The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1877-01-05
Cornelius Vanderbilt.


New York, yesterday, at the age of 50 years.
The announcement will take no one by sur
prise. For months he has fingered at the
threshold of eternity, battling with the fell de-
stroyer Day after day his fellow mortals have
watched the unequal contest, and wondered at
the sturdy vigor which repealed each fresh as
sault of his remorseless foe. At last the strug-
gle is over and Death has won the victory.
Cornelius Vanderbilt was born on Staten Is.
land May q, 1894. His father was farmer,
in humble circumstances, and eked out sub
sistence which his land would not give him by
ferryng passengers across from New York to
the Island. Co-neliusl assisted his father in
this business, and thus developed the taste for
navigation, which was the foundation of his
colossal fortune. When boy he was bold and
daring, traits which characterized his after life
and to which his remarkable success is largely
attributable. When sixteen years of age he
became the owner of small boat, and by the
time he was eighteen years of age he was the
part owner and captain of the largest periang-
ers in the harbor. During the war of 1912 he
rendered efficient service in supplying the forts
in and about New York with supplies, and he
enjoyed the reputation of never having seen
night too dark or storm so threatening that
he would refuse to perform service.
AT the age of twenty-three he entered the
service of Thomas Gibbons, the proprietor of a
line of steamers running between New York
and Philadelphia, where he evinced skill in
management which won for him wealth and
reputation. He then turned his attention to
the building of steamboats, on the Hudson, and
when the California fever broke out seized the
opportunity and established a line of steamers.
1t was his intention to build ship canal by the
San Juan river and Lake Nicaragua, which he
abandoned after personal inspection of the
route. His line of steamers, though far from
what they ought to have been, were freely used,
and he sold out his entire interest in 1858 to the
Transit Company. His memorable trip to Eu.
rope in his steam yacht North Star made his
name familiar abroad, and upon his return he
established an independent line of steamers be-
tween New York and Havre, and the exciting
race between the Vanderbilt and the other
steamers will be remembered as the Vanderbilt
distanced all her competitors. He subsequently
gave the steamer, after fitting her up, to the
United States government. She was valued at a
million of dollars. A resolution of thanks was
passed by Congress and approved by the Presi-
dent and a gold medal presented to Mr.. Van
derblt to commemorate the gift All of these
enterprises brought him wealth and honor.
During his steamship career he was the own
er of 81 steamships, II of which he built, and
his fleet numbered &C.
In 1914 Mr.. Vanderbilt became interested in
the New York & New Haven railroad, and in
1916 he became interested in the Harlem rail-
road, and in 1864 he held the whole of it. He
secured controlling interest in the Hudson
River and New York Central railroads and
consolidated the two, and since 1873 the Lake
Shore and Michigan Southern have been oper-
ated in connection with the New York Central
and Hudson River roads, making continuous
route Of 97S miles, and with the Harlem road
and side tracks the total length controlled
by him was 2128 miles in extent, with CAPT.
tai of $149,OOO,OOO Since 1868 he has been al
most wholly devoted to railroad pursuits and
they have proved as profitable as his steamboat
ventures.
He was twice married. in 1913 to Miss Sophia
johnson, with whom he lived for 50 years and
by whom he had thirteen children. The one
best known is William e., who inherits many
of his fathers characteristics and has latterly
acted as his father lieutenant in his railroad af
| fairs. His second wife whom be married in
| 1869 was Miss Frank A Crawford of Mobile.
Mr.. Vanderbilts wealth is yariously estimat-
ed from fifty to eighty millions of dollars. In
| 1864 his accumulations were $49000,000. The
Vanderbilt University, located at Nashville,
| Tenn, was established in 1872 by the Met no.
dists, and in 1873 Mr.. Vanderbilt gave to the
enterprise half a million of dollars, and he has
since increased the amount to $70O000 three
hundred thousand dollars of which is to remain
as an endowment fund.
MI. Vanderbilt, both in mind and body, was
a remarkable man. Previous to his last sick
ness his form was as erect and his step as elas-
| tic as that of young man at 80. Age had
brought none of that decrepitude which usually
| follows in its train. His mind, too, was as
| acute as ever. There was that same boldness
of conception and promptness of execution
which marked his early career and which was
| specimen of sound mind in a sound body
His brain was quick to conceive and his hand
| to execute He loved money not so much for
its own sake as for the means it gave him to
crafty his ambition to create and control great
| enterprises. At an age when most men rest
| from their labors his mind was busy with new
| projects. His benevolence was considerable
| and generally unostentatous. He loved fast
horse and enjoyed the excitement of the turf,
but for the most part was little tempted by
those vices which follow in the train of wealth