New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-04-11


retired at 10 o'clock =,
At both ONCE and house he was easily accessible he
never refused 10 any caller. however humble hut ne
lad uncommon aisrernment, and " the visitor hcken
sufficient crrand he capable of being sharp n a
even rude excaimng: Cose! speak quick aud he "hF
Ills conversation was freely peppered with the
rhetorical for which he had acquired taste
In sailor days and lie never could reform TINS hap
probably until bc was a very old man he never tred
The Rev DR. Deems is the authority for the ioliowhS
account OF ono OF tho COmmodorc's after dinner
speeches.
had irst finished the Caroline my first steamboat
proud o; her I tell youl When the lasI h Of paint
was dry. iired caterer to spread BANQUET H r o
listed the Gaes and to the island to see
mother aud got CT ana fetched er down TO me
and 7 escorted her aboard aud showed her the gay
decks and tue and the galley and naly zoo" c
into the cabin where The banquet Was sprea n how S
Ter down at the head OF the tah" neNsr see any o
so astonished az she was when 1910 her orc me d."
did YOU sit this dinner T.
His second wife, Miss Crawford, whom lie married
when he was eighty. MANAGED by her cenicno'S'
aniabrlty and tact make great change Ia many {"
hi, wavs and under hor influence he became more
refined and MIRO charitable. lie founded the NandrrMU
University with Sl000.oOO. and made some DINER pen
elections Int he was an aims glNer even III hH
so,test moments lie believed that the struggle Tor OK
istcnce and survival the htcst was the right rule OF
the universe; naturally for it lad produced him. and It
seemed as time went c working pretty well I'D the
case Of Billy" rhe old Commodore expired ID MS
eighty third year. having fought Oh death with chai"c
teristic vel cncncc and periinacy during an el-Ht
months Illness lie learned that the papers hal pun
lishod the news that lie dying and the next tnea
reporter came house he got ont OF he'd and shouted
over the stairs: am not dying, And II j was
should have vgOr enough to knock this abuse down your
lying thIoats and give the undertaken u jon"
lie left a little over FlOO.0O0,OVo or ths colossal
fortune about $4,000 900 went To William, whom he
had learned to trnst and respect, and upon whom lie
depended 70 continue his dynasty in the government o
the railroads There ugy contest over the WILL
but before tine family scandal had run its threatened
courso William settled the by paying considerable
sum to Cornelius j. an / the dissatisfied sisters
He drove around evening aud distributed this
splendid arsess from his carriage he himself carrying
the bonds each hou'a III his arms and delve'in;
them each sister i'll tam rhc donation was accom-
panied ny interesting mcid nts. In one case the
husband said: "Wiiam. I've made quick calculation
SsOOOOD. They're 500 short at the price quote To-
day" The donor smiled aud sat down and made ont his
In another case husband aitor counting and receipt
ins Tor the $jooOoo followed tue Seneions visitor "o
Of the door and sid: BY the way. il yOn conclude to
give the Other sisters any more >o see That we '"Fe as
Tel as any Ul ' T1 oye Of w;,ot Tcr Only
saying, with laugh to his companions Wen, what 40
you think o that 2"
When he came into power in 1877 the second Of the
Vanderbilt line lity-s years OF axe. lie had been
hard worker ever he "A boy. and The mastery
OF the railroad business for which he wa cow cstln-
sniShci had boon acquired b. "nwclrcd ap llcatlon
under his fathers sharp oversight He had none o the
Commodore brilliant audacity- but he was cautions.
