The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1877-01-13
Death ortommodore Vanderbilt,

dcncc in New ORR on Thursday morn
ing. Jan T. NJ about eleven O'Clock. lie
would have been eighiy-tlrcc years old
in May. His last illness began last win
ter. and he has been in bed ever since
last April Ills disease was inllamma-
ton of the bladder, accompanied by
cancer of the rcctum. For week he
had been growing weaker rapidly, and
moi even his iron will and constitution
could longer withstand the inroads of
disease. Since the settlement of the
differences of the rival freight lines, the
Commodore has not been able TO con-
verse on anything relating TO his busi-
ness affairs. and il is suspected that the
part he took in the settlement of the
railroad war was altogether too much
for him TO bear The recent terrible
disaster at Ashtabula, on the Lake Shore
Road. of which he was the principal
owner, was never made known to him,
and he died without suspecting such
calamity lie had struggled against his
! lingering disease for over half year,
and hi, courage and determination TO
| live were the wonder and admiration of
his ply sicians. For some days they had
hourly expected his death, and the day
previous thereto, he babe farewell to
many Of his friends. To the Rev. DR..
Deems. his spiritual adviser, the Com
modoIe said: ~ think am nearly gone,
doctor" The reverend doctor prayed,
and he members of the family who
were present sang II hymn, beginning,
'Show pity, Lord, O Lord, forgive
which had often before been sung at his
request. lie listened to it with emotion,
and seemed much rested by the singing,
Another of his fayoritc hymns was,
Nearer, my God, TO Thee" lie liked
great many of Moody and Sankey's
hymns.
The scene at the dcalhbcd was inn
prcssivc in the extreme. More than
score of his children, grandchildren and
dearest friends had gathered about his
bed. bringing with them their treasures
of love, sympathy and devotion. His
wife bent over him TO receive his last
look and his last uttcrance. Every eye
was moist and every heart was full.
The old Commodore died as even he
could have wished TO die. His aged
sister. two years older than himself. was
NOT present. being extremely i'll at her
home on Staten Island. She died on
the afternoon OF the next day
Commodore Nandcrbilt's funeral was
attended Sunday morning. from the
Church OF the Strangers III New orr
City, and his remains were buried i'll his
family lot i'll the old Momvian cemetery
i'm New York.
Cornelius Napderbill was porn on
Staten Island, May %. lI94, OF poor
parents. When boy he assisted his
father. well-to-do farmer, to run a s;ill
boat to the New York market. Ills OPP
portunitics for school education were
limited. In $50, Nandcrbilt, a BOY OF
sixteen, began his career as captain OF
sail-boai winch used to run from the
carrying passengers al eighteen cents
each. During the war OF ISL he sue
ceeded III saving about SooU ana III De-
of age, married Miss Sophia johnson,
cnts. 10 whom he had given during the
three ycar-, previous no les, than $1,000
4 year. About 1919 lie ana llie prolher-
in-law, Capt. DE Forrest, launched me
oharlo'le' coasllng Nessei' ',o'e ~. Ut ,ilc
llmr 10Y mouel anu sPeeu. In u,iis oes-
sci ne cnaS'fn along .he So'i',ieri' coastH
during the W!hWf season. IT. 'ar a. SCUM
Saroiiiih' bringing NeT! tohHi'ic,aple
IrcIgihr on me return 'o!hH", w !etH
NaiueIolit neSah ste"li,cv",iis VI
tween New nork ana fniaueiphia IN
cohlec'ioh WIN M El1ooiS' inI
commodore soon cAhiDlteo Wonueriui
'acl III 'hcir management Durlhe MS
colhfoiinh wan "iopohSi ME- a'I1cr-
phi had rhafsH o. me holcl Ut New
Drlh:Wl'h' where inc passengers passed
Inc hlsil. II iiau meyer previously laiu
expenses ana was gwen 10 Naliuernli'
rent lrec' hder MIS-. ahuerpii,
management II soon became prontaDie'
Vanderbilt spent twelve years OF ms lie
in Gibbons employment. In ls29, at
the age Of thlrIy-uye, he was worth
200, and determined to start Tor
himself. The first steamboat he ever
built was the Caroline, which finally
Went over the Niagara Falls, IN those
days the business OF steainboaiing Was
III the hands oi men OF wealth ana pow
eiinl companies. Vanderbilt, with COM
patdtlNely slender means, iopn4 II up
hill work; but, single-handed,. he sue
ccS~ihlly oyorSane all opposition, and
gradually made his way TO the control
Of the steamboat interest. In these pur-
suits Nj. Vanderbilt acquired an I'M
mcn-e fortune and the title OF "Commo-
dore, which has chung 10 liim ever
since,
In 1891, when gold was discovered In
California. The racine mai steamship
line and Panama railroad nonopolzlhs
the ira'Iir Vanderbilt obtained a char
ter from the government of Nicaragua,
aud established an opposition line, sus-
tanning il AT profit, although he re-
duced the fare from $500 to $500. lie
established an independent Inc between
New York and liavre. during the iaic
war IN lso2i he presented a steamer,
me ~ ahdrH'i!i, when cost S 9oo
ami was lib'n earning mn NZ,OuO per