The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-06-04
yANDERBILT,s START.
Daniel Drews's story OF the Help
Given by Mrs. Vanderbilt at the
Right Moment.

From the New York Sun.
"One story about Commodore Corne-
lius Vanderbilt which l have never
seen in print was told to me many
years ago by Daniel Drew, and l nave
no doubt but that it is authentic,
said a man who has known intimately
the men who have made New York his
tory during the last half century.
Various stories have been printed
about the beginnings of Nanderbllts
fortune, and they all go to show that
luck played a very significant part in
them. Vanderbilt made money because
of his energy and his shrewdneSe;
but don't believe that it is generally
known that Mrs. Vanderbilt aided
him very materially ut a time when
he thought a good investment was
slipping through his hands because
| he had not enough money 10 tdhe
advantage of his opportunity.
Daniel Drew knew Vanderbilt WELL
and before his death he frequently
| entertained his friends with stories
about the commodore's early me Ii
| was when Vanderbilt was Simply an
energetic young captain connected v Witn
| the Union line for Philadelphia anu
Baltimore. through to Philadelphia in
one day" that the incident OF whlch
Drew delighted to tell occurred. In
| those days the steamer Emerald, cap
| tain c. Vanderbilt, left her wharf,
| on the north side of the Battery, at
noon every day, Sundays excepted
with passengers for New Brunswick
and Philadelphia. Passengers were
not many, and many people went down
to New Brunswick and back by boat
| for the pleasure of the trip New
| BrunsWiCk's hotel, or halfway house,
was dirty and ill-kept. Mrs Wander
bilt saw her opportunity. She sug-
gested to her husband that they should
take the hotel, refit it, and run 1t in
a style that would attract guests. Van
derbilt thought we'll of it, and, after
leasing the hotel he took his family
from his fathers little house at sta
pleton to live in New Brunswick AS
| Mrs. Vanderbilt had suggested the
scheme, her husband told her that she
might run the hotel herself and have
the profits.
Mrs. Vanderbilt was a strong, in
| dustrious, frugal woman, and she
turned the hotel upside down, cleaned
| it and made it fit for guests. Sht
! named it Bellona Hall after the steam
ship BellOna, which her husband ther
commanded, and in a very short time
the fame Of it had spread to New
York and parties were made up tt
visit it because of the excellent fare t
be found there. 1t also increased th'
profits of the line for which Captain
Vanderbilt worked, and his salary wal
increased to $1,000 year. For twelve
years Mrs. Vanderbilt managed Bel
Iona Hall, with profit to herself ant
pleasure to her guests.
| During these years Captain Van
derbilt had been studying steamship
| and investigating the chances for proh
in traffic on the Hudson and along tn
Sound He wanted to be one of tn
transportation magnates Of this city
and although his fortune was small h
had valuable ideas, gained from year
Of practical experience as steamboa
captain, and he felt sure that if h
could get the right opening he nee
not fear the greater wealth of hi
rivals. He had never questioned Mrs
Vanderbilts management of the hote
but he knew that she had saved som
money. In 1929 his opportunity can't
He had chance to get cOntrollin
interest in a steamship for $4,000. II
had $4,000 in cash which he had saved
but he didn't know where to raise tn
balance. He told his wife about tn
steamship which he wanted and e1
planned to her his plans for maxim
money if he could get the ship.
"I need $4,000 more said the car
+, tain, and / don't know where l ca
get it,
~ will give it to you said Mr.
, Vanderbilt and to her husbands SUI
prise she pulled the money out fro
under the bed. She had saved it fro
; the profits of the hotel Captain Van
derbilt bought his boat and then
bought many others, but his first sh
he owed to his wife"