The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-11-18

man with an equal amount ri brains and deter
minauon can get on in railroading. IL is the
old way against The new and every PRACTICAL rail.
Young Vanderbilt has been In the employ Of
the New York Central for about three years He
mcnt under General Superintendent Van Etten
The he was ATTACHED to the chief engineers
department and from there he was transferred
TO tho ofhcc OF the superintendent OF motive power
About two months ago he went back TO the Office
OF Chicf Engineer and he In employed there now
assigned 20 that work which would give him
knowledge Of the making up Of trains, Of train
reports on work 10 which he was assigned shovel
10 his supcriors that he went 10 the bottom and
around all sides Of any proposition he took hold
Of After reading his report or hearing IT, The
person to whom II was made never needed to ask
any questions or send for further information.
The young man had covered every possible point
After he had been in the gcncr al supeIntendents
once several months, he believed he should know
something abou, the building of the road he had
been learning TO operate. Accordingly, he asked
10 be transferred to the office Of the chief engineer.
who was at that time Col. Katie. Although
Vanderbilt had not taken up civil engineering
70 any extent 80 that he could not bc set al draugh
ing or the technical work Of civil engineer lie
proved 10 BE- a useful employee, however and his
knowledgc Of mechanics enabled him 70 do work
n the chief engineer ONCE that no other man IN
work. he kept his eyes and ears open. and AT the
end Of severe al months he knew what done in
that department of railroad and how IL " as done
Then he was transferred 10 the department OF
motive power, where the work was especially
agreeable 10 him, because that department had 10
had made a special study IN college. He had not
been long in the motive power department when
man was no, only a close student but that he
possessed inventive ability. Seeing this, he gave
young andcrbil, chanc,4t 10 develop that ability.
One day the Superintendent OF motive power
noticed that Vanderbilt was studying some rough
drawings " hich he had made. Questions from the
superintendent broug ht out the fact the young
q an a k,A
waiting for another Job, had taken up u problem
Of his own, the solution of which had for its object
the Improvement in the mechanism Of certain
rolling stock. Tho superintendent examined
the drawings more closely. saw there was merit
aud the young man was told TO keep al it, Not
long after that, the superintendent told the young
man OF several other improvements IN the motive
long time but which no one had seemed 10 be able
TO furnish. He told him that he would like TO
have him work on these also. giving him, at tho
vestg alton he cared TO, so long ~ its object was
the better equipment OF the rolling stock
had not had more useful all-around man for
years on its payroll than young Cornelius Van
CATION was an Improved boiler and firrbox for
locomotives This device has been frequently
described. and It's advantage consists chiefly IN
the ease with which the hrcbox can bc removed
from tho boiler. The present hreboxcs are at
tackled to the engines by a number OF staybol.s,
TO he removed. BY the device OF young Wander
bils the nrebox is attached 10 the boiler by sings
and 70 remove IT, II has only TO be unslung.
That here was merit in this is proved by the
fact that out OF order recently given by he
New York Central for something like fifty loco
motives to the Baldwin Locomotive Works Ave Of
the freight engines were ordered TO be equipped
with the Vanderbilt hreboS and boiler Young
Vanderbilt was sent 70 the Baldwin works last
construction. The device cannot be called an
invention. since tho Strong locomotives are fitted
with something like y but it is a great improve
ment over anything Of the kind in use.
While young Vanderbilt could hardly get a
patent on this device, he has been working on
which he has applied for, and those who know
say he is fairly sure TO obtain. II amounts prac.
tcally, To the invention Of a new car 10 be used
for certain kinds Of freight and person who
knows the value Of such Inventions and has