The New York herald., 1877-01-05


was the owner OF superior boat, one much
better than any that owned by his
neigdbors and as. he had more room in IL
than he required for the transportation of his
produce to the city he afforded advantages for pay 10
those OF his fellow farmers who needed ferry Young
Cornelius became part Of this boat which went over
TO New York every morning with the tide and returned
with the tide every night SO profitable did the old
man ind the carrying of vegetables and fish that when
he had none OF his 10 take TO the city he regularly
meanwhile did give up her share in the business
Of sailing, and young Cornelius Always found eil
cent In trimming sail or IN handling an oar.
HIS FIRST vEssEI..
Cornelius had the ambition to possess boat OF his
own On the LIST OF May, 1870 he being then IN his
sixteenth year, he went 10 his mother and asked her
Tor SlO0, large SUN In those times. TO buy himself q
boat The prudent old lady would not give him the
money but insisted that he should do something TO
ION the 27th Of this month";" said the mother. 'is
your birthday. II BY that time you have ploughed
narrowed anu plan cd that eld with corn pointing TO
tract Of eight acres, rough stumpy and stohyh III
give you the money"
mo boat.'' said she, ''if you don't DO IT,"
All right, said the boy; ~ understand; and I'm
gong to do Il. I'D
Alterward, when the Commodore was speaking Of
this conversation he -" Mother thought she had
the best OF me on that eign-acre lot, but got some
done, too for mother wouldn't allow any hall way OF
doing IT. On my birthday claimed my money. got IT.
hurried on, bought boat, hoistcd sail anu was tho
happiest boy In the world.
SAILS IT HoME.
But even thcn his prudent mother tried to dissuade
him from his object, and his father vigorously pro-
tested The boy, however, had performed the condi.
tons by stroke oil enterprise in getting his youthful
companions TO ard him, and the boat he had. Ho
bought II at Port Richmond and sailed home 1t was
smaller swfter boat than any that WAS running
between the island and New York and he now knew
that he was without rival AS the elder Vandcrbt
had been the first regular erryman to Staten Island,
so the younger became the best. The boats from
and TO the parts whence and when IN cy run to
tnis The place where the staten Island
boats start from New York. near the Battery was then
beach.
Vanderbilt was the captain or his own boat at the
age OF sixteen With great enterprise he succeeded in
running his father and mother out OF the ferry bpsi.
ness IN about SIX months time His youthful lace did
not always attract those who had freight carry any
to risk a single trip their lives the rough waters
OF the harbor. One thing helped him; be always
at his post. Neither wind nor weather prevented his
boat from being ut her regular landing place at the
tine when she was expected 10 be there. Vanderbilt
could carry twenty passengers at time rapidly
than any other man could carry them
FREIGHrs.
In order that his freight business might not inter.
fere with the regularity OF his trips tor the
modation OF passengers he frequently worked all the
night long. He obtained plenty Of business The
government was at that time building tortihcations
plies for the and materials for the work. Young
Vanderbilt sought the labor of transportation, aud
obtaining 1t, did It well and made much money. He
repaid his mother the 800 which she had gwen
him to buy his boat
EARNINGS.
Besides this no gave all his savings TO his parents as
the custom was IN those days Tor boys under age do
Yet he permitted half OF his earnings ut
night so that every summer ior three years he saved
lor himself 81 ,O00 1t should be known that with
forty boatmen competing with him IN the harbor, and
every one OF them grown and sturdy man, the boy
must have had 10 do deal oil energetic work. not only
In obtaining out also In performing contracts.
AS A BoATMAN
But he was no common boaman He had no vices
lie was always seen TO be doing his work, in clear
weather and in ioul, scrupuousy aud promptly. THIS
boy WAS never behind time. He always had money in
hand, because he did not spend as much as hc made
rs other boatmen did. His parents through 6,s in.
drstry, were placed in good ,tancrs. When he
was nineteen years old they remted the OF SER
him 10 achieve success ior himself His mother was
the cause Of this doing, and he honored her last
saying that he owed everything TO her She lived TO
be eightyhve years old.
