River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1877-03-01
Tales of Ny Grandfather.
vanderbllt Fifty Years 40.

boating never was in my line, though
had no objection to taking a venture
in a sailing craft. 1t might bave been
in 1925 that Stephen GiraTd of Phil
adelphia had an o q 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 20 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 / read she
came to grief some time in 1855, 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 acquiT-
ed, generally age on the voyage. Some
of yOu may remember particular
pale Madeira. No you don'tl Dear
mel am forgetting myself. If you
bows never had a chance at it, very GER
tainly your fathers punished 1t severe
". In was remarkably sound wine,
and sucn as you can't buy today.
About from 81 so to - 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
.'Oh! | 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 a 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 90 into court. | never was
litigiOus, and did not want to fight the
case, but was oyeTruled by the other
owners. One day had to go to Phila-
delphia, and took the steamboat route.
Just as we were passing the Kills, |
saw an oyster boat in the Wy of the
steamer. / was looking over the side
thinking that we would be pretty GER
tain to touch her, when | heard a 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
q Jump mounted to the upper deck and
was i'm the pilot cabin. | was able to
hear a few hot words which passed be-
tween The man and the pilot 1t ended
by the pilot being summarily turned
out of his position and as the new COM
er took the wheel, and we just barely
shaved 10y the Oyster-bOat, | noticed
that the pilot seemed in high dudgeOn,
and was sullen and cross. When we
landed. the new man at tine wheel left
the cabin, and walked leiSurely on the
wharf. We were to have taken the
stage coach To Brunswick, but IL was
not quite ready. Presently the pilot
put off too, and evidently seeking u
quarrel, called the man some OpprO-
brinus name. Quick as lightning the
hawk.eyed man turned and gave the
pilot. who was big, buTly fellow, \
blow between the eyes, which knocked
him flat. The passengers made ring,
for good bout at fisticuffs 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, 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 brig and
it may take 81 600 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! give
it to YOU pretty much as Vanderbilt
said it, only there was much more
pith in it.
''Pith what do you mean by plth,
grandfather Z" one of us asked.
s.Well, I'm talking about things
which happened as much as fifty years
ago. I'm 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 il out.
..He swore some then, grand.
father
.'SwOrel Well, he was emphatic
quite So. That evening we got safely
enough To Brunswick, where Wander
5ilt kept hotel. Ii WAS not much of
"A house, nor was ii well kept. \ man
may have all the cardinal virtues, and
be railway king and 50 on, but | in
sist that that hotel ut Brunswick was
secOnd-clasS concern, even IN those
DAYS. though Vanderbilt did keep it.
know it well enough, for in after
times told the Commodore so once at
Saratoga, and he owned it. At the sup
per table | took corner away of from
the rest of the travellers, and who
should sit opposite to me but Wander
bilt himself. hadn't forgotten, you
may be sure. about the drunken pilot,
and thought of the collision with our
brig. made up my mind would talk
TO Vanderbilt at once while the mat
ter was fresh on my mind. | had to
call him by name two or three times
before he answered me, which | did
rot like.
What is it, sir e he asked grufiy al
last.
This is an awful tough beefsteak,
/ said
well, then don't eat it, was the re-
ply.
MIR. Vanderbilt said I, If YOU
hadn't taken the wheel in hand we
would have run into the oyster smack.
Quite likely
Drunken pilot
Il don't admit it,
You must, because you said so your.
self
Then was a - fool
You even made reference TO that
very pilot in connection with coils.
ion last Spring
There was a thick fog then.
have looked into the matter, and there
was no one to blame. Are you d
lawyer"
No; l am not, but part owner OF
the brig your boat ran into. If you
n .-..-..-l. ..-L..l.