The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1899-11-11
Laid The Foundation Of His Fortune
as Landlord Of The BeIIODIa Hotel.
THE HOUSE NOW A TENEMENT
His Wife Cooked, Scrubbed, Looked
After the Bar, and Frequently At
tended the Guests Horses.

where Commodore Cornelius Vandcrbl
made his start In life and laid the four
dalton Of his great fortune. The bullt
Ing Is illapIdatcd, but M solid AZ in n
early years of the nineteenth ccntur
The hotel was built IN 1893 by IN
New York q New Brunswick Steam
boat company. with boatmen an
shippers Il became a favorite rcsor
ANA country residents who drove int
town hardly fclt satisfied until they ha
dlnrd at the Bellonia. Twice a day IN
coaches of the Trenton line pulled u
before the Inn.
In 1923 the Bcllonla passed into IN
hands of Cornelius Vanderbilt. who wa
unknown, except that every day or y
he would sail up from Perth Ambo.
with a boat load Of fsh ana oysters an,
hawk them about the town.
How did Vanderbilt yet the none,
from hsh pcidlIng to buy the Bsllonla
llc didn't
Early In 1922 William Gibbons. a cap
iIallst made night drive from New
York TO Perth Amboy /, was impera
tive that he should cross Arthur kill {,
Tottenvilc. $. !. The night wa,
stormy. Gibbons bcsought the ferry.
man 10 take him across but he refused
Hc then wandered into an old ferr,
tavern whore hardy boatmcn wer,
gathered
where's the man with the nerve I,
row me across" he called out.
one old salt said
why eap'n, you're daft!"
Gibbons cried: Name your price;
I've got to gol"
Just then the door swung open and
"conny" Vanderbilt stalked In.
Vanderbilt ordered drink and
swallowed II In si.nce, then he res
ponded; We'll cap'n, I'm your man;
let's start"
Buttonlng up his coat Corny got out
his boat. with pair OF oars, and oil
skin and lantern. The capitalist
climbed upon the rear seat and held the
lantern. Perhaps an hour later the
two men. after n perilous voyage trod
Staten Island soaked TO the skin.
Vanderbilt had just been married and
Gibbons could not persuade him TO stay
over nigh, on the Island. The rich
man handed him card. with some
money, and told him TO call at the
steamboat company's office In Battery
place when he visited New York.
Some weeks later Vanderbilt did 60
ana was cordially received. When he
was about to. leave Gibbons gave him
n package and told him to 20 10
wharf. where he would ind an oyster
boat for his own use.
With this boat Vanderbilt began TO
make money, Not many months later
he had saved 5000 and leased the Bel
Iona hotel. Fortune seemed to have
smiled upon him, for about the same
time he was made captain OF, the first
steamer between New York and New
Brunswick, the Bellonla, through the
aid OF Gibbons.
Vanderbilt had plenty OF competi-
ton Opposing lines We're started and
he had to hustle to maintain his pre-
emlnence.
While he was on the water Mrs, Van
derbnt cared for the guests who came
to the Bellonla. She frequently took a
hand In caring for their horses, and dl-
vldod the rest OF her time In looking
after the house and bar She, one OF
whose descendants was to be a duch-
ess, washed and scrubbed to accumu-
late fortune. She had good eye
for business.
After while Mrs, Vaderbllt felt a
desire to live more like the arlstocrlts
about her and moved her household
into house yet standing in Burnet
street. Here It was that William II.
Vanderbilt was born, Capt Wander
bilt 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 hos
telry was famous,
Charles spaulding kept an excellent
private school at No. $40 George street,
In those days, and to this was young
w, H. Vanderbilt sent, having for
sohoolmates boys known later In life
as Gov, Ludlow, Bishop Richard Good
rich, Col, Jacob j, Janeway Judge
Charles ID. Deshler and other promi-
nent Jerseymen.
In 1884 the steamer Bellonla was
burned, Vanderbilt was Immediately
transferred to another boat, which ran
for several years, His shrewdness won
the confidence of his employers, and
when a vacancy occurred in the New
York office Commodore" 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 fam
lly 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,
It Is now tenement.