The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1874-11-18

side Of the water who has not beard
Of Vanderbilt the railroad king!-
Would you know something Q Of
him? Well, the old gentleman Is nov
eighty-two years OF age and is as
strong and vigorous as be ever was,
or. at least, be does as much work as
he ever did. He has oHtlised all bis
contemporaries. The great bulk OF
his enormous fortune be has made
within the last len years. Wh-n he
bought Harlem stock it was down
worth hothing--he made it valuable.
To make il more valuable be got con-
troll of its only rival. the Hudson
River. and to make that just as pro-
ftable as il could be be gobbled the
Central. And then to give the Cen
trail a proper Western outlet he took
in the Lake Shore and Michigan
Southern. Having a direct line to
Chicago, the Commodore adopted
enc idea, viz: that the only points to
be considered were New York and
Chicago, and who ever interfered
with this notion was remorselessly
killed. Erastus Corning made .
fight for Albany, aud be went under.
Dean Richmond made q light for
Buffalo, and be was swamped. And
what is true Of Richmond and Corn
ing is true Of everybody who has
come in his way.
In the course of nature be cannot
rong hold out, add it is some interest
to know of the people who are to
inherit bis vast estate and vast pow
er. He has bad thirteen children.
The oldest is the wife Of J. NJ. Cross,
Esq, of this city the next is the
wife Of y. B. Allen; Ethelinde Eliza
married a broker, Osgood, and Emf
.ly is the wife Of ". K. Thorne,
Next after the four girls came a boy,
who was named William, Billy"
as be is familia.ly known, is his faith
er's lieutenant in the railroad world,
and has very great ability-in fact,
it is said be is stronger and quite as
hard as bis father. Then come the
daughters, and another boy, Corne-
Illus The latter is a widower, and a
man of little account. He is q spend
thrift, and so utterly unlike his faith
er that the old man refuses to pay
his debts, or, for that matter, have
anything to dc with him. 1t will be
remembered that the late Horace
Greeley lent this Vanderbilt a large
sum. which the father refused to pay.
Francis and George, who followed
Cornelius, died young.
William is looked upon as his faith
er's successor-indeed, it is said that
the great king of tie rail has made
his will, leaving him bis entire estate,
specifying particularly however, how
it is to be used, He desires that the
supremacy in transportation, which
he has held so many years, shall re-
main in the family, and that it shall
90 on and accumulate, as such in-
~terests always do if t~ey are con-
troIled by q hand strong enough to
keep them together.
The people have different hopes,
and it is well that time is always on
their side. The power welded by
Cornelius Vanderbilt is too great to
be safely entrusted to any one man.
He holds the keys to the transporta-
ton facilities Of the country. He
has the screws in his hands, and q
single turn costs the farmers of the
West and the merchants Of the East
millions. he has it in his power TO
make or ruin cities, and who can say
what injustice, caprice or interest
may do? He is too strong to be
fought, and so the whole country
has got down on its knees before this
gray-haired old man and worships
him. 1t is not the first time the peo-
pie have bowed before a golden calf
Let us hope that when he dies,
William, the son, win be content to
give up this great power and let It
divide itself naturally.
BUSINESS
is thin enough, Though it is improy-
ing slowly. There is enough show
ing itself to save the year from dry
rot, and that is about all. The West
does not come up asst ought. What
is the matter2 The Democracy say
that it will improve now that the
elections have given a prospect OF
Democratic supremacy, VIII 1t? We
fshtll see. se8 ssff
5 fa THE WEATHER
is more like June than November. 1t
is warm, and oh, how dry. There