Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-12-11

stast In life to Mr.. vAndsrbilt's assist
auos and encouragement. Some Of MS
| old friends wspt like children when
they heard Of his death. Old Captain
Jake Vanderbilt, an uncle Of Mr.. Van.
| dsrbilt, Who lives one and ono hall
miles up the bill from Clifton, was COM
pleiely prostrated when the news reach
ed him. Tie was unable to leave home
for New York until yesterday,
John Scott, Of Clifton, one OF ME-.
yanderbilt's earliest friends, was deep
" grieved over his death. ut was
only on Friday that be was down here
talking over old times. lie knew every
body, and everybody liked him. he
said to me on the boat that he was a
WORKOUT old man. Physically he was
like his mother. who died Of the same
complaint ten or twelve years ago. lie
was talking Of bringing good library
down to Staten Island for the use oil
the people. He died at least fifteen
years too soon."
Mr.. Vanderbilt took great interest in
the affairs of the New-Dorp Moravian
church. About six years ago he built
the present parsonage at cost OF
10000. and four years later purchased
Mrs. Fountains farm OF four and half
acres, adjoining the church ground, for
$4,000 and presented it to the church
for the location Of superintendent
house. In addition, he authorized the
pastor, the Rev. Mr.. Vogler, to improve
all the roads, lay out the cemetery
grounds, and construct artificial lakes.
For this work he had paid about sl0,-
900.
During the great railroad strikes of
1877 it was a singular fact that the en-
eiueers and fremen Of the New York
Central and Hudson-River railroad
stuck to their engines, and the road
was not affected by the strike. General
Superintendent John NJ. Toucey said
yesterday that the company made no
concession or promise to the men or de-
Walton whatever from the rules in force
at the time. After the strike was over
Mr.. Vanderbilt summoned the OFF,
GERS of the road to Saratoga and
said that as the men had stood by the
road during the strike, he intended
that he appreciated their
fidelity. To that end he desired to dis
tribute the sum Of 100000 among the
engineers and firemen, numbering about
! 900 men, and he directed the officers
to prepare the rolls and superintend the
division Of the money. The fidelity Of
the men, Superintendent Toucey
thought, was due to the general good
feeling prevailing between the employees
and the officers Of the corporation, and
tie knowledge on the part of the former
that they were receiving fair treatment
and wages.
An intimate friend Of Mr.. Wander
bilt, in discussing his character, said
; yesterday: ".Mr. Vanderbilt was a
far ADLER man than people generally
gave him credit for being. No other
in America had as extern
sive a knowledge Of the details Of the
business. A few days ago | was talk
ing to a manufacturer Of locomotives,
who said he was surprised at Mr.. Van
derbilt's acquaintance with details. In
fact he knew more about the business
than any railroad-man he ever did bust
ness with.
Mr.. Vanderbilt told me not long
ago that he did not care to make any
more money. Said he Il would not
walk across the street to make a mil
lion of dollars. All that care to do
now is to keep what have got and
it properly The best evil
dence of the care and attention Mr..
Vanderbilt bestowed on his family is
to be found, think, in the fact that
large as his family is there is not
among them. They are all
steady. respecteblc citizens"