The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-12-19
COMMODORE vANDERsILr,s START.
Daniel Drew's story or the Help Given By Mrs.
Vanderbilt at the Right R1oment.

Daniel Drew,s story or the help Given By ndrs.
Vanderbilt at the Right Moment.
"One story about Commodore Cornelius Van.
derbilt which / have never seen In print was
told to me many years ago by Daniel Drew. and
I have no doubt but that II In authentic" said q
man who has known intimately the men who
have made New York history during the last
half century. various stories have been
printed about tho beginnings Of vanderbilt's
fortune. and they all 10 to show that luck played
q very Insignificant part In them. Vanderbilt
made money because Of his energy and his
shrewdness; but i don't believe that 1t 10 gen.
orally known that Mrs. Vanderbilt aided him
very materially ct q time whom he thought a
good Investment was slipping through his hands
because he had not enough money to take ad-
vantage of his opportunity.
Daniel Drew knew Vanderbilt we'll. andIbeforo
his death he frequently entertained bis friends
With stories s6oat the Commodore,S early life;
for Philadelphia and Baltimore, through to
which NJ. Drew delighted to tell Is occurred. In d
those days the steamer Emerald. Captain G;
the Battery, at noon every day, Sundays eS.
copied. with passengers for New Brunswick and
psllSiaS Men. dd p%s's so New w Sran mSnyik and and %bS BACK
by boat for the pleasure of the trip. New Bruins,
Tiek's hotel, or halfway house, was dirty and
III WI 4hlo. aux Jaw oH" hSh ~
AXE the So'ei. rent it. and run i in : styIe that
would attract guests. Vanderbilt, thought well
81 IT and row after Ter Leasing Leasing the h,,,s hotel enss ne - te s5sn his
ton to live in New Brunswick. AS Mrs. Wander.
bilt had suggested the scheme. her husband told
her that she might run the hotel herself and
have the profits.
Mrs. Vanderbilt was a strong, Industrious.
frugal woman, and she turned the hotel upside
down, cleaned it and made it At for guests. She
named 1t Bcllonn Hall after the steamship Bel
Iona, which her husband then commanded, and
New York. and parties were made up to visit 1t
because of the excellent fare to be found there.
1t also increased the profits of the line for which
increased to 81 1000 a year. For twelve years
Mrs. Vanderbilt managed Bellona Hall, with
profit to herself and pleasure to her guests,
During these years Capt. Vanderbilt had been
chances for profit in traffic on the Hudson and
along the Sound. He wanted to be one of the
transportation magnates of, this city, and
although. his fortune was small he had valuable
as q steamboat captain. and he felt sure that II
he could get the right opening he need not
fear the greater wealth Of his rivals. He
9gement Of the hotel. but he knew that she
had saved some money. In 1929 his opportu'
nifty came. He had q chance to get a con-
trolling interest in a Steamship for $4,000
he didn't know whore to raise the balance, H
wanted and explained to her his plans for max
ing money II he could get the ship.
"'Ineed $l3. 900 MORE said the Captain, 'and
"'I will give 1t to you,' said Mrs. Vanderbilt
and to her husband's surprise she pulled tn!
money out from under the bed; She had saved
bilt bought his boat and then he bought many
others, but his first ship he owed to his wife,