The weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1878-1881, 1881-09-13
Big Men at Saratoga

Just now there is an audience for every
thing and an applicant for every seat at the
table, and from one to three applicants for
everything that can possibly be called a bed.
The Grand Union has 1900 guests, whose
mouths must be satisfied with good things;
a company to wash dishes for. The United
States has 300, and Congress Hall boz. The
IS other hotels and tl6 200 boarding houses
are all "running over' now. The States
can claim the honor of having the most
wealth and influence among its guests at
present. There are just now over hlty
gentlemen there whose. estates are upward OF
81, 200, 600. Several of the railroad ma9nates
are accidentally together here this present
week, so that we may say it is high water
mark for wealth in Saratoga now. No refer
e1ce to the liquid ingredient Of the stocks by
which much of this wealth has been created.
Here may be seen the quiet,
cative, bat pleasant ana good.lo' king rail-
road king, w. Ii. Vanderbilt, who doesn't
know much about railroads himself, as was
shown by the inves igation of the Hepburn
Committee, held here two years ago, but who
has wit enough to turn his ignorance to such
good account that he is now known through
out the world as the richest man in America,
and is estimated by men of careful statement
to be worth ~S2O0,O0O,00O. Yet this man eats
beef and vegetables, sleeps and snores, like
any other mortal, excepting that he is said to
be very regular in his habits of eating, driv-
ilIg and sleeping. When the time comes
for his team, Lysander and Small Hopes, to
have their regular afternoon pin upon tie
avenue the w%eightiest business must give
way, for Mr.. Vanderbilt will have his ride.
Here, also, one may see Nanderbilt's great
rival in the money world, little keen-eye",
daring Jay Gould, the boldest Spectator i'll
America, and probably the most successful.
Physically he is not very formidable, as he
weighs only 100 pounds. 1t takes a tai! hat
to bring him to the shoulder of a good-sized
man. He has a fair complexion, a jet-black,
full beard and a very penetrating eye. lie
smiles pleasantly when he greets acquaint-
ances, always has time for politeness, unlike
! the Western student, who was so busy with
his books that when a fellow-student said
GOOD morning. to him, responded, SLANT
time ~ This little midget has managed some
how to put himself forward from humble
origin to a front position in the list Of Amer
ica's most influential men. A citizen Of Sar.
atoga has a railroad pass signed by Jay Gould
when he was only Superintendent of the
Boston Il Albany road. lie is a living illus
tration of the power Of mind to triumph over
natter. The majority Of men are i~llustra-
tious of the power OF matter over mind.
They live high, smoke, drink and sleep TOO
much, and do nothing but grow fat and lazy.
Thus it sometimes happens that mind and
matter flourish in the inverse ratio. The
man who eats and sleeps with reference to
keeping his mind in its best condition, easily
gets ahead of the man who eats and sleeps
with reference to nothing but his physical
enjoyment, other things being equal. There
are plenty Of these fat, lazy, stupid fellows to
be seen at Saratoga, anu plenty more young
swells riding around in dog carts, using
up money that their fathers have saved by
industry and economy, and who are rap
idly becoming such fat and stupid fellows as
Tile olutt tpiJulCSs l. t'tdb 81 ~ IL
mastery is temperate in all things" Men like
Gould and Vanderbilt, who have gigantic
schemes to work out and immense interests
to care for, know the Importance Of keeping
their heads clear and their thinking power al,
ways at its best. Another guest at the States
whose reputation and appearance both prove
him to be a mali who keeps his wits wake j:
Hon. j. levitt, President of the Erie Rail
road. He is a good.sizpd, very erect. smooth
faced, eldery gentleman of unusually com
handing presence, and has achieved sucl
prominence before the country as to hav'
been discussed as a candidate for the Presi
dency. He has Q head and face tia resenr
=. bles S ,ina What William II. Sewa as, IA IA ev
l identity belongs TO that working class who's
toll is with the mind. Another railroad nag
. nate who is here IS g.. 3. Roberts, PIesidel
= of the Pernsy lvai,ia Railroad. successor of III
lats Colonel Scott, WIN, NJ La lhoI ou-
b. knowledge Of railroad matters and grasp {
= railroad problems, was '.sfacie precepS'' anon
= all the railroad maglates ofthe world. HOI
: j. Z. Joy aud IL. b. Ledyard, Of Detroit, raj
4 road men Of large influence, are also here
+ the Uniol Mr.. Joy made the speech nom
ma ing Mr.. Blaine at the Chicago convention
n General w. l.. Burt, Prtsid ent Of the Bostoi
a Housatonic and Western Roa'I. resides !
it Saratoga. II was rum"rcd that there Was
" be n conference, relating of course Ia the cI
= rate war which has beeI soi!g on, but th
: is now denied on all hands. They all can
9. for the same noble purpose to get a drink
n Congress water.--BostOR HeTGtd = Sdfdto.
q LETTER. ~