The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1877-01-19
VANDERBILT.
His Personal Habits and Peculiar ities-Ex-
tent of His Railway Operations.

VANDERBILT.
His Personal Habits and ies-Ex-
tent of His Railway Operations.
lCor. Chicago Tribune.l
HIS FoNDNEss FOR CARDS.
Commodore Vanderbilt never per-
mitted his feelings to get the better of
his opinions or his Judgment. No man
was less governed by his feelings in his
stock or pecuniary operations. He al
ways said that man was fool to allow
himself to fight, or to quarrel, or to call
names, and that no business man ever
did this. He was always very fond OF
cards, whist and "point euchre." He
never played poker or gambled at the
faro table. asked him once as to the
largest amount of money he ever made
at whist, and he said that when the
Southern men were in their glory he won
$40, 600 i'll one day. He was a member
of the old Racket Club years ago when it
was down next to the Metropolitan
Hotel-twenty-fve or thirty years ago.
For many years he was member of the
Union Club, and was once guilty of an
indiscretion in language at the table in
the club. house, and was threatened with
suspension. He did not go there FOR a
very long time after that, but later he
resumed his visits. In the years from
1865 to 1870 he was regular attendant
at the Manhattan Club. He was good
whist player, though not first. class
one. He was Lot very apt to indulge in
recriminetion ut game. No special
persons formed his whist party. In those
days there were many whist-players-
Work, Banker, Dean Richmond, Farmer
Abel, August Belmont and A. w. Clas
son. He did not go to any club after
1872, / believe. He changed his habits
materially after his second marriage, and
didn't go out much in the evening.
HIS POWER.
He carried his point many times by
the sheer weight of his indomitable will
and money power. A committee of the
Legislature once asked him why he did
not appeal to the power of the law, and
his answer was, Z" L have got the power. )"
HIS STOCK OPERATIONS.
If he made money by the rise and fall
of stocks it was only incidentally and as
he saw safe opportunity. His attention
was devoted to the management OF his
railroads. He distinctly differenced
himself from such men as Daniel Drew
and Jay Gould, and never lost an oppor-
tunity to condemn Wall street specula-
tons. "But you buy and sell stock on
the street, do you not, Mr.. Vanderbilt 2"
said the writer to him on one occasion.
eyes," was the reply, "but l pay for
what 1 buy, and only sell what 1 have
got, and these fellows the speculators)
don't"
HIS OWNERSHIP OF RAILROAD STOCKS.
The Commodore, according to esti-
mate, owned stock in the following
roads
New Haven and Hartford. ...............S 100000
New York and New Haven. ........ 500 900
Central hudson OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. 30OOO,UoO
Lake Shore. ...... ....'..'s...'..''... oOOU,UVO
Ohio and Mississippi. .................. 100000
Railroad bonds, also shares il sleeping
cars .......'....... ..................' 6oOo,OOO
Total OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. .Si5, coo
his PHYSICAL ACTIVITY.
AS an instance of how active he was
in his 58th year, it is related that in
| 1852 he was on board the steamer Pro-
metheus, of the Nicaragua line, as she
was being moored to her berth at Pier
No. 4, North river. A single hawser
had been run from the ship to the pier,
but, owing to the strong current, the
vessel could not be moored. The Com
modore became inpatient at the delay,
and, throwing his cane on the dock,
swung himself hand over hand, on the
hawser, from the ship to the pier.
Then, picking up his cane, he said,
was not going to stay there all day,
and walled slowly up the dock.
HIS PREJUDICEs.
Many stories showing his strong
prejudices and peculiarities in those
days, in regard to his business, are told
of him. On one occasion in 1852, Mr..
Lopez, of Philadelphia, who had built
number of propellers, and who was
strongly in favor of that class of vessels,
called on the Commodore to try to IN
duce him to use propellers instead of
side-wheel steamers on the Nicaragua
line. He exhibited model to the Com
modore, and predicted that in ten years
from that time not single side-wheel
steamer would be built, as the propellers
were superior to them, both m speed
and economy. After hearing ali that
Mr.. Lopez had to say, the Commodore
said: Gall you say, Lopez, may be true.
but I'll tell you what I'll do. You build
O propeller, and I'll build one of my
walking beam ships, and I'll run you a
race from New York to Liverpool, ship
for ship" Mr.. Lopez did not accept
the wager, and the Commodore never
built q propeller.
Provisions OF the Will of the Late Railroad
King.
The will of the late Cornelius Wander
bilt is dated Jan. 8, 1875, and codicil
is attached bearing date June 30, 1876.
The will directs the executors to pay to
Mrs. Vanderbilt $500, 200, settled on hei
at marriage, together with the family
mansion, statuary, furniture, plate, two
carriages, one pair Of carriage horses,
etc.
To the five daughters, Mrs. James M.
Cross, Mrs. William X. Thorn, Mrs.
Horace +. Clark, Mrs. Daniel Torrance,
and Mrs. N. b. LaBon, 1850, 900 reg
istered bonds Lake Shore and Michigan
Southern railroad, and 81, $50, 600 con-
solidated mortgage bonds of the New
| d.. A.