The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-10-26
THE VANDERBILT FAMILY.
The Making and the Dissipation of Great
Fortunes.
Boston Herald

Boston Herald.
Commodore Vanderbilt was marvel of ply
steal and manly beauty. He was tall, straight
as a ramrod, with profile that would adorn
any cameo ever cut He was serupulonsly neat
in his dress, and had an oldfashioned polite
ness about him which never failed to charm
where he desired to accomplish that end His
early life was tough one. He never went to
school; he never wore medal he never got
prize. Heswas fortunate to get boots in the
winter. He pushed fatboats, he drove mules,
he sold vegetables, he served as deck hand; he
worked himself literally and absolutely, by his
clean cut intellect, to a plane of independence,
and from there he made bound into the realms
of superiority which made all his fellows wonder,
worship and admire.
George Law and Cornelius Vanderbilt were
American born, and started out as low as boys
could start See where they rose to. Astor was
as about poor and friendless an emgrant as
ever landed on our Shores and see what he grew
to- / don't know what Commodore Vanderbilt
would think if to day he could come from his
spirit home and see the wasting millions of his
son. | very much fear he would be tempted to
reiterate his oft-quoted expression about the
"booby." l don't know what he would think of
the series of Vanderbilt palaces that do so much
to beautify and adorn Fifth avenue, but which
very rarely afford scenes of hospitality. / don't
know what he would think to see his favorite
son, day in and day out, week in and week out,
year in and year out, conserving with jockeys,
spending time and strength and interest in the
stables, while his properties decrease in value
and the gaping world looks at his fat face, sm
ling derisively the game goes on. Old man
Vanderbilt made his money by hard knocks and
ingenious twisting of his fellow men: the present
Vanderbilt is being sucked dry gradually by the
smart fellows in Wall street. by the follies of his
son, and by the rapid growth of rivals. No one
for moment imagines that fortune of
100000, 900 could be ruined in lifetime, but
everybody who knows anything knows that Mr..
Vanderbilt no longer holds United States bonds
to the extent he boosted, while there are found
saddled upon him innumerabe trades and dick
ers, made either by for him, in consequence
of which many, yes very many, millions have
been taken, not alone from what what he he has
made. but from what his father left him. Old
man Vanderbilt was a very singular fellow. He
would spend a million rather than be beaten in
a fight but he would grip siXpeuce tight rather
be cheated in trade. He was reckless and saw
ing-a singular combination of New FORK reck
lessness and Staten Island penuriousness. The
present Vanderbilt seems to have no system of
expenditure. He has magnificent house, with
costly pictures, and has lived it for years. yet
the entertainments given to society in general can
be counted on the fingers of one hand, while
those to his intimate friends could be counted by
the fingers of both hands He isn't generous to
rich or poor. Subscription papers, literally
sponded to by all his neighbors. get from him
the cold shoulder only. 1t may be that the fes
tive William is following the scriptural injunc-
tion and does not let his right hand know the
good his left hand doeth, and Cor his own com
forts sake | trust that it is so: but the Bible
didn't mean that a man should hide his light
under bushel, particularly when he has an
electric light, and its example is likely to be fol
lowed for the good or i'll of the human race. If
Vanderbilt declines to give to this, that or the
other poorer men can afford to say, We'll if
he doesn't give, l won't" 1t really is a pity
that not one of the very rich men in New York
City can be quoted as conspicuous benefactor
of his race. OF the three. George Law is the
best hearted. He gives freely and spends large
ly. Although not recognized as humanitarian
in the popular sense, doubt if poor devil in
distress ever went to him without being in some
way relieved