Bismarck weekly tribune., 1888-10-05
OUR NEW YORK LETTER.
sully and Corbin, Millionaires Who's
y. Careers Arc Interesting.

oAio VI ouo uouUtluuy WedlGuv men OF
the metropolis, concerning whom little is
to be really acquainted with him; yet for
something like dozen years he has been
active in many schemes that have attracted
much attention. He has never, with one ex-
ception, appeared before the public in the
attitude Of great operator on his own ac-
count, and it is doubtful if he intended it then
and certain that he regretted it afterward.
That was when he paid some enormous sum
(variously reported) for the option of pur-
chasing the Garrett interest in Baltimore
and Ohio" Even then he was probably act
ing for the chief in whose service he has
amassed a fortune; but the scent was guarded,
and Austin Corbin had ostensibly nothing to
do with the business. The scheme fell
through, and Sully bore the ridicule that
was excited with the same imperturbability
that has distinguished him in many other
trying positions.
He was school teacher before he found
himself in New York and proved to Corbin
that he was an invaluable man of business
He is possessed of even more culture than A.
7. Stewart and Jay Gould are popularity
credited with, and is known to have pub
lished volume Of poetry in the days when
he had not turned his attention to the service
Of Mammon. As a poet, however, he did not
achieve distinction, and the volume is be-
neved to be 'sout Of print" The reaction
from his early habits, and perhaps reaction
also from his business habits of today, make
him somewhat ambitious Of the reputation Of
man about town, and he seldom declines to
clink glasses with good companions, though
discretion fixes the limit Of his indulgence at
about three Manhattan cocktails His first
great social struggle was to achieve the habit
Of smoking, and when he began this it was
with brand of unequaled cigars They
were as mild as dry hay and of about the
same hue, and it was amusing enough to see
him wrap the end of one in four thicknesses
Of cigarette paper before putting it in his
mouth, naively explaining that he did not
like the taste of tobacco.
Corbin, like most other great operators,
chooses his aides with wonderful discretion,
and Mr.. Sully distinguished himself by re-
markable success in the first great work he
undertook. This was the securing of the
right of way for the railroad Corbin
had projected to connect Manhattan
Beach with New York city. The
shrewd manipulation knew well enough
that if the news were bruited about before
the right of way should be secured it would
cost vast deal more than if the job could be
done quietly, and Sully was entrusted with
the work. Few persons at first sight would
suspect this quiet, slender, genial, smooth
faced, extremely sallow gentleman of being
a business schemer, and he therefore had his
ance, moreover, he had untiring energy, per-
feet suavity, exquisite diplomacy, and
subtle skill worthy of Machiavelli. He had
almost the entire route free before any one
outside of Corbin's own circle knew that the
road was projected.
From that time until within less than two
years he openly acted as Corbin's assistant,
holding, it is true, important positions on
some western railroads, but also drawing
fat salary from Corbin's Long Island schemes
Since then there is some doubt whether they
have been allied as closely as before, though
some shrewd observers profess to see that
Corbin,s real interests lie in the direction Of
all Of Sully's operations. g i;
Some idea Of the vigcr and ability with
which Mr.. Sully acts when occasion demands
may be found from the way he defeated
''strike" that was contemplated on the Man
haitian Beach Railway company, while the
road was inscourse Of construction. Certain
parties who saw an opportunity to make
money by delaying that construction had
perfected their plans for procuring an in
junction against laying the track through
certain piece Of property. On Saturday
night Mr.. Sully learned of this, and learned,
moreover, that the injunction would be ap.
piled for on the following Monday. Corbin
was away, and there was no one else at hand
from whom he could procure authority to
act, 20, unauthorized, hs procured that night
an army of workmen, and by midnight Of
Sunday the work was completed. So quietly
was 1t done that the obstructionists went
ahead on Monday, procured the injunction,
and only learned Of their defeat when they
served the papers
With all this success it is, as was said, very
doubtful how much Mr.. Sully. is worth, but
It Is probably very much more than enough
to rank him among the millionaires. When
. favorite niece Of his was married, about q
year ago, he gave her as wedding present
check for 5000 He Is an active and bold 1
operator, and 1t ts difficult to tell what his
fortune may be in . few years