The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1881-07-28
ABOUT THE CLYDES,
The Pushing People Who Are GobbIing
Our Railroads.
II. ". G., in .itianta Constit,,tiou

]
! II. ". G., IN .iHr,ta Constitution.
! There is probably no influence Sc
vaguely understood, and get so import.
ant to us, as that comprised in The terms,
"the Clyde Syn!catc.'
The name of Clyde suggests steamships
just rs that of Pullman brings up sleep.
ing cars. And while company of men
operating under this name, swarnled
along the Atlantic coast and linked the
separate roads into a comprehensive sys-
TEN, our people swore by the flavor of
the ca-breeze, aud dreamed of mari.
time power that had come to conquer the
land after it had whitencd the seas. AS
! to who the Clydcs werc---as to whether
they were singular or plural whether
they really headed the company, or
whether the syndicate worked in the
snadow OF great naihe-very few peo~
PIE knew, and fewer more seemed to care.
When the people dream of argosies what
GO they care for personalities
And yet, the men who compose this
syndicate have taken 30 firm hold upon
the South, have become such important
factors in her growth, and will have 40
much TO do with her future, that I am
tempted to give to our readers what /
know of them and their affairs. Their
interest i'll Georgia may be epitomized in
the statement that they own the Air.
Line Road, control the Northeastern. are
pledged 10 pierce the mountains through
Kabun Gap, and have joined with Gen.
Gordons association to give Atlanta q
line to the coal fields and to the Missis.
sippi.
lhe first member of the Syndicate that
merits attention is the man whose name
1t bears--W. p. Clyde. The elder CLYDE
is still living, but has virtually retired
from business, and William =. CLYDE is
now the head of the line. He is q man
OF about AZ years Of age, though he
hardly looks so much. a Marylander
by birth, his life has been spent OF the
sea. His father WAS n steamship man.
and educated William to succeed him in
MS business. AT the age of Is he was
sent TO sea, and made an accomplished
sailor. He knows ship as a Jockey
Knows horse, and is skllful navigator.
lie could take Il ship to. day and carry
her into any waters on the globe. For
years he has carried the main responsi-
blli.ies of the great Clyde steamship
company. Some idea of what this
means may be had from the statement
that at one time eightytwo ships sailed
under the Clyde colors, touching nearly
every shore OH earth At present over
forty steamships are run by the company.
supplying some Of the most important
commercial routes.
There are few handsomer men than
Mr.. Clydc-erect, graceful, with whiskers
just tinged with gray, frank and win
ming face, lie is comely and convincing.
Back of these advantages he has that
direct, fOrcibe and polished manner
notable among The men of affairs in New
York. He may be found any day be-
tween the hours of 10 and ct his Office
on lower Broadway, aiFable and quick,
no more unapproachable than if he were
the humblest merchant in the city. Du-
ring the summer he lives upon his yacht,
and this l mean in its literal sense. His
family, wife and five pretty children,
are at some seaside resort, but he has his
yacht anchored off the Broadway wharf
about fifty yards from shore. This yacht
cost, it is said, over $4,000, and is a
model of luxury and beauty. 1t is run
by steam, and makes fifteen miles an
hour. Fitted up with every convenience
that can be desred-its larder stored
with the best of the markets, and it's
closets with the rarest wines-manned by
an expert crew, it is certainly model
summer home. At every afternoon he
summons half & dozen friends though
the yacht can easily accommodate twelve
and going to the wharf signals his
crew. A yawl is at once sent to shore
and the party is soon on board. The
yacht is then started for a sail in the
picturesque waters about New York,
rIa Tulo o,,I I
Branch, while the company adjusts them
selves to catch the brcezes and admire
The scenery or leisurely discuss dinner
that cannot be surpassed st Delmonico's.
y night OH this yacht in l. dsummer is a
luxury beyond any power If description.
Mr.. Clyde has n famous rifle with which
he can bring down seagulls on the wing.
His yacht is perfectly seaworthy, and he
has made the trip with her to Cuba and
frequently to Norfolk. He is devoted to
her, and maintains her at a cost of more
than 81 900 month
The holder of the largest block in tho
Clyde syndicate is comparatively young
man-George w. Perkins, President Of
the Mercantile National Bank of New
York. Mr.. Perkins comes Of n family
remarkable for its steadiness and fnan-
ci0l ability. | am not sure about it, but
think they are New Englanders
kins certainly being traditional New
England name. The family is now rep.
resented in the business life of New
York by three brothers, G. W., +. w.
and ii. W. Perkins. The last named is
bachelor and the head of an important
| brokerage house. He WAS a General in
the Federal army, and is the eldest of the
three brothers. The next one, f. W.,
is President of the Importers and
Traders Bank, one Of the largest, if not
the largest, banking institutions in
America. Its career has been one of
almost incredible success. The third
brother is, as have stated, President of
the Mercantile National Bank, itself one
of tho big institutions of New York.
The three brothers are very clannish,
believe very strongly in each other, and
work hand in glove in most Of their en-
terprises. They live at the Windsor
Hotel, which is the headquarters in New
York of the heaviest financial men, and
Il place second only to the Stock Ex-
change, if even to that, in fixing prices
and shaping the financial and railroad
policy of the country.
George w. Perkins is about thirty
eight years of age. He is a thin man.
with cheeks bit sunkcn, bright blue
eyes, sandy whiskers, and 6 decisive
though deliberate manner. In connec.
ton with his brothers and the friend.
who pin their faith to the Perkins judg
! ment thew have practically unlimited