Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1873-02-14
Character, Of Credit nobuler Hl,,or,


DR.. Thomas c. Durant is q tall. gray
haired man with goatiSh face. lie was
born in Western Massachusetts. and studied
medicine. but was too restless TO practice,
and took 10 speculation. lie Is a stock
operator chiefly, with alternation, of work
A. contractor lie built q large portion Of
the Nlis-iSsippiand Missouri railroad. which
Is. | believe. an extension of one of the
Chicago lines. Henry ;. McComb was
making car wheels at Wilmington.
Delaware, when Durant took this contract,
about seventeen years ago. and NcCOmb
furnished Dunnt with stock and equip
ments. Durant may be called the parent Of
the present Pacific railroad. lie took up
the idea many years ago, and leotured.
wrote and l0bhiei upon it extensively. His
gifts are very considerable, and he has many
of the qualities of genius. Although Of Il
restless nature. and consumed by his pro-
pensitie>. he has a luminous mind, an
unusual yigor of expression and clearneSS of
thought. His magnetic powcrsare notable,
and he generally made convert TO his
design of everybody whom he met.
McComb has none of the qualities of Du-
rant; he is a conservative SpeculatOr. with
a very level head. and many times, during
the construction Of the Union Pacific road,
he led Durant a n capitalist and aS the
leading spirit in the construction. Durant,
it Is alleged, has squandered millions of
money, and he Is now worth less than one
million, whereas, Il few years ago, he was
worth not less than SIX million of dollars.
Ii was Durant who despatched George
Francis Train, with whose family he Sus-
tains certain relations, to the Pennsylvania
Legislature To get Il charter, under which a
contracting company could operate. Train
had been in Europe much of the time and
had picked up two Of the pet phrases at the
French BourSe, yiz,-Credit MObiller and
Credit Foncier The Mobilier charter was
employed to eovei the operations of the con-
structi0n company, while the Credit Foncier
operated in some way in Omaha town lots.
Durant made for Train very considerable
sum OF money, and made for Mrs. Train, in
one operation, $50 200.
Durant, after being occupied with his
speculations for about twelve wears, con-
cluded, once on a time, to pay a visit TO his
family. who were in Europe, and he left the
country for Just fifty-seyen days In that
interval the Boston interest revolutionized
the Union Pacific railroad and the Credit
MObilier, and James Brooks, VINO had been
generously treated by Durant and helped to
all his interest in the company. forgot his
friend and joined the new coalition.
Durant spit, once on time, in the face
of John i. Alley, and threatened to pull
his ears off his head. IN hour or 50 after
ward, Durant, in one Of his impulsive
moods, said. Boys, am going to take
you out in my yacht. | wonder if old
Alley would 60 if | gave him an invita-
tion?'' He did invite Alley, and that meek
creature wiped the spit off his face, smiled
pecuniary smile, pocketed the late affront,
and, although the poSsessor of millions,
went out in the yacht with the man who
despitefully used him. = George Alfred
IOwHsend.