The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-02-08
THE PRESIDENT OF READING.
Interesting Personal Gossip About Man Who,
Just Now, Is Prominent in the Public Eye.

Interesting TeTS0udI UOSSlp ABOUT man Who,
just Now, Is Prominent in the Public Eye.
| Special to tho Indianapolis journal
New YORK, Fen Austin Corbin. the rail-
road mag1ate. banker and hotel proprietor, is ia
many respects q remarkable man, and it is in
teresting to describe him in this despatch be-
cause of his big fight with the Pennsylvania coal
miners. In the first place, the present boss Of
the Residing railroad is man of large physique
and capable of hard work. He is nearly six feet
tall. broad shouldered, and weighs trife over
200 pounds His features are largo and prcml-
nent, his aquiline nose adding greatly to their
strong appearance His head is bald. with the
exception of fringe Of grayish hair, and he
wears neatly trimmed, pointed gray beard.
He is nearly sixty years Of age He is ambi
tious, and finds his greatest pleasure Ia the work
of directing the many schemes Of which hs is
the leader. His immediate family consists OF
his wife, three daughters and one son. Of the
daughters, is the widow Of the late Count
Champoilion, one is married to Mr. EdRerly. OF
st Louis and the youngest, Annie, is still I'M
attached Madame Champollion presides over
Mr.. Corbin's Chestnut-street residence in Phila-
delphia- Mrs. Corbin and Miss Corbin travel .
great deal, and Mrs. Edgerly frequently joins
them. Austin Corbin, jr., the fourteen-year-old
son, attends school in Nav York
While Mr.. Corbln is rather plain man in his
personal habits. and abhors being considered AN
aristocrat, he maintains three different resi-
dences the year around, and divides his time
among them. His New York house. at 40 Fifth
avenue, corner Of Thirty-ninth street. is tho
property of James Gordon Bennett, aud was
formerly occupied by that roaming journalist.
It is elegantly but quietly furnished, and during
A.
charge of housekeeper. Mr. Corbin is usually
there on Monday of every week. Saturday and
Sunday he spends, rule. at his handsome
country scat at Babylon. Il. ]. This is his
favorite abode, and 10 surrounded by largo
grounds. 1t is situated on an elevation about
mile from the water, and commands beautiful
view of the surrounding country. Mr.. Corbin
has for his neighbors there some a.ntlem.
equally well known for their wealth and as III,
heads of large corporations. Among them
President Hyde. OF the Equitable Life Insurance
Company, and Mr. Havemeyer, the big sugar
man. It has long been pet hobby of Mr.. Cor
bin to take up his residence at this place perma-
nently, and settle down there in tho fashion ia
vogue among gentlemen owning country estates
on the other side of the water. When he vis-
tied Yellowstone Park, in tho spring Of last
year, he thought it would be good idea to get
some of the animals that abound there for his
park In Babylon. He therefore gave liberal
kinds Of deer and other animals. Some of them
are now In his park. They include an elk some
deer, and an antelope. Others are expected
grounds about tho Babylon house also include
trout pond Astounding with larRs, specified
beauties, and stream Of clear water runs
house are under the charge Of an eccentric
Irishman named Fesnoy, who considers Mr..
Corbn the greatest man in the United States.
II is feature of Mr.. Corbins character that
he manages to impress all his employees in q
somewhat similar manner. His slightest word
is to them command, and. while he does not
reported to be full y informed as to the precise
manner in which they are carried out. Although
he keeps handsome carriages for his family, he
seldom rides in them himself He carries his
own valise between the depot and his resi-
denees, and patronizes the horse cars when he is
in the city 1t is said of him that his desire to
avoid notoriety is great that he will 60 to
treme lengths to escape observation An anecs
dote is related of him which would seem TO bear
oct this statement Sometime ago tho editors
OF Harper's Magazine were DESTROYS OF obtairina
his portrait to use in article. and
importuned him for his photograph. He
was personally solicited for II:
accede to the request. He refused, however,
and il alleged to have stated at the time that he
would never have photograph taken. He was
then advised by friend to be extremely careful
if he disired to keep his likeness from the pub
lie, there were such things as 'sdetectives
cameras which might be poked at him while he
was sitting in the horse-cars or taking his lunch
in restaurant. Tho suggestion made him
very watchful 1t was not long after that an
enterprising young journalist secured employ.
lnent in his Office. and one day when Corbin
entered the room whore the newspaper man was
the latter had camera turned on him. He
drew the slide as Mr. Corbin stepped across the
threshold, but was not quick enough TO oscar pc
the lAtter'a ooservapt eye.
What ia that you are doing9" Mr.. Corbin il
reported to have demanded peremptorily and
irritably. "Are YOU trying to take my photo-
grapha Get out of here at once.
The newspaper man cooliy took his apparatus
under his arm and walked out OF the room. leav-
IN icfa a1fsra faA fHu1a in Ia
had managed fairly good likeness.
however. and it appeared few days later in
New York newspaper. 1t is said to have been
long time afterward before MIR. Corbiu regained
his equanimity. Mr.. Corbin keeps q sharp
watch over the employees in his Offices in the
Boreel Building, on lower Broadway. Recent
" he WAS busy with some of the directors of the
Reading company In his private Office when he
young woman smiling and making
was evident that her glances were directed
toward somebody in his outer Offices. The
meeting was sooner adjourned than he sum-
moned one of the men and demanded to know
who the young woman had been making signs
to. The startled employe at a loss to an
swer, when Mr.. Corhiu remarked coldiy:
Nov, let it be understoodi want to have no
more of that
he is said never to fail in answering every letter,
no matter how trivial the subject Il may treaf
Of Frequently he is at his Philadslphia Office
in the morning. his New York Office In the after
noon and his Babylon residences in the evening
He takes great delight il the thester and this
il one Of the few aInusements that he INDUCES
In. He can no seen frequently at the New York
theatcrs when he Is stopping In the city. He
seldom occupies . box, however.
a Zig Excursion.
II iustice cets 40 Al excursion d the nan it>n-