National Republican., 1883-09-24
THE MAN ON THE AVENUE.
Small Talk About Mcn rsld Measures

al have noyor lost anything but once by
helping tho travelling public out" said the
sleeping car conductor. 81 was on my way
from Chicago, leaving there at 0;4O p. m,
about two and n half years ago. A married
lady, with five months old baby, had n
sleeping car ticket to Bonwood, w. Va.
When VIC arrived there, after dark of tho
next day, asked the lady if she wanted the
sleeper to Washington, ID. G., where she was
going. She informed me that she had no
money with her, but if would pay it for hor
she would pay me upon her arrival at Wash
ngton, ID. G. | did not go further than
Grafton, w. Va, and informed her so. She
then said she would send it to me. So paid
her fare, So and in about two weeks received
a letter from her, saying she hoped would
not think hard of her, but she had written to
her husband about it, and he told her not to
pay it. Of course, did not think hard of
her, but would like TO meet her husband some
time and tell him what think Of him."
aaa
al knew old Cornelius Vanderbilt we'll in
his time" said the railway man, and think
he had more business foresight and sagacity
than any man who ever lived. He was also
a man of iron will, and when he had made up
his mind to do thing ho did it, lie bought
Harlem stock when it was selling for little or
nothing, because he saw that its property
and franchises in upper New York
would in time be so valuable that
no money would buy them. Before any
body knew or suspected what ho was after he
owned and controlled the only railway depot
in New York city or that ever can be there,
and the right of way to it. Then he began
buying Hudson river and the stock of the
other short lines which now make the great
and powerful New York Central. AS he
bought and combined business increased, and
his trains began to be numerous. AS the
city grew and spread itself out toward the
Harlem river accidents began to be numer-
4 GUS and somebody was killed by moving
trains almost every day. Public sentiment
:. began to be aroused, just as it is beginning to
be aroused now over ON Maryland avenue,
and finally the city authorities called on
Mr.. Vanderbilt and said You are killing
too many people, Mr.. Vanderbilt, and you
must sink your tracks so the streets can be
built over them 'You had better go back to
the city hall and read over our charter said
the old commodore, rather sternly, before
you come here and tell me what must do.
I'VE have the right of way to Forty-second
street without any such condition as
you mention. But we don't want
to kill people any more than they
want to be killed. 1t will cost S7OO0,OOO
to sink our tracks in the way you suggest
Now, I'll pay half that sum, and you must
pay the other half The authorities de-
) INJURED to this but the commodore would
say no more on the subject until they had
read over his charter They went back to tho
city hall and read it, and finally came back
with another proposition, The commodore
simply told them to so back and read
the charter again. and that was all he would
say. They threatened legal proceedings, and
he told them to sue and he hanged, only he
stated it rather more profanely. The result
was finally that they had to accept his terms.
The tracks were sunk so that trains now run
as rapidly from Harlem river to the depot
as on any other part of the line
1t cost 81 100000, but the city had to pay
> half of it just because they let Vanderbilt
get the the start of them. 1t would be hard
+. to figure tho nature of that right of way to
tho New York Central railway now, but il
> the alternative could be presented l suppose
> tho company would prefer to surrender tho
rest OF tho road rather than its ownings In
. New York city, for they might build another
0 line through tho state, but there is no more
Is room in town."
= aaa
y. 4" 1t might be WE'LL" said a bystander who
overheard this little anecdote, "for the com.
. nissioners to take a little care about letting
tho companies got too strong hold on Mary
N land avenue, or even the bed of the old canal
@ There may be no Commodore Vandorb rbilts il
n those days, but railway companies arc hare
, fighters, and they never let go. when once
they have gotten hold, unless they are COM
PEELED to-and it's generally pretty hard Il
& compel them to do anything they don't wan
o to do"
is uaa
"It's a poor cyclone that don't blow some
body some good,' said the commercial
=, traveller. " You remember that 'mnne
10 shaped cloud that made klndling wood o
,e Rochester, Minn.2 Well, had customo
e. up there, who had u little store and pretty
ID wife. He didn't make much money in hi
H. store, and he didn't have any peace in his
ic house. IIo and his wife quarreled as offer
ID as thoy saw each other. Finally they decided
to separate, and in tho first amicablo conver
10 sation they had enjoyed for somo years it wa
, agreed that he should give her 81, 600 and sh
:, would go away and would trouble him N
more forever OF course he didn't have th
Id money and no went to Chicago to got it. Ii
", mortgaged his stock to Chicago none
to lender, aud was about to start home with tn
w 81 500 in his pocket when that cyclone struc
his home. The first intimation hs had of
y came in telegram which told him not {
d. mail the money as his wife had been killed
at The divorce had been secured more promptly
ed cheaply, and absolutely than he had eA
wv pected,"
-. The death of several men in Quincy, Ill
=" aCtor drinking n bottle OF "bitteTs," pu
'u chased at drug store rs whisky, has re
ly minded an attache of the internal revenu
Id bureau of the following letter written YET