Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1885-12-25
A BURIAL.

Simplicity-The Interment on Staten
islam description of the Mausoleum
Now Being Constructed-Few Facts OBJ
tainable Regarding the Disposition of
His Vast Wealth.
New York, Dec. 12.-Shortly before
nine O'Clock yesterday morning the family
looked for the last time on the features of
William H.. Vanderbilt. The service,
conducted by Rev. Samuel Cook, of
St. Bartholomew Protestant Episco
pal Church, was simple, consisting
of a prayer, a few words of re.
membrane and of consolation. The COT
fin was then closed and Mrs. Vanderbilt re-
tired to the apartment which she has oc-
cupied since the death of Mr.. Vanderbilt.
The coffin was raised upon the shoulders of
the undeltaker's assistants, and, preceded
by the clergyman and the pall-bcarers,
was borne down the broad staircase, out
through the corridors and through the open
doors.
AT 9:45 a. M. the funeral cortege started
for the church. There were no crowds on
the streets through which it passed and the
police along the line almost Outnumbered
the sightseers. at 1915 the doors of st.
Bartholomew's Church were opened and
the porters, bearing upon the shoulders the
coffin, passed down the center aisle. Pre-
ccding the coffin walked the a ll-bearers,
| WGuIIIlS WllltC SuSlcS. 1IISSC WCI6. CuluIls
cey NJ. Depew, J. P%ierrepont Morgan.
Charles Rapallo, William Turnbull, VIII
lam Bliss, George l. Magce, c. Nj. Berger,
Charles G. Clark, Judge John H. Brady, w.
L.. Scott, ID. o.. Mills and S. W.. Caldwell.
Rev. DR.. Samuel Cook, accompanied by
his assistant, Rev. +. w. Clampett, clad in
the white robe Of the Episcopal clergy,
walked in advance of the procession and
read the lines from the burial service: II
an the resurrection and the life," etc. Fol
lowing the coffin came the members of the
Vanderbilt family, headed by Cornelius
Vanderbilt and wife. When the music of
the funeral march ended the choir sang:
Lord, Let Me Know My End" After the
simple service for the dead had been read
the choir and congregation united in sing
ing Nearer, My God, to Thee"
1t was 1850 o'clock when the doors of
the church again swung backward and the
solemn procession returned to the street.
Here carriages were in waiting to take the
coffin and the mourning family and friends
to the ferryboats.
The Southtield, of the Staten Island line,
was waiting in the Slip at the foot of West
Forty-second street when the funeral cor
tege arrived. About fifty carriages, with
their occupants, were driven to the boat,
but it was found impossible to accommO-
date all of them, and many were unavoid-
ably left behind.
The passage was devoid of interest.
Nearly all the members of the Vanderbilt
family remained in their carriages during
the entire trip. The boat landed at Clifton,
Staten Island, at 1925 p. M, and the pro-
ccssion again formed and stated toward
New Dorp, several miles away. Hundreds
Of people came from all parts Of the island
to see the funeral, and on nearly all the
hotels and prominent buildings the flags
were suspended at halt-mast.
1t was after one o'clock when the mourn
full tolling of The bell upon the Moravian
church at New Dorp was heard. The ceme-
terry reached, the liearse was driven to a
space in front of the Temporary receiving
vault, and the casket was removed and
placed Immediately in front of the door of
the vault. The pall-bearers divided into two
ranks on either side Of the coffin. The rel
atives stood beside the pall'bearers on the
southerly side. The spectators stood with
uncovered heads while Rev. William II.
Vogler, pastor of the Moravian Church, ut
tered an eloquent prayer, after which
Rev. DR.. Cook recited the Episcopal
service for the dead. The casket was
then carried into the receiving vault,
where it was Theoretically sealed in the
When this was done the mourncrs again
took their places in the carriages and were
driven back to Clifton landing.
Robert Pinkc!ton and a force of his men
were left in charge of the vault until the
mausoleum is finished, which it is expected
will be within six months. The Southiield
took the mourners back to New York, ar
irving about four o'clock.
The Vanderbilt mausoleum is in the Nora
Wan Cemetery at New Dorp, S. !. 1t con-
sists OF eight sets of small vaults, with nine
| oh p,har }n nonh cot 10 lnll n1f,r,fhou
seventy-two bodies. The vaults are of solid
Quincy granite and the foundation walls
reach fifteen feet below ground. When
finished a great tower will
e e,Se up hign o I'M mia 'dGm two towers 10 "t OF
'lanterns." Light will be admitted through
glass ten inches thick, protected by massive
iron bars. Three hollow Gothic columns Or
nament the facade of the tomb. The figures
and designs inside the tomb are cut in In.
diana limestone. The design over the vault
where Commodore Vanderbilt and family
will lie represents the Creation. Other carv-
ings represent Paradise, Moses delivering the
Ten Commandments, King Solomon and the
Queen of Sheba, the Virgin Mary and the
Infant Jesus, the CrlcifiXion IND the AS
%cension. The inner chamber will contain
an altar and reredos. The tomb is set di-
rectly into the hill, and it will be embarked
with earth, IN which trees will be planted.
Beneath it is a double concrete floor. The
estimated entire cost is 1928, 600.
There was some discussion among the
members of the family to-day whether the
provisions of the will should be made pub
lie Immediately. Some members took
the ground that out Of Difference to
Elliott +. Shepard the will should not
be published or its contents made
known until after his return from Europe,
while by Others it was urged that Mr.. Van
derbilt's interests are SO vast and affect
SO many persons that the public has, in a
certain sense, a right t. know without un.
necessary delay how he has disposed of his
property. But, though nothing could be
learned as to the details Of the will, it was
ascertained that Cornelius Vanderbilt has
been made the largest individual legatee.
and that the bulk Of the property has been
left as a trust fund to be administered by
Cornelius and William K. Vanderbilt and
Chauncey NJ. Depew.
The statement is made by an intimate
friend OF the family that the will immedi-
ately distributed comparatively little of the
estate, binding up its great bulka as a trust
from which all annual income--estimated
of C1S 0nn 0nn cLo.Il w. .:,- -