The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-09-06
MAY BECOME A SOLON
DIR. W. SEWARD WEBB MAY Sue
CEED SENATOR j. c. MORRILL,.
LegisIature-IIis Romantic Mar
rfage to Miss Vanderbilt.

| NEW YORK, Sept. Sin his election last
| Tuesday to the Legislature of Vermont Dr.
w. Seward Webb makes his political bow
to the American public. This fact is of i'm
portance chiefly for the reason that it is a
step toward higher honors for the million
are railroad and palace-car magnate. 1t is
already said that DIR. Webbs friends are
shaping his affairs in order to send him to
the Senate of the United States from YER
mont. His friends i'll New York predict a
brilliant career for him in national politics.
and his neighbors in Vermont are pleased
to find man of DR.. WebS great financial
Importance taking an interest in practical
government. The complaint has ever been
that the railroad magnate and money king
disiikes to turn statesman. In Nv. Webbs
election to the Vermont Legislature and his
more than probable election to the United
States Senate this complaint is unans,~era-
bly, laid
Never was the story of ,Aladdin'ss lamp so
perfectly reduced to the concrete as in the
life and adventures of Dr. Webb At one
coup he was lifted from the position of
Pennies inferno in a hospital to that of
the husband of one of the richest of the
Vanderbilt heiresses. The magic of the
Vanderbilt millions touched him and he
bloomed into director of the New York
Central railroad, the president of the Wag-
ner Palace-car Company and one of the
leading powers in the Nations world Of
wealth. This story of his rise and great
ness is prettier than any romance of the
loves of the sons and daughters of New
York's millionaire families. In 1880 he was
attached to the Vanderbilt clinic in ST.
Luke's Hospital and was in charge of the
surgical patients of that institution. To
this clinic Miss Lila Vanderbilt, the young
a constant visitor. One day a little girl
was brought into the hospital with a broken
leg. The inferno had a soft heart and
sympathetic nature and the sweet face of
the child attracted him. He was always by
her BEDSIDE and watched the case with a
Sollc1tude that touched the child heart OF
the patient The gid began to love him
and spoke of him to Miss Vanderbilt in
terms of extravaganza that aroused the
young Woman'S interest. So, too, had she
spoken to the Doctor Of the kind young
lady who had so often visited her. One
day the little patient relapsed. The case
was critical, and the Doctor, alarmed Tor
her life, watched at her bedside for hours.
While the Doctor was thus engaged Miss
Vanderbilt entered the room and APP
young man and looked inquiringly toward
the little girl The patient smiled. This is
the kind ID, Doctor she explained and this
extended her hand and clasped the hand of
the man who was to become her husband.
Thus it was that a kind heart opened the
door of honor, fortune and golden success
to Seward Webb He did not long remain
an inferno in the hospital. To be one of
the Vanderbits means to be a part OF the
great railroad system owned by the fam
lily. Webb had studied medicine. He must
loved him A firm-Wor & Webb-was
created for him and opened business in
and was approved by Mr.. Vanderbilt. How
substantially it was approved was MADE
bn When on the dag Ut fhf be saate
house at $50 Fifth avenue. When the older
Vanderbilt died Mrs. Webb inherited $15.-
100000. Meanwhile, the young doctor, pre-
ferring railroads to medicine. had pro-
crossed in the craft of Wall street, and ma
had stepped into the position which MS
wifes wealth entitled him to.
The Doctors personality and family his
tory were pleasing to the Vanderbilts. His
father was James Watson Webb. proprie-
tor of the Courier and Journal of larry
town and important man in his day.
made United States minister to Brazil, and
it was there the Doctor received his early
education. Deciding to adopt medicine as
a profession, the young man went to Paris,
and there graduated in the art The
elder Webb's father, or the Doctors g Crane;
conspicuously in the of the revolution
as the aid-de-camp of Washington. He at
one time was commander of famous old
Fort Dearborn, on the present site of the
city of Chicago.
Some years after his acquisition of the
Vanderbilt millions DR.. Webb decided to
have the finest private estate in the world.
This property is now the pride of Vermont
II
estate in England, Germany or France. 1t
consists of 5000 acres of rolling land, lying
on an average of 300 feet above the level of
Lake Champlain. Woods and orchards
cover about 600 acres. The rest is given up
to the finest stock farm in America. One
of the features of this princely estate is
DR. Webb's mansion. 1t is located on a
sloping plateau right on the lake front,
comma ding enhancing view of the Adj
irondacks. The mansion is Queen Anne
structure, designed entirely for comfort,
but of exceedingly tasteful architecture.
DIR. Webb is fond of hunting and fishing.
To this end he has a preserve in Herkimer
and Hamilton counties. New York, COM
prising more than 100000 acres of mountain
fish and its woodlands are ranged by deer.
bear and other four-footed beasts dear to
the heart of the hunter.
Some years ago DIR. Webb made a tour of
the world with his family. He visited al
most every country on the face of the
globe. On the American continent he trav-
eled with two special trains, which were
consider themselves lodged like a king
when they buy one of MIR. Webb's 81 berths
in of his sleepers. The fruit OF this
trip was book on California and the Pa
cific coast.
This is the whom Vermonters have
elected to their Legislature, and they are
naturally proud of the fact that such a
great power in the world as one of the
Vanderbilts has consented to take part in
the commonplace functions of citizenship
Mr.. Webb says he became citizen of Yer
mont because it is an ideal summer climate
ana more than pleasant as place of win
ter residence. Above all. he says, he places
ing which spring forever fresh and pure
IN the hearts of the citiZpnS of ba old