The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1896-10-08
A LIFE ROMANCE.
DIR. w. SEWARD WEBB MAY BE
UNITED STATES SENATOR.
Career of a Man who by Kind Act
Sprang From Penniless
Inferno Into Great
Wealth.
N his election to the Legislature
OF Yermoat DIR. w. Seward Webb

for the reason that il is a step toward
higher honors for the millionaire rail-
road and palace car magnet. IL is al
ready said that DR.. Webb's friends are
shaping his affairs in order to send
him to the Senate of the United States
from Vermont. His friends in New
York predict brilliant career for him
in National pelitics, and his neighbors
in Vermont are pleased to find man
of DIR. Webb's great financial import
ance taking an interest in practical
government.
Never was the story OF Aladdin's
lamp 30 perfectly reduced to the con-
crete as iu the life and adventures OF
DIR. Webb. AT one coup ho was lifted
from the position of a penniless in.
terne in hospital to that of tho hus-
band of one of the richest of the Van.
derbilt heiresses. The magic of the
Vanderbilt millions touched him and
he bloomed into a director OF the New
York Central Railroad, the President
of tho Wagner Palace Car Company
aud one of the leading powers in the
Nations world OF wealth. This story
OF his rise and greatness IB prettier
than any romance of the loves of tho
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 institu.
ton. To this clinic Miss Lila Van
derbilt, the youngest daughter of Will.
lam II. Vanderbilt was q constant Wis
itor. One day little girl was brought
into tho hospital with a broken leg.
The inferno had 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 solicitude that touched
the child heart of the patient. The
girl 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 re.
lapsed. The case was critical, and the
doctor, alarmed for her life, watched
at her bedside for hours. While the
doctor was thus engaged Mics Wander.
bilt entered the room and approached
the bed. She saw the handsome young
man and looked inquiringly toward
the little girl. The. patient smiled
"phis is the kind DOCTOR" she OK.
planned, "and this is the kind young
lady"
Miss Vanderbilt extended her hand
and clasped the hand of the man who
was to become her husband.
Thus it was that kind heart opened
the door of honor, fortune and golden
success to Seward Webb. He did not
long remain an inferno in the hospi.
tai. To be one of the Vanderbilts
means to be part of the great rail.
road system owned by the family.
Webb had studied medicine. He must
now study railroading, for Miss Van
derbilt loved him. A firm-Worden
IL Webb-was created for him and
opened business in Wall street. The
match was n happy one, and was ap.
proved by Mr.. Vanderbilt. How sub,
stantially it was approved was made
known when, on the day of the wed.
ding, the couple were presented with
the stately house at $50 Fifth avenue.
When tho older Vanderbilt died Mrs.
Webb inherited S15. 900. Mean.
while, the young doctor, preferring
railroads to medicine, had progressed
in the craft of Wall street, and had
stepped into the position which his
wife's wealth entitled him to.
The doctors personality and fam
lily history were pleasing to the Van.
derbilts. His father was James Wat.
son Webb, proprietor of the Courier
and Journal of Tarrytown, and an i'm.
portant man in his day. When Sew.
ard was boy his father was made
United States Minister to Brazil, and
it was there the doctor received his
early education. Deciding to adopt
medicine as o profession the young
man went to Paris, and there was
graduated in the art. The elder
Webb's father. or the doctors grand.
father, was General Webb, who figured
conspicuously in the war of the Rev.
olutlon as the aide-de-camp of Wash.
Ington. He AT. one time was COM
mander OF famous old Fort Dearborn,
on the present site of the city OF
Chicago.
Some years after his acquisition of
the Vanderbilt millions, DIR. Webb
decided to have the finest private es.
tate in the world. This property is
now the pride of Vermonters. Shell.
bourne Farms is the equal of any es.
tate in England, Germany or France.
1t consists of 5000 acres of rolling
land, lying on an average of 800 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
DIR. Webb's mansion. 1t is located on
a sloping plateau right on the lake
front, commanding an enhancing
view of the Adirondacks. The man.
sion IS Queen Anne structure, de.
signed entirely for comfort lint of ey.