the associated press Microsoft s speedy growth makes Gates richest in .Exxon to sell in Vietnam Hanoi Vietnam a Exxon corp. Will Start Selling engine lubricants and grease in Vietnam within a few Days its first retail sates in the country since the Vietnam War ended in 1975, a spokesman said monday. _ Exxon has set up offices in Hanoi and to Chi Minh City. By Steve Sakson the associated press new York Bill Gates burgeoning software Empire bested the Stock picking Wiles of Warren Buffett installing the chairman of Microsoft corp. At the top of Forbes magazines 1994 list of the richest americans. In its annual report on the Cream of the capitalist crop the biweekly business journal put Gates net Worth at $9.35 billion enough to bump Buffett with just $9.2 billion out of the no. 1 Post he held Las year. Forbes attributed the flip Flop to the vagaries of the Stock Market. Buffett 64, the Folksy investor from Omaha neb kept his investment company Berkshire Hathaway growing this year but not As fast As Microsoft thanks to his holdings in the company Gates net Worth grew by More than $3 billion while Buffetti a Rose by a comparatively paltry $900 million. The year has been one of milestones for Gates 38, of Bellevue wash., and his company on new years Day the one time King of the computer nerds married Melinda French in Hawaii. More important for Gates wealth Microsoft emerged largely unscathed from a Federal antitrust inquiry that it monopolized the software business. Gates is quoted in the oct. 17 Forbes As saying its list is,�?osilly.�?� he appears to shun such Marks of Success. A if id had some set idea of a finish line done to you think i would have crossed it years ago a he said. Forbes also said Gates now appears to be the wealthiest commoner in the world. The Only foreign billionaire in i league Gates Buffett besides Royalty is Yoshiaki Tsutsumi a japanese Railroad and hotel tycoon who Forbes said is Worth $8.5 billion. Coming in third for the second year in a Row was John Kluge 80, of Charlottesville va., who built the metro Media radio and television station Empire then liquidated it to invest in movies restaurants and Lon distance Telephone service. Kluge a restaurant and movie interests Are recovering Quot from some weak times Forbes reported and the no distance company adds is now no. 4 behind at amp to Sci and sprint Kluge whose Worth was listed at $5.9 billion led the list from 1989 to 1991. The Stock markets bouts of weakness this year did no to Hurt Edward Johnson Iii 64, of Boston chief of Fidelity investments the top Mutual fund company. His $5.1 billion was enough to vault him to no. 4 from no. 38 last year. Amway clip. Partner Richard Devos 68, of Ada Mich., rounded out the top five with $4.5 billion up from no. 33. Money losers whose fortunes pushed them off the list include one time Hollywood Kingpin Barry Diller. His declining shares in Home shopping Channel ivc inc. Dropped him to $130 million from last years $345 million. Wealthiest of America s wealthy. Forbes Magazine has compiled a list mho richest americans giving their hot names hometowns and estimated net Worth in Btl Lionso dollars. A a a. A a a a a a 1 Gates William Henry Iii Bellevue Wash $9.35 billion 2 Butlett Warren Edward Omaha neb., $9.2 a 3 Kluge John Werner Charlot Lesville. Is. $5.9 _ 4 Johnson Edward Crosby Iii Boston $5.1. 5 Devos Richard Marvin Ada Mich. $4.5. B Perelman Ronald Owen new York $4.5 a a v 7  Andel Jay Ada mrcl�,$4.5 ,. A a 5 Walton Alice u Rogers ant.-, $4.34. A. A a a Walton Helen Bentonville Ark. $4.34. 10 Walton Jim cd a Bentonville Ark $4.34 it. 11 Walton John to a san Diego $4.34. 12 Walton s. Robson Benton Llla Ark., $4,34. _ 13 Murdoch Keith Rupert new York $4. 14 Newhouse Donald Edward new york�$4 15 Newhouse Samuel i. Jr., new York $4 1� Alton Paul  Mercer Island wash., $3.91 17 Redstone Sumner Murray Newton Center mass$3.b a 1a Anthony Barbara Cox Honolulu $2.9 1# Chambers Anne Cox Atlanta $2.9 20 Ellison Lawrence Joseph Atherton calf $2 9. 21 Annenberg Walter Hubert Wynnewood a $2,b 22 Bronfman Edgar Miles or new York $2.5 _ 23 Kerkorian Kirk Beverly Hills calrf., $2.5 a a 24 Mars Forrest Edward jr., Mclean va., $2.5 25 Mars Forrest Edward sr., Las vegas $2-5 i 28 Mars John Franklyn Arlington a. $2.6. 27 Porot Henry Ross Dallas $2.5 28 Vogel Jacqueline Mats Bedminster n.j., $2.5. 29 Crown Lester Wilmette Iii., $2.4 a 30 Hillman Henry Lea. Pittsburgh $2,2 a .31 Packard David losalt04_hllls, calif., $2.2 _ _ 32 Pritzker Jay Arthur Chicago $2.2. 33 prot Zubr Robert Alan Chicago $2.2 a. 34 Bass Robert Muse fort Worth Texas $2 a. 35 Bren Donald Leroy Newport Beach Calif $2 38 Davis Marvin Harold Beverly Hills calif., $237 Anschutz Philip Frederick Denver $1.9. A 38 Ballmer Steven Anthony Bellevue wash., $1.75 39 Bass Lee Marshall fort Worth Texas $1,75 40 Hewlett William Tedington Portola Valley. Calif., $1.75 41 Johnson Samuel Curtis Racine wis., $1.75. 