The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1889-01-30

individual members of the Vanderbilt
family makes the following exhibit:
Cornelius Vanderbilt. .......... $4,000. 600
Wi liam h. Vanderbilt. ....... S5,O0o,O OO0
( Frederick W. Vanderbilt ..... lG,0O1.OJ0
| George w. Vanderbilt. 80. .... l5,OOO,0OO
Mrs Elliott F. Shepard ........ R.Uo,OOO
Mrs. Will am D. Sloane. H,OJO,000
Mrs. Hamilton NICK. Twombly. 12O00, ,0D
Mrs. w. Seward Webb........ l2,Ooo,ooo
| Total. ...... .............. S2I4 ,Ooo
Mrs. William II. Vanderbilt has no
fortune in her own name, contrary to the
general belief. She has an annuity OF
S2Dr, OD0.
When William H. Vanderbilt died he
left q fortune, in round numbers, of
$500, 900, 900. It is remarkable how it
has increased in the three years that have
elapsed since his death. Old Commodore
Vanderbilt left his grandson Cornelius
So, 600, 600 and his other three grandsonss
SO, O0O. QUO each. William X. operated
extensively in the stock market five years
ago and, it was generally understood at
the time, lost his entire fortune, which
he had increased to 81, 000,0 900. He was
reported to have received an allowance
of SO, 400 year from his father for his
personal expenses thereafter ano until
the death of the latter About the time
of or shortly before the termination of
William MS disastrous experience in
Wall street ornelius began specializing
and was reported to have lost about
$3, 900, 900 of his fortune, which had,
however, grown to $S,0o0.O0O The
fortunes of Frederick and George Van
derbilt had also appreciated in value,
though not to the same extent as the
Others. Frederick had been very sue
cessful IN stock speculations and George
had made highly remunerative invest
ments under the direction Of his father.
Altogether. there was in the family, out
side of William H. Vanderbilt's personal
fortune, $4,000, 0J0. Ieducting that
amount, the wealth of William H. Van
derbilt has increased $G2, ,00O,0 900 since
lis death.
The manner of the increase is both
plain and natural. In the first place, the
Vanderbilt estate was the best invested
in the world. Many of the securities
owned by the Vandcrbilts, for instance
the Government bonds, Fay only four
per cent. but many others, like railroad
Stocks and bonds, pay from six TO eight
per cent, so that an average OF five per
cent. is under rather than over the cor
rect rate of income from the eatire
amount. Reckoning the interest at five
per cent. and compounding it semi-an-
nually, the natural improvement in the
total wealth in the past three years has
been $33, S35, 200, or, in round numbers,
S34, OUO, 600. The stocks of nearly all
the Vanderbilt roads have materially i'm
proved in value. In some instances the
Improvement has been twenty-five per
cent, in others twenty and so on to
lesser rate. In addition, profitable in
vestments have been made with the in
come. Taking altogether, the increase
in the combined Vanderbilt wealth out
side of the interest easily reaches $30,-
OUO. 600, which, added to interest COM
puted at So, 900, 00U. makes up the esti-
mated gain of $G2, 000,U 900 and 81, 0Oe,-
600 more. The last named sum is allowed
for the personal expenses of the Wander
bilts.
The wealth of the Vanderbilt family,
comprising only eight persons, is greater
than that of any other individual family
in the world. The Rothschilds are
worth altogether about 81, 600, 600, 000,
but their wealth is scattered among a
great many separate families and distant
relatives. Cornelius Vanderbilt is the
wealthiest individual in the world. The
fortune of the richest individual Roth
schild is not estimated at above $751;
QUO, 900.
As rule great fortunes are over
estimated. The figures here given are
carefully prepared from authentic
sources, and are as nearly correct as it is
possible to make them. They are in no
instance excessive.
William II. Vanderbilt left $40, ,000,-
900 to each of his eight children and
special legacy of $4,000, Quo to his son
, Cornelius. Then he directed the res.
idue, which amounted to about $780,
OOO, 600, to be divided equally between
his sons Cornelius and William Is.
The following shows how the Wander
bilt wealth. if Kept intact, will increase
in the lapse of years at the regular rate
of per cent, compounding the interest
semi.annually:
One year. S2si ,S64, ~ Sl5 so, 4oo
Five years. "4n. 2O,Uoo 70. b..ao.ooo
Ten years. ....... 4iS,949,U.O II4,4 ',Uo
Twenty-Five years. VII ,GD,G GO0 G6I, COJ
Fifty years. s....... 3,@3, IL, 500 $3.50, lI2,SUO
All the Vanderbilts are likely to live
twenty. FIVE years longer. and their indi-
vidual fortunes, computing the interest
at j per cent. and compounding it semi.
annually, will at the end of that time
he as follows:
Cornelius Vanderbilt. ....s3I7, so, ,OOo
William X. Vanderbilt. ......... 2S2 ,009, 900
Frederick w. Vanderbilt. .. 54,g66, 400
George W. Vanderbilt. .......... 81 1881 900