Bridgeton pioneer., 1885-12-17
DEATH OF WIN. H. VANDERBILT.

Sth, at $50 p. m, while sitting in his
study at his home on Fifth avenue,
New York. He was talking with Rob-
ert Garrett, President of the Baltimore
and Ohio Railroad Company, at the
time, and they were consulting about
the plans for that roads establishing
terminal facilities on Staten Island.
Mr.. Vanderbilt spoke of his early man
hood on the Island and the Vanderbilt
property there, and, singularly enough,
he was talking of the Vanderbilt fam
lily tomb and mausoleum when Mr..
Garrett noticed that his voice became
thick and indistinct. Glancing quickly
up, he saw that the muscles of the face
were twitching violently, and at the
same moment Mr.. Vanderbilt, with an
effort to articulate which ended in a
gasp, started to a half standing posi-
ton, and pitched heavily forward with
his face downward. Mr. Garrett
started up and caught him in his arms
and eased his fall to the floor, catching
a cushion at the same time from off
the sofa and putting it under the dying
mans head. Mr.. Garrett then rang
for help. Servants and members of
the family came flocking in and physi-
clans were hastily summoned, but the
rich man was beyond aid. Death had
been almost instantaneous.
Mr.. Vanderbilt had nine children,
eight of whom and their mother sur
vive him. There are nineteen grand
children. Cornelius, the eldest son,
married Miss Quinn, whose father was
prominent lawyer in Cincinnati.
They have five children. William K.
married Miss Smith, daughter of
merchant in Savannah. They have
two children. Frederick W. married
Miss Anthony, daughter of an old New
York merchant. George, the young
est, is a bachelor Mr. Vanderbilt's
eldest daughter, Margaret, married
Elliott F. Sheppard. They have five
children. Florence married Hamilton
Nick. Twombly, and has three chill
dren, and Eliza, or Leila, as Mr.. Van
derbilt affectionately called her, mar
ried DR.. Seward Webb, son of the late
James Watson Webb. They have two
children. Mr.. Twombly has charge of
the Central's grain elevators on the
Hudson River, and DR.. Webb is Presi-
dent of the Wagner Palace Car Com
pany.
Mr.. Vanderbilt died possessed of
wealth which seems almost fabulous.
In January, 1888, he told a friend that
he was worth 1894, 100000 and added:
Il am the richest man in the world.
In England the Duke of Westminster
is said to be worth 5000, 900, 900, but it is
mostly in land and houses. 1t does
not pay him 2 per cent" A year ago
it was known that he had $54,OOO,OOO
in Government per cent. bonds, but
this was afterward reduced to $35, ,OOO,-
900, partly to aid his sons, who had
lost $1O,0OO,00O in Wall street. He
afterward purchased $10,OOO,OOO more
of the per cents, and he had besides
$4,000,000 in Government 81 per cents
1t is said that his Government bonds
are worth $7O,00O,OO0. He owned in
addition $4,000, 1000 worth of railroad
bonds, $3,2OO,0OO of State and city
bonds, and had $2,0OO,OO0 in manufac-
turing stocks and mortgages He
stated to friend that his ordinary ex-
penses in year were 100000. A Wall
street man, referring to his wealth,
said: From his Government bonds he
draws $2,372,000 year; from railroad
stocks and bonds, 1884, 900; from mis-
cellaneous securities, $576, ,695; total, in
round numbers, $10,350,OOO a year.
His earnings are thus over $2S,00O a
day, $1,000 an hour, and $19.75 a min
ute" This was year ago, when his
wealth was estimated at 100000, 900.
Some of his securities have decreased
in value since then, but at the time of
his death his fortune was enormous.
His palace at Fifth avenue and Fifty
first street, in which he had lived for
nearly four years. is worthy of a Doge
of Venice. 1t cost between $2,500,0OO
and $3,000,000, and nothing approach
ing it in elegance is to be found in this
country. The double bronze doors
which give entrance to the palace
alone cost $25, 1000, and the bronze rail
ing and other bronze work around the
house was furnished at an expense of
$50, No two rooms in the great
pile are alike, and the
are princely in their mag
nificence. The picture gallery has
about 200 of the noblest works of the
greatest painters, which he valued at
over $1,000,000. Mrs. Sloane and Mrs.
Sheppard occupy the companion house
to Mr.. Vanderbilt's, the house being
divided, one part fronting on Fifth
avenue and the other ON Fifty second
street.
Mr.. Vanderbilt's love of good horses
was one of his leading traits, in which