Arizona weekly citizen., 1881-09-04
The RothschHd Of america.

The Rothschild of america.
 Although the enormous wealth of this gentleman must entitle him to marked consideration on al occasions, yet he becomes more especially a man of the hour at the present moment, from bis participation, either from choice or from necessity, in the existing railroad war which has reduced freights and passen- ger fares very much below their former value; and which bids fair to inhict no small injury upon certain rival lines which are not, as IS alleged, in a condi- ton to compete successfully with the roads under his control.
 As the secret of his position in this relation is not understood by the gener- al public, it will be matter of surprise to many that the running expenses of the Grand Central, for example, should be kept at a figure lower than that per taining to some other lines of equal length and apparent excellence; but when we come to disclose the important fact, that, for years, Mir. Vanderbilt has been quietly and steadily reducing the grades on all his roads, so as to nearly double the drawing power of his loco motives, the mystery of his being able to compete triumph5ntly with his rivals in this war IS explained at once.
 But although the public may, for the time being, reap some benefit from 'his tournament among the knights of the Iron Horse, rely upon tt, that ere long, these doughty champions will sound a truce and return UIitedly tO their for mer system Of prices. In the meantime, however, low fares and freights have greatly enhanced travel, and have tempt ed buyers to make their fall purchases at an unusually early date this year, and SO the ball keeps mOvlng for the present at least.
 William II. Vanderbilt, whose portrait We publish to-day, Is the oldest son of the late Commodore Cornelius Wander bilt. He was born at the summer resi- dence of his father, New Brunswick, \. J., and after an excellent and practical education at Columbia College Grammar School, he entered, in his eighteenth year, the financial house of Drew, Rob insOn X Co, New York, where he ex- hibited such industry and executive ability that on the expiration of two years he was offered partnership. The close confinement, however, having be- gun to prey on his health, he determin- ed to take up farming as means of re- cuperation, and the Commodore having bought him seventy-tive acres of i'm proved land on Staten Island, he at once took his young wife there and set to work with such skill and energy that | he not only cleared the seventy-fye acres, but soon had larger sract pur- chased, and $50 acres under crop. es" h relation to this seventy-tive acres, SD eriT,TIri,erbilt alleges, 1t IS sad, that 1t Ip.-l oUterine inc Ianhe had not sufficient means tV % }, and the 1i62Ss u thor0ugh- ly, nor would imnroye, Advance him dollar to aid him. h. 8 extremity he mortgaged the land for S60OO, which he turned to good account, aOd the circum- stance coming to the COmmOdore's ears, the old gentleman observed to him while they were driving together on one Oc- l casIOn:
 "So you mortgaged the Dew Drop farm for 5000, did you? You don't amount to a row of pins, and never will"
 "I did mortgage the farm" replied the son, and have put every cent of the of the money right into improving the land
 We'll" continued the Commodore, I'll have nothing more to do with you, | for you'll only bring disgrace on yOur- self, your family and everybody con nected with you
 This latter prOgnOsticatiOn does not appear to have been fulfilled, and as to | Mir. Vanderbilt never amounting to a row of pins, we think there has been no very clear verificatiOn of this assertion either. However, the Commodore does not seem to have put much faith in the one or the other, for the morning after | the conversation took place he sent the
 son a cheque for S6OOO, ordering him to pay of the mortgage immediately. | Shortly after this period the Staten | Island Railroad Company became em- | barrassed, when MT. Vanderbilt and his | uncle Jacob, entering the management, relieved the road of its difficulties and
 improved its prospects in marked de | gree. The experience acquired here | gave the subject of our portrait such an | insi ght into railroad affairs, and so ad- | vanced him in the opinion of certain capitalists and stockholders that, in | 1851. he was elected Nice-Presideut of ! the New York and Harlem, and in 1856 | of the Hudson River line, which under | his management became so prosperous | that he was unhesitatIngly recognized | as not only railroad manager of pro | found knowledge and experience, but | worthy the confidence of the CommO- | dore to the fullest extent It was now | plain sailing until the death of his | father, when, as all the world knows, he | suddenly became possessed of untold
 wealth.
 | In 1S41 MT. Vanderbilt married Miss
 Nissan, the daughter of a New York clergyman. and a Christian lady of ster- ' ling qualities and attainments. This union has been blest with nine children. eight of whom are still alive, comprising
 a most interesting and charming family of sons and daughters, all finely edu-
 cated He has made various visits to
 Europe, where he has purchased numer-
 ous works of art for tie adOrnment of
 his home on this side of the Atlantic.
 His charities and public spirit are not unworthy his vast wealth, although he l does not seem to court nOtOriety through these channels. This may be inferred from the fact that, although he had de-
 fraved the whole cost of the removal of inc obelisk. CieOpatra's Needle, from Alexandria, Egypt, tO its site in Central
 Park. New York, It was some time before the public was made aware of the cir cumstance.
 | Although NIT. Vanderbilt's mere per
 sOnal habits are not extravagant, he Is about to occupy one of the most mag
 nifcent residences in this country. If
 rumor speaks truly, be has contracted
 that his new abode shall b built accord ing to certain rare plans and specitica- riOus. and handed over tO him complete ly furnished to even the most trtiing detail. for the sum of two millions Oi
 dollars. Nay more, 1t Is alleged that
 the contractors have agreed that they
 shall only be released from their obliga
 ton when they have presented the whole
 edifice not only fully equipped, but witt D dinner set for a certain number oI . guests. This clause is somewhat unique , although there are some will regard 1T 1t as the most pleasant of the agree D ment.
 MT. Vanderbilt Is now sixty years o age, and IS still hale and active. WheI in New York be spends much of his tim' with his family and the few friends tha | he has selected from among his manl 5 acquaintances. In private life he Il frank, open and generous, but alwayi 3 has an eye to business. He looks upoI , the present railroad war with the great ] est cOmplacency, observing simply tha
 it is not his was. There is nothing abOu