The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1875-10-28
MONEY WORSHIP.
The Money-Hings of New NOrk-TheIr
Fortunes and MisfOrtunes-Nanderb
and the. Skeleton in His ClOset-Ihe
Valuable Lessons Taught by Eaiiure'

|
| The 1Toney-Nings of New York-Thsir
| Fortunes and MisfOrtunes-Nanderb
| and the. skeleton in His ClOset-The
Valuable Lessons Taught by Failure
TFrom the Cincinnati Gazette.l
New YORK, October 13.-After q re-
view of our large estates, it is evident
that no one is growing rich so rapidly
as Commodore Vanderbilt. 1t Is
strange spectacle TO see the old railway
autocrat in his office debating policy to
! distant corporations, and bringing them
under tribute. The Office referred to IS
a plain edifice, formerly a second-rate
| dwelling-hOuse, whose parlors (wlth
| folding doOrs) are now in the Commo-
| dore's service. The front room con-
| tains his private secretary, while the
rear is occupied byrthe master. The
walls are covered with railway maps,
and the table is spread with apprOpri-
ate documents. Here from 10 till a
tall and bright-eyed old man of four
score sits in solitary calculation, and oc-
casionally issues orders to his clerk,
who attends to their execution. At this
| table he has done business for quarter
| of a century, and here he has made
| forty millions, at least. He was but a
beginner in railroads when he moved
| thither, having then sold out his ships
and devoted himself to land transporta-
ton. Orders from this Office have re-
Gently displaced the Pullman palace cars
! from the Michigan Central Road, Civ
| ing the preference to Wagner's cars, in
| which the Commodore is aleading own
er. This shows that the Michigan
| Central is the latest acquisition to the
grand estate, and perhaps the next
| thing will be the election of the Com
modore as President. The Commodore
would be happy, were there not a
skeleton in the closet" in the person
of that son who bears his own name
Cornelius has resisted all attempts made
for his reformation, and remains a per-
manent sorrow to his father. None of
our capitalists can conceal the skeleton
in the closet, which becomes more ap-
parent as they attract the public eye.
NOTES ON MONEY-wORSHIP.
The worship of wealth has been one
of the striking features of our race
throughout all ages, and it never was
more apparent than at present. The
names of our capitalists are in such fire.
uuent parlance as to show how they are
canonized as the true saints in the cal
endar. There is Saint Cornelius, and
Saint Alexander, and the holy family of
the Astors. | have sometimes thought
that it would be well if the inside life of
all these imaginary celestials could be
portrayed. We should then see pic
ture of social ulcer such as would make
one shudder. 1t would be well for our
clergy to handle this theme in bold
and transparent manner. Let them
show the truth of the poets words:
"Man's rich with little. were his judgment true,
Nature is frugal and her wants are few"
MIsFORTUNEs OF OUR RICH MEN.
During this half insane idolatry of
wealth it is well to refer, however, brief
ly to the real condition, as the poet says :
"Can wealth give happiness? Look round and
What gay distress, what splendid misery"
have lived long enough in this city
to be able to recall instances in which
money proved n terrible curse. l can
remember old John Jacob AstOr in his
latter years suffering intensely from the
fear of poverty. The care Of his i'm
mense estate, and the danger of ap-
preaching want, wrought a frame OF
mind which was distress akin to mad
ness. All his conversation was about
= his investments and the expenses OF liv-
ING, which were of a threatening ma
tme, and grew worse until the scene
, was closed by death. Another case was
that of old Nathaniel Prime, founder of
the house of Prime, Ward g. Co. He
retired to q country seat in possession
of much enyied wealth, but became SO
intensely miserable that he finished by
: cutting his throat. Another capitalist
: hanged himself because OF a loss of $500
He had sold a house, which the pur-
chaser reso1d at a profit of the above
mentioned amount, and the consequent
vexation drove him to suicide. Charles
: NJ. Leup, once one of the leading deal
ers of the Swamp, finished his career in
the same manner. He had spent many
: years in the accumulation of great
wealth, and when his desires had been
gratifed, it brought such wretchedness
that suicide appeared the best mode Of
relief. Van Ankcn, the butter mer
chant, after making a half million, cut
T his throat in Fifth Avenue palace. In
fact, there have been more suicides IN
Fifth Avenue, relative to its population
than among the population Of our tene
: ment houses.
WEALTH AND INSANITY.
; 1t is melancholy to observe how close
ly insanity tracks our successful bust
; ness men. Madness, indeed, is the
great avenger of those laws of healtl
which are broken by nearly all who
seek wealth. | have noticed long lis
of painful Illustrations of this truth
One of the most striking is that of the
late Thomas Andrews. He was wei
known as one of the most brilliant busi
ness men of his day, and the house
which he founded is still in successful
; operation. Iknew him when he started
trade without dollar. His energy anC
skill made up for lack Of capital, anI
the result was that before he was fort
he was estimated at half million. Thi:
grand success was only accomplished
by intense application TO business, anC
his mind sank under the tremendous
\ ClOIl- Ilc ulCu III blDplllllSuiIC Luna
! tic Asylum, aged forty-fve. | can ado
to this large number of similar case
q of startling character which show a
how great expense some men MAKE
a money.
FORTCNEs CHANGING.
: Another very striking feature in ou
e commercial grandees is the failure Q
f their ambition in palace-building. Th'
old saying ''that fools build houses anC
/ wise men live in them," is continual.
q verified in the history of our parvenl
/ gentry. Almost all the villas on TIT
banks of the Hudson are now for salea
: a vast sacrifice, and many sales have
!, been effected at an immense loss, re
: nlinding us of Pope's lines
d ''What brought Sir visto's in-got wealth t
: waste!
Some demon whispered 'Visto, have = taste
U Heaven visits with a taste the Healthv fool,
/; Who needs 10 rod but Ripley and a rule. "fA7
: Among the noticeable illustrations o
? this truth was the Townsend mansion