Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1870-05-26
From the Men and Mysteries OF Val Street,

| never "gOes Dack Oh ms lIleuus - Hul
generally assumed as true by brokers
There il a tradition that in years gone By.
when the Commodore used to ride down u
the old homestead on Staten Island, he
would now and then meet a man who court
eously offered to hold his horse. Some
thing in the appearance Of the stranger
struck Vanderbilt, and he inquired into his
! history. H. had been, ii seemed broker
/ in 1.-THE street and having failed badly,
/ had decided to follow Horace Greeley
| recommendation, and take to country lie.
/ "If you will come to the city | will start
yoa again, said the king Of the Centrat.
Nobody could be more grateful than u.
Staten Islander. He returned to Broad St +,
acted upon the Commodore's hints, and in
due time began to prosper. Brokers soon
had faith in this ,lrotege Of the great man.
Tley watched his movements at the board,
and bought or sold in accordance.
! One DAY the Commodore was planning q
! large operation. In came Blank, seeking
for a point, "I'm buying, said the railway
| lord.
Blank buys bravely-the street follows.
| Presently down slips the stock, and the
Staten Islander is henceforth ELAINE
duck" zone of the Commodore's stool
pigeons, " is what the irate brokers chose to
name him.
Similar incidents, trustworthy or oiher-
wise. are narrated 10y the dozen.
Horace Clark, Vanderbilts son-in-law,
was always iavorlte with the stately old
gentleman. The current gossip about bic
marriage is not lacking IL amusement.
Clark was high-spirited, even when poor
Having decided to we'd the young lady, he
called upon bis future iather-in law, and
without preliminary, began;
Commodore, | wish your daughter in
marriage Hey" quoted the money
king
Clark repeated his words.
you mean you want my money" growl-
ed Vanderbilt from his chair.
"You and your daughter be ID, i" famed
out the young lawyer, as he clenched his
hat in his hand, and turned to leave the
room.
Hold on, young man, said Vanderbilt
strengthening himself on his feet, and look
ing wonderfully sauve and paternal-"hold
on. rather like you. I didn't say you
should not have my daughter. You may
have her. rather like you, young man, "
But Clark never did get much of the
Commodores money, except in indirect
ways, lie had shares in speculations, and
was always well supplied with points
Once Vanderbilt determined TO "use" him.
Clark lost hundreds of thousands OF dollars.
He boldly told his father what he thought
of it, and after time the losses were made
GOOD. This habit of utilizing everybody
has been exercised, if we may trust rumor,
on nearly every member Of the family.
William Vanderbilt is credited with having
/ been favored this way. One day his father
came TO him and suggested that he had
! better sell Hudson; 10 was too high.
4 Thank you, said the son.
Nevertheless, William conc .pded to look
about him first. The stock kept steady,
with ups and downs Of fractions OF one per
cent. By peculiar ways IL was discovered
that the elderVanderbiltw was buying quietly,
William determined to follow suit. Up
Jumped the stock to 1877 1t was clear 70
per cent in pocket.
Wher the operation was concluded, the
Commodore rode round to the sons office,
We'll, William, how much did you
lose?"
II went in at 10 on 10, 600 shares. That
ought to make me $500 600
,iVery bad luck, William quoth the
father, trying to look extremely troubled,
very bad luck this time
But then bought, and so made,
Hey ?" What sent you doing that, sir?'
HOh. | heard that was in your line, and
so concluded that you meant long instead
of short.
"Ahem (" croaked Vanderbilt pere, as he.
buttoned up lis fur overcoat, and stalked
out of the door He has always had hugh
opinion of William since that event.
Il il hard to put faith in the Staten Island
story. in view OF some uuquestloned facts.
That Vanderbilt should occasionally misload
hero and there member Of his patriarchal
household seems not ut all improbable, as
in such cases he can always make amends,
and the policy may be very naturally S1'
ana non in the succ IS of his schemes. Bul
there are not few examples OF his stead
fast an underwriting friendship toward men
who in some way happened to attract MN.
John Nj. Tobin belongs to this class, Tie
was a curbstone operator before 1862
rather uu4NNhN ~ ofNN"'"NNN
with only two or three thousand
dollars capital Taking the Commodore rs
a guiding star, he began to purchase h''v
Iily Immediately upon the first greent cs
issue. Stocks went up, He cleared $500,
900. Then he beg TO extend himself.
His myorite style was to bid seller 3 or sci,
Ter 30. His imitators followed IN the same
line. The bears grew dubious and covered.
II be changed his nina about the prosI eetS
of the stock, the rise thus effected by his
tactics enabled him 20 sell to advantage.
Hs foresaw the crash OF GA, and unloaded
the last Of March. Hehabitually "bulIied
stocks and CLEARED" gold. He shone IN
the Harlem corners, and cannot have
made much less than 60, 000, 900. In the
first corner he was cunning as o fox lie
wandered through Wall street looking pale
and thin and weary. His friends " bisper-
ed that he was broken down by anxiety on
account Of the immense amount OF the
stock he was carrying The street was de-
luded and sold short In faro, he is report
ed to have won $50, 600 of Morrissey in one
4 i H. ia L ,