The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1886-03-11
The Vanderbilt Boys.

The young Vanderbilts-I mean Cor.
nelius and William K, the present heads
of the family-bave "gope at it" as if
they meant to double the fortunes their
father left them right speedily. Indeed,
I don't see how they can helpit. Corne-
Illus Vanderbilt is 40 now, and he is
worth, suppose, at least $S0,000,000,
perhaps more. This, at compound inter-
est, should double every twelve years,
which would make it no less than $780,
100000 when Mr.. Cornelius is 76. It
would increase good deal faster than
at the interest which he is to-day receiy-
ing on his stock and bonds, but there
will come. panics, reverses, cataclysms,
perhaps, and he can not safely count on
making more than $3.50, 100000 in thirty
six years.
These young men are exceptional
characters. They started in the path of
life under the iron rod of their remarka-
BILE grandfather, the old commodore. s
He didn't believe in boys at all; he
didn't believe in anybody much, and
when Cornelius and William X. got out
of short clothes he said to their father:
"Look here, Billy, boys are no good
there's only one way to save 'em, and
that is by putting 'em at something, and
making 'em work like the devil all the
while. Now, stick these boys in some.
where, and make 'em come down to it.
Don't let up on 'em."
William 81. was not half as hard and
infexible as his father, but he was accus.
toned to mind that gentleman-as obedi-
ent when he was 40 as when he was IA
and he knew perfectly that it was
better to kick boy out of doors than to
pet him and give him money; SO he told
the boys as his father had told him, that
they "must support themselves"
Cornelius got little clerkship in the
Shoe and Leather bank when he was 16,
and for four years he got there as early
as any clerk, and worked as late and as
hard. he allowed himself no extra
holidays, and neither his father nor his
grandfather did anything to make his lie
easier. During these years his uncle
Torrance, going to Europe for the com.
modore, invited "the youngster" to 60
with him, and the grandfather relented
and consented. The boy was delighted
at the chance, but the question of salary
was involved. He presented the matter
to the president. "You can go" said
that amiable functionary, "but of course
you will lose your salary, $3.50" That
settled it. Cornelius turned his back on
temptation and declined to go.
When he was 20 he was made clerk
"at the bottom of the ladder" in the
Hudson River railroad Office, and his
younger brother William K, was put at
work there the next year. For more
than eighteen years, now, they have
"bowed down to it" in that great concern,
and they are far better trained than their
father ever was in all the details of the
business.
They are not fast men. They own no
yacht They care nothing for clubs.
They are content with one wife apiece
They love their children, and each fami-
ly, filing into church, looks like pair of
gently sloping stairs. They care little
for fast horses. They do not swear.
One of them is superintendent of
Sunday school, and both are deeply in-
volyed in the varicns charities of the
city.
Cornelius is first vice president and
head of finance, and William K. is sec.
oud vice president and master of trans
portation. Each knows his business
thoroughly. The most striking thing
about either of them i, that they work
as hard as if they were hired by the job
which they are, by the way-and that
they are perfectly democratic and acces-
sible to anybody who has business with
them. On the whole, the present seniors
of the house of Vanderbilt are about the
most quiet, unassuming, well behaved,
we'll trained, and level headed of the
New York millionaires of the present
day.-C0r. Cincinnati Commercial Gazette