New-York tribune., 1876-08-10
COMMODORE VANDERBILT.
c,,,,urR LIEF AT SARATOGA.
,,rer,ARITY IN DIET AND HABIrs-FoNDNEsS FOR
WHIST AND FOR DRIVING

SARATOGA STRINGS, Aug. 8.-RecOllechons OF
Commodore Wander bits frequent and long visits to the
Springs are cherished by the villagers and that wealthy
circle OF guests whom many years he led In Whist
md oojnt euchre and that his life Is supposed 10 pe
near its close are recalled with feelings OF mhgeu saw
moss and Measure Most of his companions at the rouhd
table have preceded him. Only few ike ConhoGo'e
Garrison Chester W Chaplin, AzaT1ah Body, ana Nh'a"
Tnrubull and younger men like Joseph HarRe"' "tom
he had 10 educate up 20 his standard OF SKILL sui IE
main Whist and ponteucbre playing was sneh Ie"t
ure Of vanderbilrs life that it became almost o"S
ness rather than wasteful habit. The -paslnc pc
euliarly suited his quiet cool dencahor ar" h"o' "
mind He came 10 Saratoga after 10 nohths oI seFuo
labor TO repair wasted energies and geneia h''"'N
Whist he said kept him cleaI-headcd ana congress
water did tie rest Few men thought more ot he s'h'
tary value OF the Springs. He attributed to the great
henent in his own case and when he could not dfihh ~
the SPRING he kept of Congress water IN MS co
Commodore Vanderb.lrs annual visits TO inc springs
beran about the year 1910. The old United states .V
stood then on the site OF the present and James H.
Marvin then the CHIEF proprietor serNcu 'no
Commodore as host so well that iiie rlehuSoF gre"
nm betwecn Them Or late years the Commodore h'u Il
large and personal interest in the fortunes OF inc ho
His habits were regular IN everything About INc o. VI
July IL was safe to say Look out for Commodore VAN
derb any day =" and he did not appear on the Sih re
eoud be depended on for the 10th He usually rc"pc"
,u tbc first week in September. With him came uSul'y
n, wife mir of coach horses, ard his faVorlte ic"u
.ters including Mountain Boy I:iS ddly Fou'u' wac
almost undertaking. He usually rose al ''oo o'lo,'
and always by O'clock Congress water s""" us
palate and digestion, but Of late he has eNii''u o'
ness for the Hamilton Spring on account OF IL nun 'f
-,ios Uc almost shared the doctrine of the OLD ady
,vbo belevod that fish straight To the BRAIN lie
could feel he sald tic influence of thc IRON OF 'e Ham
nto eprng in his blood Then he was ready TOT oicaN
fast al about $50 o'clock He ate sometimes heaI'l!'
Int never abused his appetite and adhered closely TO Ms
direct
~ tho VIII te of an egg aud when once asked MS reason
for nlcu out the yOk and discarng the rest repncu
that The white contained nuriineu ana hc dlu sec
why IL should be used 10 lumber up the stomach. lie
,ros onnoscd To mixture of food and while fond OK va
,ioes of aesh and fowl could not be induced rs ~ cA
,cssea II 70 "makc meuacerie Of the stomach After
leakfast he was on the piazza smoke and for quiet
chat which usually dlited into suggestion tHat was
time "to resume" The whist party would Sit as RUE
til the dinner hour After dinner there was always
another cigar two, more chat and drive II lie had
his own team he five miles ont, and knew
their speed and endurance He frequently drove TO the
lake but respected all points of the compass After tea
which he seldom delayed after o'clock and never ate
even cracker between meals, life was something OF
burden till the whist game was called which was pur-
sucd in dead earnest and without much fear OF Interrupt
tion u IL o'clock the Commodore retiring always be-
fore midnight.
Alout lsA5 Mr. Marvin ont of respect for the needs Of
the Vanderbilt close corporation card party built the
clubhouse OF the old hotel where nov stands the United
States Kitchen fronting the railway depot 1t HAD bal
copy aud in the second story was the whistrOoIh Inc
hest whist in the country was played there, and Nh.
Phillips of Phil ilidelpha, or as he was called, Fhil
Phillips wrote out the rules of the room. Many dstln
sshed men OF old were requenters OF the place. among
whom can he mentioned Cen John L. Wool Of Mexican
fame. Revcrdy Johnson Of Baltimore Judge Wayne OF
Georgia john Delapaincs, George McNlHie oi MlN6ls
.inpi Gov Aiken and Mr. sanborn Of South Carolina,
Of uiq (,cN all Of
Florida Tarrant Putnam, John Fitch Reuben Witheis
Cm,vernepr Kemble Aaron Ward, John p. Kennedy of
Baltimore and Josiah Randall OF Philadelphia. Tie
stake was usually limited and penalty was finally in
posed in point cuchro games to keep the Commodore
from flbustering poor hands in order to get the
benefit OF large pool when was his next deal Whether
he won or lost the Commodore maintained the coolest
manner and nothing but the eareessness OF partner
could bring him angry words He never appeared to
care much the money WHICH success brought but he
liked 10 excel at cards and always played to wn whether
it was gambling ut whist or in Ws stock operation
VIM H. Vanderbilt had reached years OF discretion Dor
delng on As or 90 before the Commodore was pleased tc
have profit by the paerna example in card matters
especially at the Saratoga circle but of late years he has
frequently been seen N the table with his father
The Commodore could not brook being interrupted by
business affairs while az Saratoga, and let many things
fake care Of themselves If ne at whist and received
an mportant message by telegraph he would put it III
his pocket read when it convenient, aud perhaps
not answer all When Robert L. Schuyler rah away
owing TO his fnancislcmbarrassmcnts, and the Com
,nodore was creditor TO a vast amount, gentleman
rushed into the clubhouse white as sheet and broke the
news brcathlesly TO the Commodore who was at cards
He PLAYED right without saying anything or showing
auy excitement, finally remarking that Schuyler was
good fellow, and could have had million dollars II II
would have saved him. One day gentleman called on
the Commodore and iusistcd on an interview The Com
modore never refused to people but was not slow to
hint that they might their business did not interest
him In this young lady acquaintance was In the
parlor and the Commodore informed the gentleman in
answer to his request for privacy That there cOud DC
nothing said between them that any person might rot
hear The interview was short, and the young iay IN
Cuircd Now Commodore, what did you fb 70 the gen
,eman for you that preach So much about truthful
tcss and honesty z" He had eyadcd the exact truth 10
febuke an mpernent question: which was ncnc OF the
eertlcDans business. "Wel," said the Commodore,
when nan you question that hc has no business
20 ask ana hc knows IT, you are not always bound to ten
him the truth II lie will do no particular harm"
TIE Commodore is much of &" a ladies man" He has
seemed to grow goodooking and refined in feature rs he
has advanced in years thoughtful and vigorous men
always do II is not remembered here that be ever took
any interest in the bathrooms but in the parlors he was
frequently the center OF company OF ladies' with 4
smile on his features, and doing little more than his
share Of the conversation. Among gentlemen lie Is not
very talkatve and does not about the money
making part Of his lie loves rather TO narrde his
boyhood adventures and talk Of the time when life was
struggle.
In 500 the old United states Hotel was burned, and
Vanderbilt the next year stayed at Congress Hail. where
lie was annually guest till 1870. At Congress Hall
whist was much played, and from that time for
ward the Saratoga game point cuclrc. He was in
Yaratoga when the of the serious Illness Of his
first wife She was woman of good business faculties
aud one who knew her that her skill IN keeping ho-
TEL whereby amassed $3O0 600 was part of the ca
.t.saf t1tf,