INVESTMENTS
Cornelius Vanderbilt was always money making
man. From his savings he invested other salboa,s
than his own Moreover, he was a lucky man sue
ceedng where other men failed The gave way for
h m; the wind never capsizcd him. But much OF his
luck belonged to his indomitabe spirit OF en-.
tcrprsc At one timc during the war OF 1872
though the date was In September, 1S13-tho
British fleet was cndeavoring TO penetrate the
hirbor OF New York during severe southeast storm
and II was rcpuscd at Sandy Hook. Alter the tight
the garrison OF Fort Richmond, which had served in
the contest on the American SIDE, returned to
quarters: but II was necessary tLat some OF the
officers should 10 New York to report upon the &C.
currence and obtain requision Tor in
expectation OF renewal OF the attack when tho storm
abatcd. But the storm at It's fearful height
There but boatman who would or could brave
that great tempest "Corneilc' sought ana found
and whom he asked whether he could take the OH.
GERS up to the city he promptly replied, eyes; but
shall have TO carry them under part the way
lie did take them, and he landed them soaking wet
But he landed them.
PLENTY OF WORK.
This little adventure, though IL was not without ts
great consequences IN securing TO the
garrison at Fort Richmond. led TO much work for
''Cornee, the boatnan." During the War 0, 1872 he
transported the sick and uroughcd soldiers from the
forts the city He found aso much 10 do with his
clean carrying pleasure seekers TO the for
thcatons In addition 10 these advantages ned
that when the three months militia was called out for
the defence OF the city and harbor he one who
received the contract for carrying prov s0ns tho
fort But, after all II not luck aided him. The
commanding generals had invited bids from tho boat
men, under me condition that the man who took tho
contract should be exempt from military duty aud from
liability TO the DRAFT In consequence OF this provision
all tho boamcn IN tho harbor bid for tho contract
on ridicuousy low terms. ''C0rnce'' did not bid at
ALL His father urged him to make "a bid, but the
young man replied that there was no use OF bidding
upon work that would, at that ratio OF competition
be done AT half price. To please his father he dd al
the last hour put In his bid a price which would
yield him tar pront he contract, the utter sur
he the Office OF the Comm ,ssary General wait
ing to sign the papers he asked tho commander why
the award was granted to himY
"Becausc," saId the General, 1--WE want tho work
done, and we know you will do it,"
He asked, In his own favor that tho stores that ho
was TO carry should be ready at SIX o'clock in the
evening Young Vanderbilt did all his carrying st
night iai,hiu Iy supplying Fort Richmond Bed ioes
lsand Governors Island, He'll Gate, Wards Island and
Harlem He slept when he gould find time for sleep.
and when he did not find time ne did not sleep. Hc
might always be found N the daytime with his boat At
the regular place. He never obsequioua
INDEPENDENT Az HONEST.
From tho very beginning he was independent His
rights were his rights. During the war he was ono
day sailing his boat with load OF soldiers on b.
IRON one OF tho forts at tho Narrows toward New York
city, when, near Quarantine, he was hailed by tho
oniccr oil boat which was approaching from the
Staten Island shore. The belon cd In nno
OF the lerrymcn. AS the boats came alongside
OF cash other the oIlccr jumped board Vanderbilt
boat and ordered the soldiers ashore tor inspection
Vanderbilt refused ~ permit tho soldiers leave hs
boat Tho officer, stung rage, drew his swo ora upon
the young boatman; but In moment Vanderbilt
knocked MIN down. 1t Is unnecessary TO say that
without further molcstation Vanderbilt landed his SOL
diers al the Whitehall dock.
MARRIED
Cornelius Vanderbilt was just out of his time of SER
vice to his parentshc was nineteen years oid--wheu
he married Miss Sophia johnson, OF Port Richmond,
staten Island.
BOATS.
Worry soon after young Vanderbilt became the owner