Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1899-09-14
to be the finest in the world in pri-
yate residence.


to be the finest in the world in pri-
vate residence.
Mr.. Vanderbilt spent one day much
as he did another until ill-health took,
him abroad. When at his business in
New York he always arose at Z. al
Suite of three rooms on the Fifty-sev.
enth street side OF his house was de-
voted to his use. The rooms and furni-
ture are in mahogany, green satin and
brass.
On arising 1T was his custom to go
first to the onyx bath, then spend few
minutes in the gymnasium that opened
from one of the sitting rooms. At s.
o'clock Mr.. Vanderbilt invariably APP
peared in the breakfast room. The
breakfast always was simple meal,
except in one respect. In addition to-
the fruit, cereals, and coffee. there was
to be one dish upon which the art of the
chef should be expended. Something
new every day" was the order, and it
resulted in bringing to the Vanderbilt
table almost every dish known to the
culinary art.
Ina private Office on the opposite side
of the house Mr.. Vanderbilt used to
meet his secretary after breakfast.
There he attended to his mall while a
telegraph operator stood ready to give
him communication with the railroad
offices in the Grand Central station or
with his private Office downtown. AT
ITO o'clock the directors meetings are
held, and at these Mr.. Vanderbilt was
a constant attendant. He drove from
the house in a private hanson. At the
meeting of the directors he occupied
the chair at the head of the table, with
Chauncey NJ Depew at his right
When his associates brought up mat
tiers which We're to be passed upon he
appeared DISTINGUISHED, and an observer
would have thought he was paying little
attention to what was going on. The
directors, however, knew differently
After they had sifted the matter down
to its simplest form Mr.. Vanderbilt
would express his vote and it was set
tied. His was the controlling interest
and his Judgment was seldom ques-
toned.
Luncheon was simple matter. Mr..
Vanderbilt was oftenest to be found in
the rotunda at the Aston House, where
he sat on a stool and took a bowl of
soup, like a business man of more mod
est pretensions. His Office hours in the
| afternoon We're from to 6, but he often
| worked until I. In such cases, arriving
home rather for the T:3o O'clock dinner,
| he was not always particular to dress.
After dinner came the only leisure
| hours of the day. Opening from the
lining room was the Oriental smoking
/ room, with its myriad electric lights
and its great Moorish lamp. There Mr.
| Vanderbilt was pleased to spend an
hour with his friends. From this room
a door, concealed in the panels of the
\ wainscoting, gave access to the billiard
1 room and gymnasium.
i AT II o'clock the house was dark. ex-
cept that often in Mr.. Vanderbilt:
apartments a light burned until this
4 early hours of the morning.
i Russell Sage, when told of Mr.. Van
i derbilt's death. said:
4 There was a man of whom not a sou
could say anything but good. l can re
member how his gradfather, the oil
Il Commodore. used to say to me: There
/. the boy after my own heart. I'm gla'
he's the eldest of my grand children
, for he is the steadiest of the whole lot
The Commodore used to chuck
/, over some of the other boys, who wer
n little sporty but of Cornelius he wa
NJ proud. He recognized the talent of tn
{ man.
Cornelius Vanderbilt was not bril-
liant man in the financial world. rnea
not one of those scintiliating Napoleon:
who flare up and go out quickly. II
!, was plodder and had brains.
IF Cornelius Vanderbilt had bee
81 born in poverty. without a penny,
| have no doubt that he would have mad
t his mark as he has. Possibly he Nigh
Inot have made the vanderbilt million
so many as he has if he had been Dor
s poor but he would nave amassed grea
II wealth. His is a life for any boy t
2 emulate.
THE Commodore used to say to me
: That boy can trust / can tell hir
5 something to do and never have t
E think of it again. j know he'll do
, and do it we'll. though he may not rus
: it through like some would
q The big extension of the New Yor
: Central that every one is talking abol
g is all Cornelius Nanderbilt's planninl
: He had 1T in mind ever since he 90
s control of the family affairs.
: ut shows how he worked. Willial
: *. Vanderbilt had nothing to do tw
: years ago when Cornelius was stricke
the first time but see that the work Wa
= executed. 1t was all planned, and 5
s carefully that there was no need
e change one iota.
e He was good. Men. who by industl
: and integrity and brains are fortuna
l. enough to amass money are often TIA
gets for criticism of all kinds. The cri
z. les can say nothing of Cornelius Van
Il derbilt''
i Cornelius Vanderbilt with all h
g business interests, was not too oceupit
i to have time for a part in social, r
r ligious, and home life. When he a
/ tanned his majority he was a memb
l. of the Episcopal church. a leader
Sunday school work, and member
L the " NJ G.. A. His interest in worl
IS of this kind did not diminish when h
n other responsibilities grew heavier T
h illustrated we'll the saying: IF yt
: want anything done, go to busy man
a He was director OF more charitab
g. associations and institutions than a
y most any other man in New York. II
It extended missionary work of ST. Ba
If tholomew's Protestant Episcopal chur,
le commanded his interest and supper
" He was vestryman at st. Barthol
II news and the parish house in Fort
10 second street, near Third avenue, one
.e the most complete in the world, was q
II gift of himself and his mother.