The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-03-24
GOTHAM GOSSIP.
Railroad Passes-Vanderbilt's sons-in-
Law


Law.
NEW YORK. March 23.-It isn't generally
known. but 1t is fact, nevertheless, that
all the great railroad companies Of the
United States are violating the interstate
commerce. law by issuing passes. just after
the law was enacted its provisions were
| strictly adhered to, and it was next to i'm
possible 70 get pass on any railroad. This
Is net 50 nov, and under the classification
OF advertising agents and railroad en-
ployes great many big men ride to and
FRO oil over the country free. OF course tie
companies will not admit this, but it is
TACT. nevertheless. The law, so IA as it a2-
piles 10 railroad passes, is G dead letter.
Oaly few people know that the Western
Union Telegraph Company issues a book of
telegraph franks to prominent men
Throughout the country. They are much
the same as free passes, and don't believe
tnas Dr. NorVin Green will thank me for
giving out this information. These franks
come in neat little books and are in
tended as a personal courtesy to men who
nave large business relations with
the telegraph company. and who may wish
10 use the wires in sending social messages.
1t is distinctly understood that the franks
are not to be used for any business mes age
whatever. Nearly every newspaper editor
of Importance in New York, besides all the
wall street bankers, and others of like I'M
portance, have these little books slugly
tucked away in thsir vest pockets and they
are very convenient, to-.
ONE OF VANDERBILT'S soNs-IN-LAw
DR.. William Seward Webb of tie house
OF Vanderbilt, who has just sailed for
Europe With his family and a retinue of
servants, where he intends to astonish the
efete monarchies of the Old world, is one of
the handSomeSt men in New York He is
son of old James Watson Webb. the
famous fighting Editor of the days OF Ben
nett and Raymond and Greeley. He is tall,
carries himself ike soldier, dresses in per-
feet taste, wears an irreproachable beard,
and pays good deal of attention to the
instruction he receives from his manicure.
He has the most varied assortment of closh-
Ing OF any man in New York and NAV
even be said 10 rival Bob Garrett of Balti-
more, whose collection of 800 pair of trou-
sers Is still the largest on record. As the son
OF Zen. Webb. he was enabled to make his
entree into good society, and he improved
II TO such an exte II that in q snort time ne
married one of the great railroad kings
daughters. This means more than may
appear on the surface For all the men
who have married into the Vanderbilt
family have found a check book on their
wifes dressing table with a gold-tlpped pen
by its side, and they could, if so inclined,
SlSu lLSlI ndHIeS W CDSckS raDGljG from
ten to thirty million dollars. Of course, it
may be said that this is wifes property,
and while this is no doubt true, there are
very few women SO hard-hearted as to re-
fuse to give trlheS like million dollars to a
| handsome aud well-behaved husband.
Dr.. Webb Is ldentified with the great
railroad corporation. as are ali the men of
the Vanderbilt family. but he is also inter-
| ested In the breeding of no seS, and on tie
day he sailed away the first sale of the
produce OF his farm in Vermont was held.
A number of very fiue animals we're put up
| at auction, but the prices realized were far
from satisfactory. The doctor deserved
better things, too, for he has begun the
breeding Of very useful class of road
| and carriage horses, such as are needed
! in New York city. But ii he hopes to
make any money out of the enterprise,
he will have to begin all over again, for it
was conceded that the animals sold for only
| about half what they were worth. To some
men this might not be a very great OBJ
! lection, particularly if the breeding of the
horses was a hobby, but with Dr. Webb it
is not only HOBBY, but an enterprise that
| he thought would pay very well. and as he
dearly loves TO hold on to the money that
came to him through the Vanderbilt fam
| lily his chagrln and disappointment will be
great when ne learns of the amount real
lied upon his arrival in London.
BY the way, 1t would be unfair in any
mention OF the Webb family to omit TO say
that Mrs. Webb like all the daughters Of
VIM. H. Vanderbilt, is not only clever
| and cultivated woman. loving wife and
mother, but sne has distinct tact for bust
ness, and she manages to turn good many
dollars over in Wall street by Keeping the
run of the stock market. She entertalns a
| good ell, goes out into society very often,
but she never forgets to add money to her
already large fortune. She is persistent
newspaper reader, a lover OF the beautiful,
hunter after rare books and epgravings,
and, by those who know her, is said to be a
delightful companion. There is nothing
shoddy about her, ard that is saying a good
deal, in the town where tinsel and ginger
bread are the main feature of the social
! fabric.