Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1883-01-04
THE House VANDERBHq,

, Or Proposes to Build. If the City of NE,
uYork viii Let Him-fTo be Devoted to a
sszAr5 tiaIiery-Hiss R ospital for the Grip
Qples Iais Kailroadst hIake.-The Magnal
Not the Owner of New -Yori; Central. 800
[Gath Letter!
New YORK. Jan. Stalking a ride with
wealthy man who has had close relation:
with the Vanderbilt family for years, he
gave some interesting information which
| communicate.
"Rave you heard anything" said L
about w. r. Vanderbilt presenting an art
gallery to New York oity? ls1s7,
ayes, it has no. bcea PIT in The newspa-
pers that have seer: l.ut he has mentioned
| 1t to a few frieuIs. Z ,,e1 Firth avenue
has been very I'eaeifD..y huiN upon, and
Mr.. Vanderbit's house HIS become the sig
nal for the INST remarkable in
stances of prif1to h02ses holding
consultation with tae new world.
| The beautiful cathedral in white marble
with the shields of the United States and
of the city of New York set over its por-
| tails is, OF course, the center Of this lavish
private ornamentation. In the rear of
this cathedral the cardinal has built his
palace, also in white marble, and there you
see Mr.. Fields great square house, with
one wing entirely completed sheltering it
behind the cathedral. The Buckingham
hotel, with its elegant facade and the
statue of the great duke of Buckingham
over the portal, completes third side
Of the cathedral. But on the
fourth side is an ugly lot.
comprising whole square with high
stone wall and an oblong brick building,
which is an injury to the avenue, not SO
much to the residents there as to the gen
eral brightness and beauty of the city.
where Americans present their best fronts
to strangers.
''Mr. Vanderbilt is not professional
phllanthropist or present maker. 1
suppose that it was the existence of this
7eyesore which suggested to him a mild and
agreeable form of benefaction. He has
said that if this square, which belongs to
the city of New York, can be transferred
by some action of the city under some
pleasant compromise with the
Catholic institat'o~ he would give
New York an art gallery which would more
than match the gifs Of tho 3stor library by
the Astor family 70 this city. | think he
has said that le would saend as much as
g.
S5,oO0,OJ9 to ~ - 49, - ing ard fl
it with paintings worthy Of the taste and
wealth of New York city. But I would
not be surprised if the people would them
selves spoil this good intention by imme-
diately instituting series OF criticisms
and quarrels about it. They will begin to
intimate that Nj. Vanderbilt only wants to
improve his property.
What has become OF the hint Mr.. Van
derbilt gave in 1877, or soon after
his fathers death, of erecting a hospital
and asylum for disabled railroad en-
ploy esp
"Why; that is going to be done. 1t has
never been out of Vanderbilts mind. 1
would not be surprised if the pending
year would see the Institution built. 1
think it will be larger institution than
he at first intended"
My informant surprised me by the fol-
lowing statement:
"You are aware that Vanderbilt has very
little interest now in the New Yerk Gen.
trail railway?"
I said it was the general opinion that he
owned very near the majority of the stock.
my information is pretty straight. 1
Think said my friend. Vanderbilt has
sold large blocks of New York Central to
Englishmen. In his frequent visits to the
other side ne has made strong class of
acquaintance, and has frankly said that
he did not care to carry az much st,c
even in the railroad his father acquired, as
it embroiled him with the lobby at Albany
and made him the personal target for the
enevitable Qnarrels That spring up be-
tween such Railroad aud the num-
berless large Cite, ,'.i.l.s,n whose centei S
it passes. His ir4nkee. was not artificial
and the English lenders gladly made pur-
chases Of large blocks of Central. Consid-
cradle interests in the same railroad have
been sold to the Americans
"What other things does Mr.. Vanderbilt
possessf :"
SWELL, he is putting $6,0O0,O00 at this
moment into the state Of Pennsylvania,
building the railroad himself by advancing
the money and taking the bonds. Wander
bilt has also invested S1O,OOO,OO0 in the
Northwestern railroad. Mr.. Vanderbilt
realized nearly 100 per cent. on the pur-
chase of the Michigan Central railroad.
He got the stock at from 40 to so and it is
now above par. While he is not, in my
judgment, large holder of New York Cen
trail stock now, his position as president
of the railroad is just as secure as if he
owned it ALL"
OFFICIAL.