Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1873-11-11
Vanderbilt Z.

T, the Editor Of The Journal;
Among the notable men who have been re-
ported to have been brought to the ground by
the present financial storm, perhaps none is
better known than cold Vanderbilt" as he is
Familiarity called. Having been longer on the
stage of action than almost any other promi-
nent Spectator, starting in life a poor boy,
and fighting his way up to prncely fortune,
giving to the public the advantage ofhis form
liable competition in monopolies Of travel, all
combined to make him popular among the
masses. But from all accounts we gather
that he has fallen victim to the almost inev-
liable blight and rust of riches. 1t is related
of him that just be fore the beginning of the
present panic, in his eagerness TO secure the
control and the Presidency of the Western
Union Telegraph Co, he gave his brokers a
verbal order TO buy for him ten thousand
shares of stock in that company st ninety
the current market price at that time. Before
the stock had been delivered to him, however,
the storm broke upon the financial world, and
he abandoned the brokers to bankruptcy and
ruin, refusing to take the stock, AMI leaving
it to depreciate on their hands. All this may
be false, but it is in accord with many instan-
ces of like nature A prominent young
engineer of the west, who has constructed
some of the most wonderful bridges in the
country, recentlysinvented a cutoff for steam
engines, which he patented and prepared to
place on the market. 1t was of such manifest
value and so great an improvement over any
thing else in use, that the lines of steamers
in which Vanderbilt is interested Immediately
adopted It. The patentee came on to New
York, and after long waiting, succeeded in
obtaining an interview. The Commodore
turned hastily as he entered, and with slight
Impotence of manner said: well sir, what
do YOU want of me?" The man of science
explained the occasion Of his visit, saying that
his patent cutoff had been appropriated, and
was being used on the Commodores boats and
he desired to make some arrangement for it
with him. 81 never pay for patents" imper-
iously exclaimed the mighty capitalist. The
young man modestly suggested that he had
no alternative but to appea! to the courts, to
which Vanderbilt replied, ''well, all right,
have young attorney who is at present idle
and would like him to have lawsuit to
fight, you can begin yonr suit whenever you
like" The paentee withdrew, and says he
dares not undertake suit, for the Commodore
has got spare lawyers and owns the courts, SO
he must be content to have his invention, the
result of scientific research, appropriated,
stolen, because Vanderbilt is stronger than he.
We do not vouch for this story, but give it as
it was told to us. 1t illustrates our belief that
the undertaking, blind pursuit of worldly
wealth, blights the heart, and blunts all moral
sensibility, transforming man Of noble pur-
pose and warm generous impulses, to des-
potic tyrant, unscrupulous and uurelenting,
who knows no friendships, who concentrates
all forces on elf-aggrandizement, and the
spring of whose action is the old time fallacy
''might is right"