Huntsville gazette., 1886-01-30
vANDERBiLT's INTENTIONS.


What the Great Railroad King Intended to
Have Done--A Monument in ContempIa-
tion at the Time of His Death That
Would Have Given Him Enduring Fame.
The Sloans' Great Gift.
NEW YORK, Jan. 26.-The true signi-
fcance OF the great gift Of S250,O00 to the
College OF Physicians and Surgeons by
Mr.. and Mrs. Sloan is just revealed.
When William H. Vanderbilt signed and
executed his ninth will-the one admit
ted to probate-the fact was mentioned
= hi sswyer that it contained no great
testamentory character.
"No," said the testator, 'I have not
much respect for the spirit which gives
money to the public in wills. For a-man
to give away money after he has got
through with it is no credit, and to give
it to a library instead OF his children is
only to change its direction. All that a
man means to do in public charities, he
ought to do when he is alive and has
something to part with. / mean to es-
tablish big art museum and put five or
ten millions of dollars in it. Then l
mean to leave my children enough so
that they can be wisely philanthropic
after am gone"
He Immediately put into operation a
plan for a colossal art museum, but his
wish to get the lots where the Catholic
Gated was resisted by that institution.
nh Ia
SO suddenly died.
Mrs. Sloan and the other children have
now taken upon themselves the burden
of benevolence, and while they do not
feel that the public can ri@htfully make
any demand upon them, more than upon
any other citizens, they recognize the fact
that their father did not build for himself
the sort of q monument he might have
done, and they are consulting on what to
DO and how to do it.
Cornelius and VIM. X. Vanderbilt are
now respectively first and second vice
presidents of the Hudson River and New
York Central railroads, the former is
chief of finance and the latter head Of
transportation, but it is understood at
the next election their rank and RESPONSE
bilty will be increased. Their characters
are quite different, though side
whiskers, square face and grey
eyes give them sharp re-
semblance in personal appearance
Cornelius is forty-one years old, a deeply
and actively religious man, quiet in his
habits, superintendent of Sunday
school, worth ninety million dollars, and
Nabsa 10 be worth three or four times
that amount before he dies. He has been
OF ha CHI, ho ;vfa
years old, and is a hard and constant
worker. Twelve years ago he made a
wife of Alice G. Wynn, Of Cincinnati
and they have four or five children.
Wm. X. Vanderbilt is different sort of
man. His mother brought up all of her
nine children to be religious, but w. K.
got over going to Sunday-school a good
while ago. He finds solace at the club
likes to drive upon the avenue as hi
grandfather did, and has just ordered de-
signs for new yacht that will be larger
than the old Commodore's North Star
larger and finer than even Gould's am
Benefits cruisers, the Atalanta anc
Namouna. He hates the desk as
much as his brother likes il.
is very active in his temperament, ath-
letic and with superabundant vitality. III.
likes to take risks as the old Commodore
did, and like him is irasciblc and some
what brusque in his manner. Like hin
he dislikes vanity, that is, he is no
amiablc or conciliatory, and does no
care much what folks either think or sa,
OF him. Ten years ago he married
Southern lady, who is much devoted t.
the gay world. They reside in the grea
white marble house in the style of an Oh
French chateau at Fifth avenue and
Fifty-second street, and they summer OF
Long Island. They have four youn,
children.
1t is believed by those best acquainte
with him that Cornelius Vanderbilt vii
easily become good deal richer ma
than his father was, and that in his ow
time he will be the founder and patro
of some noble secular establishment tha
will serve as memorial of his name.