Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1897-10-16

COMMODORE VANDERBILT.
family, and II became necessary for tbs
son to look out for himself when very
young. He had little education. but a
marvelous1y clear head and sound judy
ment At 16. borrowing 800 from his
mother. he began the battle OF life, and
he died the richest man In the world. with
the reputation OF having made more
money than was ever before accumulated
In single hfe- He had an exhaustless
capital OF courage and common sense.
His motto was simple and straight for
ward. like every act In the wonderful
drama of which he was the chief actor.
what other men have done 1 can do
was the handspring of his exertions.
For &C years Commodore Vanderbilt was
In perpetual warfare. He neither asked
nor gave quarter. The same country.
the same laws. the same open avenues.
the same opportunities which he had be-
fore him. were equally before every other
nan. The keenest competition and the
earnest rivalry of able and ambitious
opponents met him at every step in his
career. Wary adversaries were watching
for weakness In his schemes or a failure
OF his plans. Each day renewed an old
tight or began a new one He was often
checked. sometimes forced to retreat and
take another position, but he was never
defeated he ultimately remained master
OF the field
We must estimate the career and work
of Cornelius Vanderbilt upon the princi-
pies which are common to very few. He
was much more than a mere money max
er- he delighted In money making. but.
Ike all masterful men, he loved power.
He said te me. II sometimes do a fool
ish thing. knowing IL is foolish. Just to
prove that can make even a foolish
movement successful" He invested his
800 In q little saisboat or periagua TO
carry passengers between Staten Island
and New York on a farsighted Judgment
that there was public demand for better
service between these points. Old and
experienced masters Of transportation
had controlled the steamboat traffic OF the
Hudson river and Long Island for years
but In a short time. though he had less
capital. he drove them on these waters
lie saw far In advance of his time the
results which could be obtained from
ocean steamers There were prosperous
lines plying between New York and the
isthmus OF Panama and the isthmus' and
the Pacific ports. Their managers were
conservative, old fashioned, old foxy and
rich. They looked with amusement and
amazement at this adyenturer In their
domain who singly and alone boldly chal-
lengeo their supremacy. Thirty years
afterward 1 heard an old merchant Ia
menting that the commodore forced his
company to sell out to him its Atlantic
line and pay him two-6hirds the profits
on the Pacific to keep or that ocean.
His entry into the railway world was
the result of the same foresight and wis
dom. HIS mind was like rife barrel.
1t carried thought straight to the mark
1t was difficult to induce him to take up
subject. but when he did nothing could
divert him from It until decision was
reached He never doubted that verdict
or revealed it, but acted upon It with
lightning like rapidity. He thus found
millions where others had lost them
The commodore made up his mind that
railway transportation was to be the
leading business of the future. that there
was no limit to its expansion, and that
under business management and with
business methods railroad stocks were
the best investment In the country. He
knew that railway chaos was his oppor-
tunity. The stock OF the Harlem rail-
road was a football in Wall street at
from So to s. a share 1t found In the man
OF steamboats, and steamships its reRen-
orator.
Wall street believed the 5000 COO the
commodore had spent on the road thrown
away. 1t gave the company new cars
and locomotives. q safe and stable way
and regular and rapid train service. The
Hudson River and Harlem roads both
ran from New York to Albany. The first.
which had not known OF the existence
OF the latter. now felt the effects OF its
keen and dangerous rivalry. In less than
two years the stockholders OF the Hudson
line were begging him to take their road
This he did at about $40 a share. Rail-
way trsf1c had found a new and original
ties attracted passengers and freight
from the west to the Atlantic seaboard.
from the southern routes and ports to
New York The public received better
service at lower rates and New York a
new impetus In its trade.
In the old days OF leadership In finanace
and speculation Wall street always had q
recognized king. He had a large follow
Ag, ana hin sway was daily aiHpu0ed.
After innrmsrabls victories ana the rpiA
Of Thousands OF individuals and combine
lions ne was oothronoo ana bankrupted
In some wild panic. His successor would
take the Derilous place, to pursue the
same career and meet a like fata. But
In Mr.. Vanderbilt this center Of the risks
and values OF the continent found q mas
ter whose resources were great and whose
| judgment was unerrsng. 1t was equally
dangerous to follow or fight him on ao-
count Of the raDidity with which he
changed his policy as he saw before others
did the gathering storm or the rainbow
or prosperity. wall street owes mo 81,
100000 q year." heard him say, and until
the last he collected that, and In some
years many millions.
had known the commodore very well
for several years, and one day he sudden
~ asked IL he could retain me az attor-
ney and counsel. had been appointed
and confirmed United States minister to
japan, a position OF power and prozni-
nence because of the opening Of that
country 70 ClNlllZallOn. NO future IN
politics" ne said. Railroads the career
for young man now. Don't be a fool
He was r. and was 80. and thus began
confidential and personal relationship
which during the intervening 81 years
has continued unbroken and unclouded
through four generations OF his family.
The most extraordinary thing connected
with the career OF this remarkable man
- that his best work and greatest
achievements were accomplished after he
had passed 20 He was worth about So
10000 when he had rounded the life line
or the Scripture, and he added over $780,
100000 to tt IN the next II years. His day
began at o'clock among the horses he
loved, and then until that active brain
and unerring judgment were formulating
plans covering the continent. He left
business behind In the Office at Z and
neither profit nor less could tempt him
20 talk about IT until the next morning
AT , he was spinning along behind his
trotters, seeking the excitement OF
squirt OF speed with a rival team.
He received daily a bushel OF begging
letters. Honest men and women, frauds,
fools and cranks-an needy and unable
70 breast the waves or adversely or make
their way In the world-appealed to him.
he never answered them. IF I should
give them my whole fortune" he said.
'one-haf would 60 TO thieves and the
ether half to people whose folly and i'm
hEoKidanea EoulA sonandsr ~ IN . -Essk.