The Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1885-1886, 1885-12-09

of the dead man were gathered there
about his corpse. None of them haC
been with him in the hour of his death
to none had he had time to speak wore
Of farewell. AS he lay upon the covered
bed in the large square room, the win
duws of which overlook the avenue from
the northeast corner from the south wing
of the building to the left of the main
entrance, Vanderbilt looked AS if he had
fallen into gentle sleep. His features
| were peaceful and as natural as If he had
Just ceased talking and laid down to rest
Ills death had been as painless as it was
sudden. Vanderbilt was always AN early
riser. When in his younger days he
worked his
STATEN ISLAND FARM,
was his custom to rise with the sun and
he used to say in later life that he had
ioftcn arisen at 1 O'Clock to go to New
York end return to breakfast and Lis
plow at : O'Clock OF late years he had
made it IL practice to leave his bed at 7
O'Clock or not much later. and throughout
the increasing iii health of the last two
winters he had adhered to this practice.
After arising yesterday he had held his
| usual morning conference with his sons
Cornelius and William X, who were ac-
tive managers of his railroad properties,
and aflcrward with Mr.. f. V. Rossitter,
his private secretary and treasurer of the
New York Central railroad, to whom he
entrusted Il large share of the manage
ment Of his private business affairs.
These conferences were held in Wander
bill's study on the ground floor of the
mansion in the corner to the left pf the
ma n,,t y n |
his favorItc room. where he wrote and
transacted all his business. During the
morning conference yesterday. he had
been more than ordinarily active and
alert, so much so as to excite comment,
to which he replied in good humorcd.
jOcular vein that he had eaten u good
breakfast and was looking
FORWARD WITH PLEASANT ANTICIPATION
toa ride up to the boulevard with his SON
in,law, Hamilton Twombly. IN the
afternoon. At II o'clock he sent to the
Grand Central depot for his old time
friend. Chauncey NJ. Depew, president of
the New York Central road, with the
message that he wished 20 see him.
Depew was engaged in conference ut
the depot and sent word that he would
not be able to come for an hour or two,
and Vanderbilt delayed the appointment
TIL 1 O'Clock, and to occupy the interval,
went down to the studios of J. @. A.
Ware, the sculptor in West Fifty second
street to sit for bronze bust of himself,
which the trustees of the college of Ply
sicians and Surgeons wished to place in
the vestibule of the college, FOR the erection
Of which he recently gave half million
dollars. He returned and took lunch at
1890 with his wife. his son George and
Mr.. Twombley. AT the table he was no
ticeably bright and cheerful. At 1 o'clock
Robert Garrett, the president of the Ball |
timore & Ohio railroad, called upon De-
pew at the Grand Central depot and tind> |
ing him still detained there, went up to |
Mr., Nanderbilts house to inform the mil :
lionaire and take Depew's place. Wander |
bit greeted him cordially and engaged in |
a long and animated conversation with |
him about railroad matters. The confer |
ance lasted more than an hour and Van
lerblt sent word to Twombly that he
would be compelled to forcgo his intend
I'd drive. The two railroad magnates
we're discussing the new terminal facilities
If the b. & o., the new inlet into the city
t had secured by way of Staten Island,
md Vanderbilt showed lively interest
n the results that were to follow to the
sland of his birth While the talk turned
ipon this, the scenes of his childhood and
arly work, contrasted with the tremen-
lous achievements Of his old age Garrett.
itting on the sofa and facing the million
lire, who leaned forward in his arm chair,
IS was his habit when thoroughly inter,
stcd, was suddenly made aware of
light indistnctiveness in Mr.. Nander-
tits speech, that ii grew into an ariicu-
ate sound. AS he leaned over to catch
is words
MIR. VANDERBILT PITCHED FORWARD
Without warning and fell heavily on the
oor on his face. Mr. Garrett sprang to
is feet with an exclamation of alarm and
eizing the pillow from the sofa laid it
nder his friends head; then summoned
lrs, Vanderbilt and George. the ycnngest
on. Messengers were sent in haste tor
hysiciaus. Que from the neigh borhood
sspondc.i first and was followed almost :
by the family phys ician DR..
ames W. Mclean. Such simple restor-
tives as were at hand had Leen hurrietly
pplied. bit human aid Was IN vain.
anderhit never spoke or moved a.ter he
III under the sudden stroke aud diefoxn
few minutes without a struggle. Tfkll
ppesrances he YVES dead the ss,6A
ant he fell upon the floor. 1t was ak
clock when DR.. Mclean ledIal /
ricken widow from the Al II
here her husband had sat NJ