42 Knight Philip Hampson Hillsboro ore., $1.7 43 hum Ray Lee Dellas $1.8 44 Turner Robert Edward Ted Iii Roswell ga., $1.6 45 Bass Sid Richardson fort Worth Texas $1.5 -48 Getty Gordon Peter san Francisco $1.5 47 Moore Gordon eerie Santa Clara county calrf., $1.5 48 Bechtel Riley p., san Francisco $1.4 a a a a a 48 Bechtel Stephen Devi son or. San Francisco $1.4 r 50 Kroc Joan Beverly Rancho Santa be calif., $1.4 51 Simplot John Richard Boise Idaho $1.4 52 Wexner Lesli a Herbert new Albany o Halo $1,4. Florida cools off As tourist hot spot in South Byge Netharee Cox news service the Sun was shining this summer on tourism growth in the South a except for Florida which had continuing Clouds. Although the figures Are preliminary Florida is the Only Southern state reporting do Jiffies in tourism from a year ago. As autumn begins other Southern states appear to be building on last years growth when Domestic travellers spent almost $74 billion in the Region contending with widely reported crimes against tourists and increasing Competition from other destinations Florida saw tourist visits fall in the first five months this year. But in june the last month for which figures Are com Pletsc the state counted 3.4 million tourists a slight increase from a year ago. A we Hope the storm Clouds Are starting to Clear a state Commerce Secretary Charles Dusseau said. Still current estimates Are that approx i malty 40 million tourists will visit Florida in 1994,/down from 41 million last year. A a a a a a a a a the dip is blamed both on the 1993 slayings in Florida of German tourists Ana a British visitor and on Competition from a a Sun destinations in Mexico and the Caribbean. Florida also is feeling heat from new or expanded entertainment complexes such As country music facilities in Branson to. Myrtle Beach . And Tennessee casinos in Mississippi and Louisiana and the new a family oriented Quot resorts in Las vegas. Florida tourist officials Point out however. That the state has experienced declines in the past Only to rebound Quickl Apulia tourists crowd Miami Beach in 1992, when Florida was one of the most popular tourist destinations. But so far this year the states tourism reports Haven to been so sunny. In Alabama tourism director Wayne Greenhaw estimates that the number of tourists through August was about 10 percent greater than in 1993. A the hotel lodging tax was up $1.5 million from a year ago he said. Greenhaw said he does no to think that recent racial difficulties in Wedowee including the arson of the towns High school will have a major negative Impact on Alabama a tourism. A but its unfortunate and we have received some critical Calls about it a he said of the racial problems. South Carolinas tourism director Marion Edmonds said this summer sunny. Should set record figures for tourist spending on the states Ltd it ast. A we done to have All the numbers yet a he said a but business has been real  1993, an estimated 10.5 million  pie visited the 60 Miles of beaches along the grand strand coastline. Many tourists also Are attending entertainment events from a circus show to country music that have opened in Myrtle Beach. What a making tourists flock to the Mississippi beaches is not Sun or surf or entertainment a but gambling. Since late 1992, More than 30 casinos have opened along Mississippi a Gulf coast or the Mississippi River and in 1993, the casinos reported Gross revenues of $790 million with state and local tax revenues amounting to $85 million. This year the growth is rapidly accelerating at the end of August the casinos had reported Gross revenues of $972 million and tax revenues of $110 million. A the casinos have brought millions of tourists to Mississippi a said George Smith tourism director. Louisiana also has moved into gambling but so far on a much smaller scale than Mississippi because of Legal and political fights. Eight riverboat casinos Are operating in Louisiana and there Are controversial plans to build the worlds largest land Casino in downtown new Orleans. Elsewhere in the South Georgia a we were having a great year until the flood in july tropical storm Alberto a said state tourism director Hannah Ledford. A it looks like we will have pretty weather for the fall and if it continues we will have a Good  along the states Golden Isles beaches tourist numbers for the summer Rose about 10 percent according to Doug Traub marketing director for Jekyll Island. North Carolina Dick Trammell director of the states tourism division said the summer a was one of the Best  More than 1,7 million visitors stopped at the states Welco Itie centers in june and july. Tennessee amusement revenues a mainly at Oryland and Hollywood theme Parks a have risen More than 20 percent for the first half of 1994, Accord my to Susan Fulton tourism commissioner. A the hotel and Motel folks say their revenues Are up 13 percent or so Quot she said