The Grange advance. [volume] (Red Wing, Minn.) 1873-1877, 1877-02-28
Tales of My Grandfather.
Vanderbilt Fitv Years Ago.

Tales Of My Grandfather:
Vanderbilt Fly Years Ago.
From the N. Y. Times. I
My first acquaintance with Van
derbilt dated from about 1926. Steam
boating never was in my line, though
! had no objection to taking venture
in sailing craft 1t might bave been
in 1925 that Stephen Girard of Phil.
adelphia had IN cd brig for sale,
which some four of FIVE OF us bought.
She was of teak, and might have been
fifty years old when we purchased
her. We owned her for 90 years, then
sold her for more than we paid for
her, and remember to have followed
her up in the papers with a certain
amount of interest, and if my memory
serves me rightly, think l read she
came to grief some time in 1856, in
the China seas. We were in the habit
of sending the old brig to Madeira,
and she brought back wine on
ships account, and did quite well.
She was so slow that the wine acquir-
ed, generally ,age on the voyage. Some
of you may remember particular
pale Madeira. No you don't! Dear
me! am forgetting myself. If you
boys never had a chance at it, very GER
tainly your fathers punished it severe.
ly. In was remarkably sound wine,
and such as you can't buy to.'lay.
About from 81. so to So a gallon would
buy the choicest Madeira in those
times. Our best market was in Char
lesion and Savannah, and the con-
sumption was so large that we would
occasionally send part of a cargo
there direct, and bring back rice.
Southern planters in those days must
have bathed in Madeira
"But, grandfather, what about Com.
modore Vanderbilt
ooh! I am coming to it straight.
You all know that Vanderbilt ran
steamers from New York to Amboy.
One Spring morning, when there Was
something of a fog our brig was COM
ing in from Madeira. When just be-
yond Fort Hamilton one Of the steam
ers ran into the brig and precious
lot of damage was done to their vessel.
We brought suit against the boat, de-
positions were taken and we were pre-.
pared to go into court. l never was
itigious, and did not want to fight the
case, but was overruled by the other
owners. One day had to go to Phila.
delphia, and took the steam. boat route.
Just as we were passing the Kills,
saw an oyster boat in the way of the
steamer. was looking over the side
thinking that we would be pretty Ger.
tain to touch her, when heard 4 com.
motion near me. A rather spare thin
man, not over we'll dressed, but with
the eye of hawk, had with a run and
jump mounted to the upper deck, land
was in the pilots caoin. was able to
hear few hot words which passed be-
tween the man and the pilot. 1t ended
by the pilot being summarily turned
out of his position, land as the new COM
er took the wheel, and we just barely
shaved by the oyster. boat, [ noticed
that The pilot seemed in high dudgeon.
and was sullen and cross. When we
landed. the new man at the wheel left
the cabin, and walked leisureIy on the
wharf. We were to have taken the
stage coach to Brunswick, but it was
not quite ready. Presently the pilot
put off too, and evidently seeking a
quarrel, called the man some oppro
brious name. Quick as lightning the
hawk.eyed man turned and gave the
pilot, who was big, burly fellow, 4
blow between the eyes, which knocked
him fiat. The passengers made ring,
for good bout at 6sticuffs was not con.
sidered out of the order in our time.
But the Captain of the boat interfered
as did some of the agents of the line.
heard the hawk-eyed man say: Cap
tain, l hold you responsible for not in
forming me that this scoundrel here
was as often drunk as not. This time
last year this pilot ran into a brig and
it may take ST. 1000 to pay damages.
Discharge him. Now look sharp your
self or you will have to go, too. ]
won't have the safety OF boats and the
reputation of the line injured, or will
turn out every mothers son of you as
sure as my name is Vanderbilt Igive
it to you pretty much as Vanderbilt
said it, only there was much more
pith in it,
"Pith! what do you mean by pith,
grandfather - one of us asked.
"Well, I'm talking about things
which happened as much as fifty years
ago. In aftertimes, when the Com.
modore had attained rank and station,
he didn't indulge as often, perhaps, as
in his younger days, and was less given
to ripping it OUT
''IIe swore some then, grand
father!''
"Swore! Well, he was emphatic
quite 50. That evening we got safely
enough to Brunswick, where Wander