The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1877-01-19

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Commodore vanderbils-IIis Personal
Habits, Chsrsetsristics. and Basiness
From the New York SUM-
The childhood Of Vanderbilt was
spent amid scenes Of toll, frugality, and
rigid simplicity. And SO, when at six
teen years of age he voluntarily took
upon himself TO be q man, he was pre-
pared for the application and labor OF
manhood. Thenceforward for twenty
years he gave himself no leisure when
there ives work to be done. Neither on
Sunday nor holidays, nor at night more
than in day time, did he allow himself a
respite. Places of amusement were
unknown to him. This portion Of his
life was simply continual round Of
hard work. As young man he could
enjoy glass Of grog, could smoke his
pipe with satisfaction, and could eat his
daily rations of pork and cabbage with
hearty appetite. But he courted no
society, assumed no style, and seemed
to care for nothing beyond money max
ing. He was secretive to an extreme,
never permitting his plans to be known
until they were made public by their
operation. He was combative, and be-
ing endowed with powerful frame,
never feared to test his muscle with any
one who was bold enough to submit
dispute to such arbitration. And it is
but fair to say that he was seldom II
ever worsted in personal encounter.
As an employer he was exacting and
parsimonious insisted that his orders
should be respected without question
ing; violent in his manner and Ian
guage, and yet withal he invariably at
tached those he employed to him so
strongly that they seldom sought other
service when they could remain with
him. The unanimous verdict Of these
men is that he was hard master, but q
Just one, kind TO his men, but always
careful to make all the money he could
out of them. During the first period Of
his active life, covering the years Of his
application to steamboating on inland
waters, his children, thirteen in all,
were all born. These were committed
to the care of their mother, and were
trained by her to habits of frugality and
independence. The Commodore had
no time, il he had the inclination, to
devote to these domestic cares. But he
faithfully seconded all his wife's plans
regarding the children, and furnished
her, without stint, with whatever money
she required to provide for them.
HIS IDEAS EXPANDING.
In the second period of this remark
able mans career, covering his steam
ship enterprises, he INDUCED more in
the comforts and enjoyments of life.
He built him fine house, furnished it
handsomely, and began to live like a
man OF means rather than as laborer.
A carriage was placed at the disposal
Of his wife and daughters, while an am
bilious trotting horse occasionally ad-
miristered pleasure to the millionaire
after hard days work. And finally,
toward the end Of this period, the Com
modore was inveigled into club life and
enticed to spend an evening at whist
with those DESTROYS Of getting portion
OF his money from him at thee rate Of
Is q corner.
But with all these enjoyments he
never neglected business. He had no
imposing array OF bookkeepers, cash
iers, and clerks. His office, even when
his business was most extended, COM
prised but two rooms, and three clerks
did all the work, under his immediate
supervision. He knew nothing Of book
keeping himself, and when It became
necessary that his vast operations
should be recorded in some form, he
employed man who was good at fg-
ures and could write plain hand TO
keep the accounts. He never owed any
floating debts and never allowed any
body to be indebted TO him unless he
had collaterals TO show for il; and these
transactions he considered required no
no booking. As he acquired ready
money he invested it without consulting
any body. As time passed along and
his means increased, rendering larger
operations necessary for the employ
ment Of his capital, and stock COM
panies more convenient or desirable for
the management Of these grander
enterprises, he had . numerous COM
pany Of sons-in-law from among whom
to select officers and directors. Thus
he contrived to manage all his affairs
himself, or at least with the aid only Of
members Of his own family.
THE DIVERSIONS or RAILROAD KING.
There came third period the grand
period in which he became the giant
stock operator and the railroad king of
his age. During this period he indulged
himself in leisure and pleasure more
than at any former time. In the rear
OF his house on Washington Place he
built commodious stable for his
horses, with conveniences for their ex-
ercise and treatment; bought costly
stock; provided himself with team Of
matched trotters which were marvels
Of speed; drove daily through the Park
and on the road, priding himself on his