The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-11-01

.
long career of business and speculation.
The formers sens are adding to the family
pile, at rats which, though less sensa-
tional, is still rapid IS: !. = "a. :.
- There is but:one parallel to the marvellous
: inheritance of financial ability that has dis
tinghished the Vanderbilt family. That
: one is to be found in the house of Roths-
child, whose colossal fortune has had much
longer to grow, and has been&f0Stered by
the support of most of the crowned heads Of
! Europe =. IL -. ..::%.. Gee =;
In spite of these facts, the united wealth
. of all the branches of the Rothschiid family
lis estimat ed at not more than half:as much
again as that OF the four Y ahderb ilt BROTH
erS- !. :: T.. -. =. =; !.
:. The landed possessions Of the Astors, pre-
served intact for four generations. aud aug
: mented by the :ugearned incrementS of New
York. development. hardly afford a parallel
. case. go =
T.. The:rlsing generation of the Gotrfd family
has yet to. prove its ability TO. manage a.
fortune which was probably .as:=great as
Commedore Fanaerbilt's at the TIME of the
lattertS death. ~ :: z:.i:- =
When the Commodore died, in January.
: 1S77,fn. his eighty third year, .lle:..left two
sons. The Youngest: Cornelius: jeremiah,
was the nearest approach toa black sheep
among his NUMEROUS pnsterity. ? -.
=. THIS statement must not be Interpreted
too severely, for, together with utter lack of
financial ali Fty, young Corheei'' possessed
many amlable traits of character, and re-
tainedto the lastthe friendship of some of
!: the foremost of his contemporaries, notably
i: Horace Greeley -. 50 !.
!: His father, whoregarled his peccadilloes
with; unrelentfng severity, beQuefthed him
only the inteTestMpon the .sum of $500. 900.
Alter ether iegacieS, amounting IN all to:
about S15000, Qoe,. the remainder, of the
" ConmDdore,s accamaiations were.ieft to his
other sen, William H. Vanderbilt, !.
William IL. Vanderbit's family consisted
of four sons; Cornelius. William Nissan,
Frederick W. and George, and fonr daugh-
tiers, Mrs. Elliot +. zShepard, Mrs William
Sloane, MS IL. Nick. Twomblg: and Mrs.
w. S..Webh. +: : - - ~.
= Cornelius Vanderbilt was 20: wears old
: when the sudden death of his father will
lam on December S,*lSS5, raised him to the
: head OF New IDfk!s greatest m0neyed fam
: ily That headshipis not merely an empty
;phrast, II may he remarked. for the wealth
: OF the. VanderbIlts, thnugh;not held in COM
mon as that OF the Rothsehilds is said to
be, IS yet knpt together by strong bonds of
family alliance, and is practically controlled
as a ruit:by the. elder brothers. Il -. y.
! Entering tile; world of business in his
teens, rs a clerk in the Shoe and Leather
Bank, Cornelius was always, like his father,
a hard worker. He left the hank to fulfill
the duties OF subordinate position in the
Qffice.of the New, \ ork Central, %and worked
his way up tire ladder. until atAhis fathers
death he was ready to take the vacant place
: at the head OF the management-O of his great
railrO id:interests, - .
There are few more pHble:spirited men
than Cornelius; Vanderbilt His: charities,
=: as well as his wife's, are numerous and I'M
sostentatious. H5. takes an especially deep
Interest in all movements for the: benefit Of
boys and young men. Il; :; :: r.
: Mr.. Nanderbiitis a church warden of st.
BaythO lomew's, THE :handsomest Episcopal
house of wors hip on Madison avenue.
: He succeeded TO the office at the death OF
hiS father, who had held it for many years,
and whose name is now craven sou a bronze
memorial tablet on the wall of the edifice. !:
=: He is active in the work of the church,
and liberal and CHEERFUL giver to- the mis-
sionS connected with it. II" ..
In his home life,. too. Mr.. Vanderbilt is
most happily situated. Htis model hus-
band and father, and is very fortunate in his
family relations. -
= He was married eighteen years ago to Miss
Alice Gwinn of Cincinnati. and has four
children. The eldest. who is named Nv lillian
II !, after his grandfather, Is a ! ale student
and very promising boy. r. ..'.::*:
:. His New York residence, at the north
west corner of Fifth ayenue and :Nfty-sev-.
eHth Street, was built for. him by his father
and is considered one of the :ilandsomest
heusrs in the country.
:: His cottage at Newport. the Breakers, is
one of the finest: of. the summer capitals
palaces. - - : : :
None efthe Vanderbilt brothers is actively
Interested in the speculations of Wall street.
Mursey's Monthly -; -