The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1877-03-01
Tales Of My Grandfather
Vanderbilt Gritty Years Ago.

Tales Of 1y Grandfather.
... v..d.rs1l81lfty Years Ago. '-
my first acquaintance with Van
derbilt dated from about 1926. Steam.
boating never was in my:line, though
I had no objection to taking a venture
in sailing craft. It might have been
In 1925 that Stephen Girard of Phil.
adelphia had an old brig for sale,
which some four of i've of us bought.
She was Of teak, and might have been
nifty 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 certain
amount Of interest, and if my memory
serves me rightly, I think l 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 acquir-
ed, generally ,age on the voyage. Some
Of you may remember a particular
pale Madeira. No you don't? Dear
mel I am forgetting myself. If you
boys never had a chance at livery Ger.
tainly your fathers punishedit severe.
~. In was remarkably sound wine,
and such as you can't buy to-day.
About from $3.50 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 a part of 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! 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 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 go into court. I never was
litigious, and did not want to fight the
case, but was overruled by the other
owners. One day l 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. l was looking over tho 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 a hawk, had with run and
q jump mounted to the upper deck land
was in the pilots cabin. I was able tc
hear few hot words which passed be-
tween the man and the pilot. It 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-b0at, l 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 leisurely 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 q
quarrel, called the man some oppro
brious name. Quick as lightning the
hawk.eyed man turned and gave the
pilot, who was a big. burly fellow. q
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
Iheard 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 brig anG
it may take $1,000 to pay damages
Discharge him. Now look sharp your
self or you will have to 60, too.
won't have the safety of boats and thu
reputation of the line injured, or vii
turn out every mothers son of you a.
sure as my name is Vanderbilt! give
it to you pretty much as Vanderbilt
pith in it,
"Pith what do you mean by pith
grandfather :" one of us asked.
swell, I'm talking about thing.
which happened as much as fifty year:
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 giye1
to ripping it OUT
..He swore some then, grand
father!''
"Swore! Well, he was emphatic
quite SO. That evening we got safely
enough to Brunswick, where Wander
= bilt kept hotel. 1t was not much OF
q house, nor was it well kept. A man
may have all the cardinal virtues, and
be railway king and so on, but in.
slst that that hotel at Brunswick was a
sec0nd.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 l took corner away off 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 ou1
brig. I made up my mind would talk
TO- Vanderbilt at once while the mat.
ter was fresh on my mind. I had to
ta1 him by name two or three times
before he answered me, which did
not like.
What is it, sir = he asked grufly al
last.
This is an awful tough beefsteak,
/ said.
well, then don't eat it., was the re-
ply.
Mr.. Vanderbilt said I, If you
hadnt taken the wheel in hand WE