The sun., 1897-09-27
STORIESOF HENRY W. SAGE.
a STORMY FIRST ENCoUNTER WITH
COMMODORE VANDERBLLT

|
RsEussa . CsutrpI Dravsrta9s Rather Than
wait the CsmmSdsrs's Convenience-
His nsaeTsctioas to Csrueii-uIs Frienaship
with Bsschsr-Charaeter,stics OF the Man.
The determination and will power which
! brought success to Henry W. sage, who died
recently at Ithaca, and which marked his rise
| from the canal path TO the status Of a mil
| lionaire. had probably no better illustration
than in Mr. Sages first meeting with Commo-
! dore Vanderbilt. Mr. Sage was then in the
wholesale and retail lumber business in this
! city. He had made enormous purchases OF
| lumber at the beginning OF the civil war and
| in the rise of prices had become rich. He was
| a man Of high influence In Brooklyn church af'
| fairs and in New York business circles.
| Tho wagons OF his lumber drm all
! over town. His shipments OF lumber by river
/ and sea were large He worked early and late
at his business and ut the beginning Of middle
| age had the right to be known as a representa-
| tive citizen.
When the contract was given out TO put up
| tho grand stand and other buildings and fences
at Fleetwood Park. above the Harlem, Mr..
Sages bid for supplying the needed lumber
was lowest. He put the lumber several
schooners and had them towed up the Harlem
River For some reason Commodore Wander
bilt refused to allow the draw Of the New York
Centrars bridge TO be opened to allow the lum-
Der TO pass. Mr.. Sage stormed about the mat
ter and then sent his son William. who was Just
out OF college. up to Mr.. Vanderbilts Office, on
the site Of the present Madison Square Garden.
to learn when the draw would be opened.
There penalty FOR delay In the delivery OF
the lumber. The younger Sage came back and
reported that Commodore Vanderbilt wouldn't
see him.
Wouldn't see you. chr said Mr.. Sage.
Well see about that"
Then be ordered his son and clerk to Jump
into his wagon with him, and away they dashed
to tho New York Central Railroad Office. They
went up the stairs to the Commodorss Office in
rush A negro attendant stood at the gate.
rs Mr.. Vanderbilt inf' Numbered Mr.. Sage.
who by this time fairly in a rage.
''Yes, sir. What s your name and what do
you want to see him aboutr'
Never mind who I am and what want to
see him about said Mr. Sage. BE then said
Come On" TO the young men with him. pushed
the negro aside and strobe iasGr Commodore
Vanderhilt's presence.
rs this Commodore vanderbilti" said Mr..
snge.
That's what they call me" said the Commo-
dore looking up sharply in response to tho angry
tones Of his caller
We'll. my names Saga, Henry W. Sage
| anu L WANT TO KNOW Wnon you 70 8DlnK 20 open
that Harlem River draw and let my lumber
for Fleetwood Park go through"
go you're Mr.. Sage. your
| Yes. am"
| We'll. Mr.. Sage, we're going TO open that
| draw when get damned good and ready"
You are, are you'll Well, you going to
open that draw before you get damned good
and ready, and in three hours. or II open it
for you. Come on he added. TO his young
| men, and all swept out OF the place. Mr.. Sare
jumped into his buggy and did all the talking
| that was done the way 20 his Office. 1t is
said that he kept muttertns something about
| IF it costs NE S1OO.oOO. Commodore Van
derbilt. ehi Damned good and readyi III
show him.
Straightway Mr. Sage went TO the owner Of
the stourest tug he could hnd that could 20 up
the Harlem River
III pay all the damages; you do as 1 say"
| he said to the Captain.
| Mr. Sage the ting with his young men.
with the Fleetwood Park cargo and approached
the draw. They looked the draw over. and Mr..
wow Sbs back @ or = he said and hit that draw
! at full speed right in that place.
nm me ne. tb man bs sbe sra m me
spot Indicated and half wreckei 1t.
Back on ami give it another. cried Mr..
sage.
on came the rug at the draw again ike
snorting bull. Al the second crash the draw
tossed 10 .de, disappearing in the river.
Vow take those schooners through, said
The schooners were towed in and on that
very day the lumber for the Fleetwood race
track was on the ground. 1t was four days
{ afterwarr that the trat trains o the Central
began 10 run across the Harlem River again.
After wreckins the draw Mr.. sage went
straight tO his office and his cCn"ersatton with
himself is said 20 have BEEN sCmathing On this
line:
and ready Weii, its open ven now Don care
! what it costs. III show him ne dom own the
| rivers and navigable streams around this
| town.
There a big rumpus over the matter and
| many threats, hut after time the lawyers on
both sides got tos ether and a compromlse was
It was probably this trait of Mr. Sage's that
made him hold out To the bitter end in the
tiake Will contest by which the Cornell Uni
versity library lost bequest Of sl,0oo,o0o At
! one time. Ever since Ezra Corneirs death
NIr; sage had been the business head Of Cor
! nell University. Only the question ~ TO the
| Fiskes bequesu prevented compromise. Mr..
sage knew that Mrs. Flske Intended TO leave
that money to the university. He had been
her fathers partner and had known her from
childhood. He believed that justice demand
eG thar her wishes should he carried out. He
! had lega advice that the university had good
ease, HIS determination was rous,.d He put
his foot down and the case went on. Cornell
built the library that Mrs. Fiske's money would
have built, and he endowed it SO far "a he felt
nlElseI aDle. ne put u marOe bnst or Mrs.
FIske beside the main doorway and erected a
tablet with pathetic reference To the defeat
Of her Wishes, and then said ne had done all he
| could. The dedication OF the library was one
| or the few instances when Mr. sage
showed any emotion in the presence Of others.
It was his determination alone that fought
the battle against the sale OF The Cornell tim
ber lands in the early eighties Ezra Cornell
once carried those lands for long time for tho
university and the burden served 10 break him
down in pocket and nealth. In the early eigh-
ties Cornell IN serious condition hnan-
cially. \ hne offer was made for the choicest
part OF the timber holdings granted To the uni
versity under the Morrill, Land grant VIII ch
President Lincoln signed. Mr. sage said the
lands would increase in value. SingIe-handed
he battled in the Board OF Trustees. He said
ne would carry the university Ezra Cornell
had done, II necessary. He won the light and
he lived to the property for which hundreds
OF thousands Of dollars had been offered grow
to the value Of from two To rhree.milionH.
The chief facts in Mr. Sages career have
been printed in his obituary notices. His warm
friendship for Henry Ward Beecher was well
known Mr. Beecher had curious habit OF
acknowledging such matters in indirect hut
none the less pointed way. One instance OF this
occurred in the Garfield campaign. Mr..
tn he pnn M IGN In m NJ