inlust and clear headed Jay Gorld declares mat
he was OF unusual ability in the management OF
large financial interests and always sound Judge OF
values Russell Sage said OF him that lac always met an
mergency with plan, he always kept his word to the
letter. and LIE possessed great fnLd Of decision and
persistence. lie had been vice pre-, ident OF the railroads
under his father and in succeeding tv the presidency aud
the fortune he made IN his way o' lie except
that he worked harlc and gave more attention than
the details OF administration He had lis fathers
love or horses but hal his fathers invaluable
faculty for leaving business behind him when he took his
recreation. The which the old man carried 50
iauntilv was crushing burden 10 the son. and H. killed
him at an age when the Old Commo lore had been just
getting his wind. 1t is remarkable, however. that
William Vanderbilt although ne took his wealth 50 hard
had capacities for EMO. In wealth which tho father
never dreamed OF. He built ptlatii house ne col
lectcd a magnificent picture gallery, not for love OF
display but because he really loved pictures; he made
some rrncely gift, FOR pnhlic purposes; he found
pleasure in travelling; he AN aiectionntc father and
derived great lea OF happiness from his family he
before he began to make his famous collection OF
modern French pictures, lie used to be frequent
visitor to tic Tenth studio where ho purchased many
American works But Mr.. CroIut ADDS that Mr Van
derbiiid not TO make collection OF AmcIi-
pictures after ho had come into possession OF his
fortune since able to buy the best and most costly
IL the world"
lr. Vanderbilt,
liked to do things III MS own way lie ihsfard
is N his dealings with artists, acting toward thcm with
the hniliig ana furnishing OF his nonr Int he had an
independent iudg neut OF his own and REGARDLESS OF the
reputation of the artist lac would not bny work which
he al not like and comprehend II MS az cl!i9n was
called To certain picture he va app 10 'pN - may
shall buy it," For many years Mr. Wander III
woul Duy COrot, since he di not sec the brany
OF work. hut in the end he purchased Two small cx
Rmples because, he said he was tired or beng told ia
he must have Corot! He liked pictures which told
story, with either strong cheerful suiect+, such rs
APPEAL to The m afna d; OF Inc oGdHy
He was excellent terms with MeiSsoper and one
day duIng sitting, he asked artist which of his
works Le considered the best:
The Information -Genera Dcsaix and the Captured
Where Where is 1t r. ASKED Mr. Vanderbilt
have not seen since 767, when painted it, said
tie artist sadly IL III Dresden and belongs 10 the
| collection OF Mr. Meyer. II Is lost rance" he
added as il &c ielt sore that such fine work should be
Immediately without letting tho artist the secret,
Mr. Vanderbilt requested his agent to ascertain from the
Fifty thOus md dollars. came the reply.
Get it," was the answer, and lac drew check upon
his banker for the fun amount Mr. Meyer objected TO
| the check and wanted the cash. 40 The next day M
Vanderbilt the bank and drew the money and in
few days the picture was DELIVERED III Paris Then ne
prepared smlisc for the artist He mad me picture
studio and at tae close OF one OF his sittings for the
MeIs,ouer. want your Judgment picture have
80 Certainly with pleasure the reply. Where Is
"a In the next ROOM" said Mr.. vaDderbllt
/ so they went iutO the room. and Mr. Nandcrbilts
ATTENDANT uncovered the picture and behold! II
Mr,sonier's masterpiece. The effect elrcrIc. The
artist threw up his arms, uttercd eXclaUatiOns Of
delight. got down his krces before the canvas,
for lis WIFE, and danced about only mad French
artist can. Mr.. Vanderbilt heartily enjoyed the little
ly and III due time had the picture sent to New
T York.
A year or two before his death Mr Yande lit began
to retire more ana from active business He
resigned the railroad presdencies and sold no less than
S35OOOooo of Central stock, rcinvesting the proceeds
In United States bonds Tho torture lett h.ni bJ
/ the Commodore had doubled itself IN about seven
vears-a result attributable not any bold financial
prise but to prudent and lalustakng management
the pansiakirG management. which nIrsed the prop
etty aud destroyed the owner.
Ii was the ambition of the old Commodore to establish
q regular Vanderbilt succession in which the
fortune and the control OF the Railroads shodd
pass from eldest son 10 eldest son ~ long as