The representative., 1899-11-23

How 1t Originated Some Three-Quar-
terS of q Century Ago.


ters of a Century Ago.
On the high cliffs which skirt the Raritan
! river just below the canal outlet is the
| famous old Bellonia hotel. where Commo-
| dore Cornelius Vanderbilt made his start
| in life and laid the foundation of his great
| fortune. The building is dilapidated, but as
| solid as in early years of the nineteenth
| century.
| The hotel was built in 1903 by the New
| York and New Brunswick Steamboat COM
pany. With boatmen and shippers it be-
| came a favorite resort. land country resi-
| dents who drove into town hardly felt salts
| fed till they had ~dired at the Bellonia.
Twice day the coaches of the Trenton
| line pulled up before the inn.
! In 1923 the Bellonfa passed into the
hands of Corneious Vanderbilt who was
unknown. except that every day or so he
| would sail up from Perth Amboy with a
boat load Of fish and oysters and hawk them
! about the town.
How did Vanderbilt get the money from
/ fish peddling to buy the Bellonia? He
didn't
Early in 1922 William Gibbons, a capital
ist, made a night drive from New York to
Perth Amboy. 1t was imperative that he
should cross Arthur, Kill to Tottenville,
S. l. The night was stormy. Gibbons be-
sought the ferryman to take him across,
but he refused. He then wandered into an
old ferry tavern where hady boatmen were
gathered.
Where's the man with the nerve to row
me accross?" he called out.
One old salt said:
why, cap'n you're daft!'
Gibbons cried: Name your price; I've got
to go!"
Just then the door Swung omen and
"Corny" Vanderbilt ,stalked in.
Vanderbilt ordered drink and swallowed
it in silence, with pair of oars, an oilskin,
and lantern. The,capitalist climbed upon
the rear seat and held the lantern. Per-
haps an hour later the two men, after a
perilOus voyage, trod 'Straten Island soaked
to the skin.
Vanderbilt had just been married and
Gibbons could not persuade him to remain
over night on the island. The rich man
handed him a card. with some money and
told him to call at the steamboat COM
panys office in Battery place when he Wis
tied New York
Some weeks later Vanderbilt did 20. and
was cordially received. when he was about
to leave Gibbons gave him package and
told him to go to wharf, where he would
find an oyster smack 1fof his own use
With this boat Vanderbilt began to make
money. Not many months later he had
saved 5000 and leased the Bellonia hotel
Fortune seemed to have smiled upon him
for about the same time he was made cap
tain Of the first steamer between New York
and New Brunswick, the Bellonia through
the aid of Gibbons.
Vanderbilt had plenty of competition Op-
posing lines were started and he had to
hustle to maintain his pre-eminence.
While he was on the water Mrs. Wander
bilt cared for the guests who came to the
Bellonia. She frequently took q hand in
caring for their horses, and divided the rest
Of her time In looking after the house and
bar. She. one of whose descendants was to
be a duchess, washed and scrubbed to ac-
cumulate a fortune. She had good eye
for business.
After a while Mrs Vanderbilt felt a de-
sire to live more like the aristocrats about
her, and moved her household into house
yet standing in Burnet street. Here it was
that William H. Vanderbilt was born Capt.
Vanderbilt was promoted and wanted to
give up the tavern, but his wife was not
willing to kill the goose that laid the golden
egg, and continued, to welcome travellers.
The good cheer of the hostelry was famous.
Charles Spaudfng kept an excellent pri
vate school at Not $40 George street in
those days, and to this young w: H. Van
boys known later In life as Gov. Ludlow.
Bishop Richard Goodrich, Col. Jacob ].
Janeway, Judge Charles D. Deshler and
other prominent Jersoymen.
In 1884 the steamer Bellonia was burned.
Vanderbilt was Immediately transferred to
another boat, which he ran for several
years. :, His ~chrewdness, won the confidence
of his employers, and when vacancy
occurred in the New York office. "Commo
dore" Vanderbilt was made superintendent
of the line. Upon the death of Mr.. Gibbons
Mr. Vanderbilt became president of the
company
He moved to New, York with his family,
and the Bellonia hotel passed into the
hands of Col Peter Cheney, who later
served with the Jersey troops under Gen.
Mcclellan in the civil war. 1t is now a