Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1867-12-17

IS natIVe OF the North OF lTcland-not of
Scotland, us many persons suppose. He is
nearly seventy years old, and has been forty
years dry goods merchant in New York
His wealth is estimated at thirty millions, all
acquired by untiring application to business.
The foundation Of his fortune was laid in
smGll store down town, where he began his
mercantile career as a dealer in Irish linens.
Most OF his success is owing to u rule he es.
tab!ished at the start, aud which he has faith
fully adhered to ever since-to never mis-
represent his goods, aud never ask more for
them than he intended to take. BY those
who know him only through reputation. he
is esteemed Us a great and liberal man lie
has given much of his wealth to charities. but
each contribution advertised his house and
brought him large returns. 1t is said that
some of his clerks who enlisted at the be.
ginning Of the war on the understanding that
their places would be kept open for them.
found those places filed when they returned.
The number of his employees is not less than
two thousand, aud many of these are girls.
The rules with which each person employ
Cd by him has to comply are as rigorous and
unyielding as the Medoan laws of old One
Is to get the largest amount of labor for the
smallest amount of money He paws the
smallest salaries of any large dry goods dealer
in New York, and the girls employed by him
complain that the place is the hardest they
ever had. He keeps to the strict letter of
his word with every man, and neither asks
nor gives tayoTs. Creditors looking to him
for grace, speedily End its opposite. He has
about Z score Of partnora, and all must take
the law FROM him. And, in conclusion, he
Is married but childless, and the magnificent
mansion he is building on Fifth avenue is to
be begGeathed to the city of New York, to-
cether with the costly collection of art it
will contain. This is the real \. 7. Stewart.
as he is known by those who have met him
daily for many months. He is one Of the
architects Of New Iork's commercial greats
ness, and his disappearance from this world
will be public loss. I canno: say he will
be greatly mourncd in private.
Another renowned millionaire is
CORNELIUS vANDERRILT,
long famous in railroad and steamship enter
priscs, and now very. Emperor in Wall
street Vanderbilt, like Stewart, is well NJ
to the patriarchal " three score and tcn."-
lie is tall and thin, and as plain looking
man as you would find in all the haunts of
the bulls and bears. or all the selEmade
men in New York he is the most prominent.
About forty years ago lie commenced life on
his own account by sailing a small boat be-
tween New York City and Staten Island. and
carrying freight and passengers to and fro
but it was not until the California fever broke
cut that the road to great wealth was epeued
to Linn. Vanderbilt always had an eve to
good openings, aud he was quick to avail
himself Of the chances to literally coin money
that were offered by the rush to California.
Before that time he had acquired experience
aud considerable capital in the steamboat
trade on the Hudson, and both were imme-
diateIy turned into the new channel. a
Staam,IIn limo WAS Ctarfnl
freight rushed upon him, his capital doubled
and tTebled aGd quadrupled, Othor lines we're
started, and when the late war broke out
Nanderbi!t's steamships were ploughiug eve,
ry sea.
About three years ago he retired from com
meree to devote himself wholly to the Hui-
son River Railroad, with which lie had been
for several years connected. Hc brought the
same spirit to this that had made him sue
cessful in the other. To break down aud
utterly crush all opposition was always his
purpose, and by executing it to u letter he
has made name that is world renowned. and
a fortune supposed to be at least ten mil
lions. Commodore Vanderbilt is man of
hard common sense, little education, and
great fancy for fast horses. His charities are
unrecorded, and might, probably, be disposed
OF in the same way that historian is said to
have disposed Of the subject of snakes in
Ireland There are no snakes in Ireland"
have been told that when committee call
ed on him last year and solicited a subscrip-
tiOn for the South, saying the people were
starving, he simply answered, "D-n them.
let them starve; they deserve it," He has
partIa!Ity tor strong words, and always speaks
very plainly.
DANIEL DREW,
Is another rich New Yorker, we'll known in
the United States, though not Of such world
wide reputation as either Stewart or Wander
bilt. Like the latter, he made the principal
part OF Misfortune in the steamship business.
He IS native Of Putnam county, where he
now owns one of the largest farms in New
York. He began his money-makfnc career
as cattle dealer, and he still sticks to that
business though others manage it for him.
Before railroads were built he used TO bring
droves of cattle from the West, and it often
took them three months 20 make the Journey.
lie was the founder Of the famous L" Bulls
Head in this city, place that has been for
thirty years the great cattle market Of New
York. Drew is also heavy operator in Wall
street. In fact, next to Vanderbilt be Is the
strongest man there, and can do pretty much
as he Pleases with any stock he takes hold Of
lie was for long time the leading spirit
OF the Harlem railroad, and it was his ca pital
auo energy that Kept erCad from going to
smash long ago. He is now understood to be
grand director of all the operations in Eric.
and the panics he sometimes gets up in that
show what tremendous power he wiclds-
Drew differs from Stewart and Vanderbilt in
being public spirited, while they are some
what selfish. He has established a Metbo-
dist theological seminary in New jersey. at
an expense of S25O,O 900, and he means IN
give it an endowment Of $4,000 He
IS worth between six and seven millions