The record-union., 1896-07-08
THE VANDERBILT FORTUNE.
How the "C0n1nsOdore'' Laid the
Foundation OF Is.

E-CuHG1StOB OF III.
| WeatherDeaten and dilapidated with
fast rotting shingles and rafting clap
/ boards, the Old Bellonia Hotel, in which
| Commodore Vanderbilt humbly began
! the foundation of his fortune, still
! stands in Edrnet street, only a few
! yards from the banks OF the Raritan
! River. says the New York Press. -
| Many changes have taken place in this
| Old hostelry and it's surroundings since
it WIS built in 1893 by the New York
and New Brunswick Steamboat Com
pany.
In its early days the hotel was IA
vorite resort for bcatmen and shippers.
! Burnet street was then q fashionable
street and some of the best families of
New Brunswick fived there in hand
some colonial residences. The erection
OF the hotel was received with dismay,
and not great many years later Bur
net street began to lose prestige.
Cornelius Vanderbilt, who made a
precariou5 living at Perth Amboy as
an oyster dredger, took possession of
! the Belionia in 1923. 1t was a mystery
to his friends how Vanderbilt got
enough money to make the purchase.
This is the story of how Vanderbilt
came about his great fortune
One night in 1922 William Gibbons
had business which made it necessary
| for him to cross the Sound from Perth
Amboy to Tottenville. 1t was a wild,
stormy night, and Gibbons tried in vain
to persuade the regular boatman TO
take him across. A Dozen bronzed men
in saloon laughed at the man when he
/ "a np hp frir Iax
was determined to go, if possible, and
as he started to go out "Corny' Van
derbilt walked in. Vanderbilt wanted
to know what the joke was Gibbons
explained that he wanted to go across
| the Sound. After taking drink, VAN
derbilt asked in his peculiar manner:
who the devil are you, anyway
| When Gibbons told him how necessary
it was for him TO go, Vanderbilt laconi-
| cally remarked: Pm your man. Let's
| have another drink"
| In vain Vanderbilt's friends tried to
dissaude him from making the trip. He
launched his trusty boat, and one hour
later, Grenched to the skin, the two men
stepped upon the Staten Island shore
| When Gibbons left Vanderbilt he hand
| ed him some money and card, telling
! illil " cdi1 upon MIN at - bdltefy place
the next time he came to New York.
| When Vanderbilt called to see Mr..
| Gibbons, who proved to be the President
of the New York and New Brunswick
| Steamboat Company, the man handed
| him a package Of papers making him
| Captain and part owner of an oyster
| sloop.
! 1t was with this last that Vanderbilt
began to make money Not many
months later he leased Bellonia tavern
in this city. AT the same time he was
naade Captain of the Bellon3a, the first
steamboat that ran between New York
| and New Brunswick, through the efforts
OF Mr.. Gibbons
/ While 'dle Captain was on the water
Mrs. Vanderbilt cared for the hoarders
at Bellonia. AS the money began to
ccTne in, she began TO feel a desire to
live more Ike the arisbOcrats about her
This caused bhe family to move into
the aaouse now standinG alt Burnet and
New streets. 1t was here that William
II. Vanderbilt was horn. But the wife
was not willing to give UP the tavern
which was bringing in so much money,
ard she continued 10 welcome the Wis
tbs Ee6l3ria apTleJacls was widespread
YcGng WnHan Il. Vanderbilt was
sent to an excellent private school ait
$40 George street, New Brunswick,
kept by Charles Spalding, having for
sehgslnasel5 boys auoo,n LATER in life
as Colonel J. j. JaneWay ana Judge
Charles =. DeshIer Ia 1884 The steam
boat BeGonia was burned while nloorei
at its wharf in New BrursfWrick The
ccn1I l8g.y 'oeansferred Vanderbilt NO an
other boat. When iEhe vacancy occurred
at the New York office, Captain-or
/ tCcnfl5dore'' Wander o.lt, as he w2ls
known-was made Superintendent OF the
line. At the death of Mr.. Gibbons he
os came President.
When Mr. Vanderbilt became Superin-
tepFient ne moved TO New York, and the
| Beilonia tavern passed into the hands
OF Colonel Peter Chesney, wilo maraged
| it until ms death, several years later.
Mrs. Chesney and her son conducted the
pace un@l 1880. Then the famous old
hnstelry becan1e "a thing OF the paSlt, and
tfe building was rented as a tenement
house.
Only few years ago the sign bearing
the words ..Beaonia Hotel" adorned the
walls of a Rutgers College senior.
The Vanderbilt home, at 1io Eur
ret street. is wel preserved, and is oc-
cuEied as a tenement house The old
ferry house at Perth Arnboy, known as
the '.ssaalor's Rest, where Vanderbilt
met the man who started him on the
Iroad to fortune, has long since disap-
peared.
Buttelmaking rs encouraged by 4, 4,435