, 1876-12-08
characteristics of Vanderbilt.

When Vanderbilt was eighteen years
oId the treaty of peace was declared
? I'll England, and two British vessels
,"'ronobtth the news inside of Sandy Hook
ue I0aled his boat with cider, provis-
;Ins il fruit, etc, and set off to sell his
,o-ao TO the British crews, and he made
his cousin work so hard on this trip, to
nnticipate any other traders, that the
'consin declared on his return that he
IrouId sail no more with Vanderbilt
Vanderbilt built another boat in Jersey
CIV called the Dread, and became the
Sast sailor of his kind in the waters of
New York. He has great scar now, as
bo lies on his death bed, made by the
rnbbing of pole against his breast as
he pushed against tide to get his pas
songers into New York before anybody
oIse He was not an ocean sailor, and
tbe longest trip he ever made was to the
coast of North Carolina to get water
melons. But his knowledge of the many
crooked channels, called kills, around
New York, and of the depth of the
sounds and little bays, rendered him
very useful when steamboats, came to be
more generally introduced.
At New Brunswick his wife rented a
hotel which she called Bellona Hall, at
tbe steamboat landing, and set table
for passengers by stage or by steamer
across Jersey or to New York. She
was a good cook and superintendent,
and made more money than her hus-
band. and saved it. so that she finally
died about seven years ago, leaving a
nice sum of money to each Of her chill
dren, of whom she bore thirteen.
Vanderbilt was the model steamboat
captain of his time-cool, resolute, in
trepid, and generally silent. His broth
er Jacob, who is still living in moderate
circumstances, was his engineer. In
that hotel was born, May 8, 1921, the
eldest son of Cornelius and Sophia Van
derbilt, William, and 1 think several
other children.
The property of Vanderbilt has not
advanced only because he bought it,
but he improved it also. The closing
years of his life are almost illustrious by
the monumental work he has done on
the Central Railroad and the vigor he has
given its finances. He has built the
greatest depot in the new world, blasted
his way into the city underground, found
new outlet, bridged the Hudson, put
hard yellow pine ties under his rails and
laid four tracks, rebuilt his stations to
last one hundred years, fianked some
cities like Buffalo, run fast mail trains
with safety, entirely inclosed his track,
and made every hagman justice of the
peace, so that he is magisterial, and
rules nearly private State or zone from
New York to Buffalo. He has also made
its business what government ought to
be-simple, staple, efficient, lawful,
severe.
He respects his city pastor, but gives
him little or no inner religious conf
denee, regarding him as a professional
high priced priest. The old, old SER
mons Of country places flock in his mind
the surviving religion of this gilded
age. I'm on ignorant man" he said,
few weeks ago; 'this system OF the
ology or religion that has so many
branches and sacraments in it an old
fellow can't be expected to under
stand. l believe in great God and
good Christ; that's what I make out
oft"
l have omitted to speak of Wander.
bits power to read character, and that
greater power, having perceived it, to
put in in use He looked at q man as he
would at sailor to ship in a crew, and
took his whole dimensions and contents
II he quarreled with that man he never
FULLY forgave him, though sometimes
willing to do business again. He had
no general aspirations disconnected with
business, cared nothing for distin.
QQlGbHH rich rNao,D1o 1o,,k l.. -
no calls for public meetings, and hated
brokers'. Vanderbilts joys were in
crease, cup of tea, horse and horse
talk, and game of eucher or whist
WITH an afternoon nap. To his son vii
liam he said on his dying bed: evil
liam, want you to act through life OF
your own judgment. 1t is better to be
wrong than to go to others for counsel
Ii you make a mistake nobody viii
see 1t quicker than yourself. If yor
should be right others whom you con
SUIT Will make use of that knowledge
hely on yourself and keep your owI
counsel Trust nobody with your Owl
mind"
Vanderbilt hardly knew the Astorl
and never liked Mr.. Stewart The
statue OF him erected by Albert d.
Groot, the son of one of the old kins
men and captains, was voluntary on Dt
Hroots part, and the old man though
ne mad talent. Vanderbilt has twice
Deen seen oweep-when his first wife,
sister died who had nursed him after HI
was injured on the railroad, and whe1
MS mother was mentioned.
Old lady" said friend to the moth
Haven't you gotyou trunk packed
lor the North Star excursion?"
Ny son" said the old woman, g,
nave packed my trunk for longe