The Topeka state journal., 1898-05-06
BABY VANDERBILT'S TASK.
To Reconcile His Ancestors and Make
Fortune for himself.

New York, May 6.-In a bright, pref
ty room of a modest little brick house
at No. West Thirty-sixth street a
bouncing boy baby lay in a crib yester-
day. To all appearances he was just
like any other helpless mite of humanl-
ty only few days old.
He was all bundled up IN danne1S
and surrounded with snowy linen and
dainty laces, all of which made him
feel very stuffy and uncomforta BILE to
judge by his rebellious complainings.
When he shot up a chubby little fist
with jerky, uncertain motion and
tried to grab the ceiling the young
father, bending over him, laughed out
right at his funny antics.
1t was the same little comedy drama,
more often enacted in the home of the
poor, with the baby for the hero. But,
oh, how different; for this little hero
tryant is the new Vanderbilt baby.
Cornelius ". weighs ten pounds. 1t
would take just 2,232 gold dollars to
equal this weight. But he is worth
much more than this. If the hopes of
the friends of the Vanderbilts and Will
sons are destined to be realized, he is
worth today 1896 pounds, or 5S tons,
of pure gold.
The advent of this little stranger has
created a great furore of excitement
and speculation in the ranks of the
400. Society is watching him with the
keenest interest, but it sees him only
as little living question mark.
For on him deVoIveS the task of heal
ing the break that has divided society
ever since Cornelius Vanderbilt, Jr.,
married Grace Wilson on August 8.
father. Arrayed on one side behind
Cornelius Vanderbilt, ST., have stood
the Sloanes, the Whitneys, the Shep-
ards, the Twomblys and the Webbs,
while on the other, supporting Cornell
fus Vanderbilt, Jr., have been the Will
sons, the Goelets, the Astors and the
Belmonts.
Will he do it?
That was the o11estian soniatv was
asking itself yesterday. 1t will be re
membered that Cornelius Vanderbilt
stubbornly objected to his sons mar
riage, and when the young man per-
sisted in wedding the handsome daugh-
ter of Banker r. T. Wilson, the elder
Vanderbilt suffered a paralytic stroke.
He has never fully recovered.
Up to that time he had been the ac-
tive head of the great Vanderbilt rail-
road interests. Since then he has been
practically out of business, and his
brother, Willie K, has supplanted him.
The son who disobeyed him has new
er been forgiven. 1t has been reported
that his act forfeited his allotted share
of his fathers 100000 600 estate.
He was cut off with pittance, but
enjoys, it is said, a small fortune left
by his grandfather. A handsome mar
riage settlement was made on the
bride by her father, r. T. Wilson, who
is reputed to be worth $25, 900, 900.
The new baby has some distinguished
relatives. Oddly enough, he forms the
first tie between the two great rival
American millionaire families, the As
tors and the Vanderbilts, his mothers
brother, NJ. Orme Wilson, being mar
ried to Caroline Astor.
Another aunt on his mothers side is
Mrs. Ogden Goelet. On his fathers
side he is a first cousin once removed
of the baby Duke of Marlborough, who
may one day be king of England.
He will carry the name of Vanderbilt
down another generation. If he is a
DeaCemaker. it is estimated that this
newest Vanderbilt will inherit more
than SIC, ,00O, 900.