Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1885-12-11
DEATH OF WIN. h. VANDERBILT.

New York was startled on the
afternoon Of Tuesday, last, at 2:25
o'clock, by the announcement Of
the death of Mr.. VIM. II. Wander
bit, who fell dead suddenly while
conversing with Mr.. Robt. Gar
rett, President of the b. x o. X. Il.
He died almost instantly from
paralysis, caused by the bursting
of a blood vessel at the base of the
brain. Below we give the con
denSed synopsis from the Balti-
more Sun:
Mr.Wm. III Vanderbilt, whose
sudden death from paralysis OF the
brain, at his residence in New
York, Tuesday afternoon, Is an
nounced, was one of the most
prominent figures in the world of
business and finance, and his sud
den demise is an event OF the first
importance in the mOAcy centres OF
two continents. The pOssessOr OF
vast wealth, believed by many to
be the largest private fortune in
the United States, and the master
spirit of enterprises of great mo.
ment, including the operations OF
one of the leading trunk lines OF
RAILWAYS he welded enormous
power for good or evil. Always
positive and aggressive IN his busl-
ness operations, and sometimes
reckless, apparently, of the good
or evil opinion of his fellowmen as
10 particular acts which he deemed
expedient, it must nevertheless be
set down to the credit of William
Ii. Vanderbilt that his benefactions
were of liberal character. Fol
lowing the example of his father,
the celebrated Cornelius Wander
blt, from whom he inherited his
aptitude for business as well as
certain sturdy traits of character,
he made his largest single gift TO
an educational institution. Cor
nelius Vanderbilt gave tor the en-
dowment of Vanderbilt Univer.
sity, at Nashville, Tenn, the sum
of S1,00O,000, which was increased
by gifts from his son William III.
to S1,25O,OO0. independently of
his father, but following his e&-
ample, William ii. Vanderbilt last
year gave 1000 to the College
of Physicians and Surgeons of
New York. He has also given
S15O,OOO for the establishment of
museum to contain the relies and
trophies of Gen. Grant, and S25,-
600 to the University of Virginia
for mounting and equipping the
Leander Mccormick telescope.
In the aggregate he has contributed
S925,O00 to public purposes, and
Tue gifts of the father and son
amount to nearly 100000 The
elder Vanderbilt did not engage in
railroad operations until late in life.
The foundations of his great for
tune were laid in "steambOating,D
and be subsequently accumulated
wealth by establishing a line 0
steamships from New York to Cali
fornia. Abont 1864 he acquired a
controlling interest in the New
York Central and Hudson River
Railroads and consolidated the
two. The Lake Shore and Mich
igan Southern has been part OF the
system since 1873. 1t was in the
latter year that VIM. ii. Wander
bilt began his railroad career as
vice.president of the Hudson River
Railroad. He was CHOSEN presi-
dent of his fathers system Of roads
upon the retirement OF the "Com-
mOdOre,' az the elder Vanderbilt
was called from his connection
with steamboat and steamship
lines. The younger Vanderbilt
continued his fathers policy of ex.
pansion and absorption of Compel
ing lines, and within the past year
he caused a stir in railroad circles
by acquiring the West Shore Rail
road, paralleling his own line on
the Hudson, at the same time
abandoning the South Penn scheme,
by which he had proposed to par
allel the Pennsylvania Railroad in
Southern Pennsylvania, Mr.. Van
derbilt's railroad policy was always
vigorous, and often apparently bold
to the verge Ofrashness. Although
he nominally retired from active
operations over year ago IN the
hope of regaining his health, his
death will remove an actor from
the arena OF railroad competition
and rivalry whose personal force
and daring will be conSpicuously
missed.