The Lake Charles echo. [volume] (Lake Charles, Parish of Calcasieu, La.) 1876-1898, 1877-02-15
THE DEAD RAILROAD KING.

Though the death of Mr.. Vanderbilt
has been long looked for, it has been re-
ported so many times that it came at last
as something of surprise. He was
vigorous fighter, and beat whoever was
unfortunate enough to contend with him,
and his wrestle with the last great enemy
was long one, and it almost seemed for
time that death would be thrown.
Mr.. Vanderbilt was one of the strongest
men in this community, and his remark
able success was due quite as much to
the original vigor of his nature as to the
wisdom of its direction and the excep-
tional circumstances of the time in
which he lived. For sheer, downright
force of nature he had few equals and no
guperiors among his contemporaries. He
was one Of the Carlylean heroes in his
,way-one of those aboriginal facts that
cannot be disposed of. In the circle in
which he moved for the last twenty
wears he was the event. He made no
secret of his methods, claimed no genius,
pretended to no exceptional qualities,
and never had his head turned by craze
of any sort he simply kept his strong
hand on the long end of the lever, and
every advantage he gained was used to
give him a better purchase. He worked
for one end, and gained it by system
attic and energetic concentration of him
self upon it. 1t was Napoleonism in bu-
siness-the whole force thrown irresisti-
bly, on one point. His rivals yielded.
He has pIoughed his name into the rail
roadway system of this country
in furrow which cannot ..be
levelled. He belongs to the system, and
it's evils and benefits, its defects and
merits, are due to some extent to his
mind. He found the community anx-
ious for means of communication and
unprotected against monopoly: he fur
pishod the railways and took possession'of
the open field and held it for his own
profit against all competitors. His vast
power and property were the legitimate
results of the old democratic notion that
everybody should be allowed to do any
thing short of direct robbery or murder
without let or hindrance from the gov
eminent, and if he ran his railways and
steamers directly into his own pockets,
without regard to the interests of any
body save as those interests furthered his
own. it was because the community gave
him the right to do so and encouraged
him in the doing. 1t was the individual
on the make. He was the natural OFT
spring of the old theory, and nobody has
riqht to complain. He managed his
property we'll; so well that its accumu'
IatioD made no disturbance, and his death
produced scarcely a ripple on the street
He set an example of sobriety, steadl
ness, and industry, and his cool, clear
level head at eighty showed to the fever
ish and fast young men Of the time the
way power was gained and kept. He
made few gifts, considering his vast
means; his sympathies were not aftiuent
though he had freaks of generosity. HI
must be Judged as a whole by the high
of the time he lived in and the methods
by which his business was done. Blu
whatever the final verdict may be NJ
will be remembered as great persona
force in the business, and especially il
the railway development, of the coun
try.-Graphic.