Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-03-21
NEW YORK GOSSIP.
LIVE TOPICS As SEEN IN THE GREAT
METROPOLIS.
soc,stv and scandal-A Look at Moneyed,
Political. and Literary Men-Labor
Troubles Discussed.


soc,stv and scandal-A Look at Moneyed.
Political. and Literary Men-Labor
Troubles Discussed.
especial Correspondence OF the Dispatch
NEW YORK, March 10, 1885.
The Wall-street story that young man
whose fortune amounts to s75,OOO,0 900,
but whose grandfather was once boat
man at New Dorp, Staten Island, has
lat,erly sold some $4,000 shares OF
Lake-Shore railroad stock, seems to
have little foundation in fact. William
X. Vanderbilt has probably not sold a
share of that stock. lie is chairman
of the Lake-Shore Board Of Directors,
Cornelius Vanderbilt is director in
the road, and. in fact, the Vanderbilt
family are sufficiently interested in
the property to render it improba-
BILE that they would abandon their in
terest in it unless for some better reasons
than now exist. William K. Vanderbilt,
by the way, is President of the New
| York, Chicago and st. Louis railroad
and director of the New York Central,
while he is also more or less interested
financially in the Lake Erie and West
ern road. lie is five feet ten inches in
height, weighs 100 pounds, and is con-
sidered the picture of his father. He
has the Vanderbilt gray eyes and wears
side whiskers. fact which recalls old
Commodore Vanderbilt's dislike for
moustaches he considered them
Frenchy" and pretentious. William
II. Vanderbilt never wore a NOUS
tache from the day Of his hum
BILE sojourn on Staten Island as
hard-working farmer to the day when
he died the richest man in the world,
and it was because of bis fathers an
tipathy to this form Of hirsute adorn-
ment. William X. Vanderbilt is now
thirty-six years Of age, Of strong build,
and with doubtless long life Of finan-
cial distinction before him. lie was
educated at Geneva, in Switzerland, and
is something of linguist. He is con-
sidered cOnnoiSseHr in paintings. lie
likes horses, but is without the strong
affection for horsefesh that was so
characteristic of his father. lie is
now having built at Wilmington, Del,
yacht that will be the largest ahoat
and 80 feet longer than Jay Could
254-ton yacht ATLANTA, which Cramp,
Of Philadelphia, built for him three
years ago. William X. Vanderbuilt is
rarely seen in Wall street. lie is more
of a man of the world than his brother
Cornelius. who IS now the head Of the
| Vanderbilt family; he lives in the
splendid castle.like graystone mansion
on Fifth avenue, opposite the home OF
the late William II. Vanderbilt, which,
for magnilicence in hundred details
Of piincely luxury, might please an
Oriental potentate.
CORNELIUS VANDERBILT.
Cornelius Vanderbilt. forty years OF
age. handsome, and worth $50, 000, 600,
is q unique figure in the realm Of gold.
lie is religious he takes an active in
terest in the Bible Society; ne is a
regular attendant Of the Rev. Dr..
Cooks ST. BartholOmew's church, on
Madison avenue; he recalls the rich
young man who came to the Galilean
carpenters Son ages ago.
Cornelius Vanderbilt is very pleasant
in his manners, has considerable degree
of business skill, and is well liked
wherever he is known. lie dresses
neatly but very plainly, wears no dia-
monds, makes no display of wealth ;
the son Of western pork-packer, for
sooth. would hold his head much higher,
propped up with the gold begOtten OF
swine. Mr. Vanderbilt belongs to no
clubs; he is thoroughly domestic in his
tastes. lie was always a particular
favorite of the old Commodore. Twenty
five years ago he was q clerk for Nissan
IL Co., the Wall-street bankers, the head
of the firm being Benjamin Nissan, who
retired twenty years ago, and is
now one of Brooklyn's millionaires,
living in fiRe style in First place. AS
corresponding clerk in this house Cor
nelius received salary Of only 5 1000
year, but out of this he always saved
5000 and deposited it in the bank. This
pleased the old Commodore nightly.
William ii. Vanderbilt had allowed his
son to go into a Wall-street firm in or
der that he might obtain practical eXpe-
rience in finance, but the Commodore
was afraid to have his grandson there
he was afraid of the wiles of Wall.
street sharks, who might lead him into
habits of speculation. He asked the
young man to accept a position
in the office of the New York
Central railroad. The offer was de.
clined. The Commodore, bent or
achieving his purpose, then went to his
daughter-in-law, Mrs. William II. Van.
derbilt and said " You get that boy
Cornelius to leave his present place, and
III give him sl50,000." The young
man, then only twenty-one years of age,
at once accepted this offer. When he
was married the Commodore gave him
$4,000 more, and also left him S..
100000 in his will. He is now presi-
dent of the Canada Southern railroad
chairman of the Executive Board of the
New York Central, and director o.
the Lake Shore and other railroads il
which the Vanderbilt family are inter
ested. lie has the oval Vanderbilt fea
lures, yetstrongly resembles his mother,
who, still handsome, was, IN her earlier
DAYS. one of the most beautiful women
in New York. She lives now in tho
brown palace on Fifth avenue with tive
of her daughters. AS slender blonde
of rare personal attractions she won th'
affection Of young William Ii. Wander
bilt while she was on visit here t
some friends. She was the daughter o
a Presbyterian clergyman named Nissan
at Cedar Hill, small town on the Hud
son, and there they were married; tn
homestead and the farm attached is nov
owned by Benjamin Nissan, Of Brook
Ign. Mrs. Vanderbilt at fifty-nin
bears her age lightly and always LOOKED
much youBger than her husband. Non
of her daughters ever equalled her il
beauty. She is refined, cultivated, an,
charitable.
SOCIETY MATTERS.