The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1874-05-19
Nanderbilt's Wealth.

tcence oil the Commodore himself has
admitted Of little else than mere coniec-
ture on this point There is general
opinion, however, among those who are
in n position to judge most correctly that
the wealth vested in Commodore Wander.
blt exceeds one hundred millions Of dol.
lars, and prominent member Of the
family recently said that the "old man.
was worth more than that sum. This
VI fortune was acquired by Cornelius
Vanderbilt through his own efforts, star.
ting early in life without capital or inAu.
cncc His parents were poor, and his
first money was earned in conveying
people to and fro in a row.boat between
New York and Staten Island, He made
Il large amount of money in steamboating,
but the great bulk of his wealth has been
acquired in railroad combinations and in
the manipulation of railroad stocks He
is and has been all his life very remark.
able man His sclf.relance and pluck
are as natural with him as drawing breath,
ana his will and purpose are indomitabe.
\ man Of such tremendous mental force
has he been that he has moved forward
to the accomplishment of his objects with
a power as irresistible as one of his steam.
boats. Ills one purpose in life has been
the acquisition Of money. To this end
he has trained his mental and physical
resources with the greatest care lie has
made Of himself machine that has al.
ways obeyed the requirements of his in.
tellect, and wherever he has struck it has
been with telling force and effect. lie
has had very few vices. lie has always
drank moderately and lived regularly
taking Just the requisite amount of exer.
else always Smoking and whist playing
are the only indulgences which he ha:
permitted himself TO any considerable
degree. Every day he is to be seer
driving on the road, with the stump Of 9
cigar between his teeth, and until within
a year past he has had every evening
some of his cronics in for a rubber q,
whist and to talk horse, subject of which
he never tires. l.atterly, however, hi
evenings have been passed very quietly
lie has always been strict man Of busi
ness, kept his own counsel, and admitted
or known no partners. He never allow
the plea OF affection or charity to intcrier,
with his business matters. He has beer
well, active, aud in the harness all hi
life, and has never tired or weakened
lie will be eighty years of age in May
and his sixty odd years of constant hare
work show that he has had one OF thu
strongest physical constitutions ever Civ
IN to a man. Some people look at hin
and say that he will never die, but it i
well known that the machine so admirabl,
built and which has lasted so long i
slowly but surely wearing out Ills men
tai faculties remain unimpaired, but hi
gait is less steady than it was, and he NJ
longer trusts himself with the duties h
used to perform. He frequently com
plains Of exhaustion, and when he drive
out it is 10 be noticed that he no longer
drives fast lie is getting ready to la.
his harness aside, aud has, doubtless
made full provision for the distribution Q
his colossal accumuations. For mum
Der Of years his son-iu-law, d. B. Aller
was his right-hand man, but Of late year
his son William H. has rcpresepted hin
IN carrying out the more active duties O
administrator. William H. is as assidu
Gus in his attention to work as his fathe
ever was, is scarcely, if ever seen in pub
lie, and can nearly always be foun
during business hours at his desk in tn
Grand Central Depot Cornelius Van
derhilt was born in May, 1874, at StaI
Teton, Staten Island, end his parents wer
also horn on Staten Island. Their parent
came over from Holland The house i
which he wa5 born is still standing, an
is owned by him. At the age Of ninetee
he married Sophia Johnson, his secon
cousin, who was then eighteen, Sh
. died five years ago last August She wa
as remarkable 4 woman as he was q MAJ
possessed great tirmness, very shrew
manager, strong principle, and it is sal
she carmel every dollar that she spen
, after her uarrage Thirteen children
all were tnsn 10 them, ninc girls an
four boys nf whom are now living eigi
daughter and lwo sons.