The daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Ind. Ter. [Okla.]) 1898-1902, 1899-06-19
vANDERBILT,s START.


nellus Vanderbilt was told to m,
many years ago by Daniel Drew
and | have no doubt but that il il
authentic" said man who hal
known intimately the men who have
made New York history during the
last half century. Various stories
have been printed about the begin
nings of Vanderbilt's fortune, and
they all go to show that luck played
a very insignificant part in them.
Vanderbilt made money because OF
his energy and his shrewdness, but
don t believe that it is generally
known that Mrs. Vanderbilt aided
him very materially at a time when
he thought good investment was
slipping through his hands because
he bad not enough money to take
advantage of his opportunity.
Daniel Drew knew Vanderbilt
well, and before his death he fire.
quently entertained his friends with
stories about the commodore's early
life. 1t was when Vanderbilt was
simply an energetic young cap
tain connected with the Union line
for Philadelphia and Baltimore,
through TO Philadelphia in one
day, that the incident of which Mr..
Drew delighted to tell occurred. In
those days the steamer Emerald.
Captain G. Vanderbilt, left her wharf
on the north side of the Battery at
noon every day, Sundays excepted,
with passengers for New Brunswick
and back by boat for the pleasure of
the trip. New Brunswick S hotel, or
halfway house, was dirty and i'll
kept. Mrs. Vanderbilt saw her op-
portunity. She suggested to her hus-
band that they should take the ho-
tel, refit it and run it in style that
would attract guests. Vanderbilt
thought well of it, and after leasing
the hotel he took his family from
his father Is little house at Stapleton
to live in New Brunswick. AS Mrs.
Vanderbilt had suggested the
her husband told her that
she might run the hotel herself and
have the profits.
Mrs. Vanderbilt was a strong.
industrious, frugal woman, and she
turned the hotel upside down, clean
I'd it and made it fit for guests. She
named it Bellona Hall, after the
Bellona, which her hus-
1and then commanded, and in very
short time the fame of it had spread
o New York, and parties were
nadeup to visit it because of the ex-
,ellent fare to be found there. It
lso increased the profits of the line
or which Captain Vanderbilt work
d, and his salary was increased to
z, 600 a year For II years Mrs.
Vanderbilt managed Bellona Hall
With profit to herself and pleasure to
Ter guests.
During these years Captain Van
erbllt had been studying steam !
hips and investigating the chances
or profit i'll traffic on the Hudson
nd along the sound. He wanted to /
e one of the transportation mag
ates of this city, and, although his
ortune was small, he had valuable
ieas, gained from years of practi-
al experience as steamboat cap 4
ain, and he felt sure that if he could :
ct the right opening he need not
EAR the greater wealth of his rivals.
e had never questioned Mrs. Van
erbilt's management of the hotel,
ut he knew that she had saved
,me money. In 1929 his opportu-
lty came. He had a chance to get
controlling interest in steamship
II SIS, GOO He had So, 600 in cash
hick he had saved, but he didn't
now where to raise the balance. He
Id his wife about this steamship
hich he wanted and explained to
IT his plans for making money if
could get the ship.
(" ! need S13, 900 more, said the
ptain, and / don't know where l
n get it.
! will give it to you, said Mrs.
anderbilt. And to her husband
'rprise she pulled the money out
ON under the bed. She had saved y
from the profits of the hotel. Cap Z