Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1883-08-03
VANDERBILT eoIre BLIND.
So IL hs Rumored NJ Saratoga-TatuFas
Anxiety Of the Great Millionaire
How He Amusea HfmkelE


SARAToGA SPRINGS, August 2-This hal
been the dullest season Saratoga has known
since the panic summer OF '73. There l!
but one month left for hotel men to recouI
themselves; If they cannot do it during
August their ledgers will all show pretty
heavy entry on the wrong page. There
never were so few people here at this date
as now. Those who do come hunt out the
smaller hotels and cheaper places. The
great hotels, ike the United States, the
Congress and the Grand Union, are not
one-fourth full, and the clerks and en-
ployes seem to have but little to do.
Various reasons are assigned, but the
most potent one is undoubtedly the ua-
settled condition Of things in Wall street.
Saratoga has always been the
Wall Street watering Place.
From Vanderbilt to Addison Cammack
people Of Wall street proclivities have
Rocked here. This year they are staying
away. Vanderbilt is here, il is true, and
Maud 5. and Early Rose and Aldine and
Leander aud Lysander and all the rest OF
the Vanderbilt pets, but the old man
doesn't talk stocks any more. He has no
private wire, no operator sworn to cipher
and to secrecy, no followers of the Barton
school-not even son or son.in-law. He
is "horsier' than ever. Instead of on the
veranda, his time is spent in the stables.
At least five hours day are put in on the
road. It's Maud S. and Aldine in the
morning aud some other team in the after
noon. The only pastime the 6tker guests
have is to go out and see the old msn ana
his whiskerS go sailing by. They have
An Alarming Story
here that Vanderbilt's eyes are bad, that he
has consulted oculists, and that he is
much disturbed at their diagnosis. In
deed, il is freely said that the millionaire
is going blind. Open air, peace and quiet,
and freedom from boreFs and boresses are
what are prescribed. The old man secures
all these by getting into his buggy and
staying there nearly all day. When one
team tires he drives another. Those who
know him say that the oculists' reports
cause him more worry than all his money.
He has mortal dread Of physical weak
ness or incapacity OF any kind. 1t is
said by some that if he were actually to
90 blind he would either commit suicide
or go crazy.
one thing is certain, his presence has no
effect on the patronage of the place. All
the kings hoses and all the kings men
cannot give the life or attraction 10 the
place. One big hotel yesterday had 520
guests and $50 employees to serve them. All
Of them have been
Losing Money
through July at frightful rate, and their
managers ere blue enough.
The politicians and Statesmen" have
not yet come. Nor are they likely to, for
the President, his Cabinet, and all the
greater officials are spending the summer
elsewhere. There is, in fact. nothing to
draw a crowd here now, ana it has been
getting more pronounCedly so for several
years. There are too many other places
newer more novel, and with greater natu-
raj attractisns TO preserve the prestige Of
Saratoga. The seashore and sea bathing
alllres too many people from the old-time
henored springs. The newer generation
of summer loiterers seek these new fields
and turn Saratoga over to the country peo-
pie, and the few with whom big hotels,
exorbitant rates, hot weather, big mos
qutoes, and Congress water have become
fixed habits. No doubt the failure OF the
season this year will cause a tremendous
efforts to have the National Conventions
held here next year by way OF helping the
big landlords oat. Something must be
done or the glory Of the old place will de-
part forever.