The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1877-02-02
Wagner and Vanderbilt.
HOW THE PALACE CAR WAS INTRODUCED
ON THE coMMoDoRE's RAILROADS.

"Did you ever hear how Wagner got his
cars on Vanderblts road p asked one gen.
tleman of another the other day, as they
were being whirled along in one of those
luxurious coaches over the Hudson river
railroad.
"No."
"Well, as stories about the dead Commo-
dore are in order,I will tell you. Long before
Wagner ever dreamed of being state sena-
tor he was station agent at Palatine Bridge
While thus employed he had the happy
thought of building these cars. Inducing
three Others to join him, he formed COM
pany and altered an old car over to sleep.
er. Each Of the partners paid in one-half
of his subscription to the capital stock, and,
as Wagner was not rich man at that time,
it took about all that he was worth.
"Well after the car was built, the next
thing was to got permission to run it on the
Commodore's roads Mr.. Wagner went to
New York. He first called on William Ii.
Vanderbilt, who at that time did not have
so much to say about the management of the
roads as he had for the last four or five years.
He listened to Wagner's description of his
new car, and was taken with the idea but
he told him it was no use for him to see the
Commodore, as he was satisfied the old man
would have nothing to do with it. He told
him, however, to go anesd and fit up his car,
put it on the road, and wait until the old
| gentleman saw il, assuring him that he would
| soon hear from him when he did.
"Wagner acted on the hint, the car was
put on, and made several trips before the
Commodore esped it. When he did, he
gave it critical examination, and then
asked whose it was and how it came there.
He was told that it belonged to Mr. Wag-
ner, and was being run as an experiment.
| Wagner was sent for Immediately. When
he came he found the old Commodore in a
towering passion. what business have you
to put a car on my road without permission?'
was his first salutaton. Wagner explained
the arrangement he had made with William
H., but this did not seem to mollify the Com.
modore. Take your car off the road i'm.
media.ely, he said: I'll show you that l
am boss of this road
"This was hard blow for Wagner, as he
had invested all he had in this experiment,
and he turned away with heavy heart. A.
he was leaving the Commodore spoke. say
ing: how many cars have you got like this?
Wagner explained that he had two or three
more on the works; that it was a joint stock
company and that they would be ruined j.
they could not make an arrangement to rur
Commodore, you can tell the other partie
that ! will take the stock off their hands ioi
what they have paid on it. The sooner you
attend to this the better it will be for you
So, hurry up now
Wagner saw the point, and in shor
time he had bought all the rest of the stool
and taken it to the Commodore. Let's see,
said he: how much did you say the capita
stock of your company is Z? Wagner tol,
him. We'll, guess we'll multiply it b.
four, you can keep one-fourth, and I'll taxi
the balance, and we'll build some more 0
these cars right away"
And that was the beginning of Wagner
prosperity. To-day he is a rich man. Tn
old Commodore saw what a necessity thes
cars were destined to become, and took hi
own way to get contro, of them. For ever
dollar Wagner has made out of them, th
Commodore made three.