The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-02-25

the same as any clerk who has nothing
else in the world
But Cornelius Vanderbilt may not al
ways be an underling. That he may re-
verse the apparent decree of fate-that he
may one day be the head of mis- family
and the commanding spirit in Americas
| greatest railroad SYSTEMS a possibility
which is somewhat discussed, but more
often considered in silence, about the
| Central offices.
Cornelius Vanderbilt is 5 feet Ii inches
tall and weighs 155 pounds. He is reedy
and inclined to stoop.
The hours spent at a draughtsman's
desk, which have made him a practical
rather than an ornamental railroad man,
have robbed him of the light pose of
most young men of fortune. He walks
with careless, almost shambling gait
Mr.. Vanderbilt does not tell his plans.
But you may guess at them if you will
He is economical He does not spend
much money. He has in prospect a for
tune Of 100000 yet he is willing to spend
his time in the employ of the New York
Central at a small salary
His ambitions are masked He takes
no one into his confidence Even the ex-
ecutors of the Vanderbilt estate cannot
fathom the mind of the young man who
gave up millions to marry the girl of his
choice, knowing that his disobedience
would be punished
Vanderbilt has always been of nrac-
teal turn of mind.
As child he made toy sail boats-4ood
ones.
A little later he and his brother Will
liam H.-now dead-edited a small paper
called the Comet. This was begun in the |
fall of 1871 Few have ever seen a. copv.
1t had small four-column page. The |
proprietors were the vanderbilt Broth |
ers"
They printed from the pen Of Cornelius |
two or three papers on mechanical an
planes, which Cornelius Vanderbilt. sr.
used greatly to admire.
workshop was fitted up in the Van
derbilt house, and here Cornelius spent
many hours-first with carpenters tools
then with steam and steel and eleceric-
lty. Before he was fifteen he was an ex-
pert draughtsman as well as a handler of |
tools.
While Alfred was leading a butterfly
existence Cornelius was fitting himself to
be railroad man. After he had gradu-
ated from college and had for four years
necessarily neglected his tools his friends
were surprised by his decision to enter
the CentraPs mechanical department
Cornelius first served under William
Buchanan, head of the CentraI's Mechan-
cal Department
1t was in Buchanan's brain that the
wonderful engines were conceived that
haul the Empire State Express The pu-
Pill was worthy iof the master. 1t was in
Buchanan's office that he perfected the
1lans for his new ffre-box
The problem of railroading may be
hus stated:
Mr.. Vanderbilt disregarded driving
wheels. Other men had done for wheels I
Ill that can be done. He decided. as all
lower comes from the coal, to look into
he fire-box.
That sounds practical, doesn't it?
Thus the corrugated iron fire-box was
orn. 4
Engine 7S7 was built for Cornelius, and :
he son telegraphed his father at 4
Newport ''It works after the engineers
ad witnessed a trial trip of the inven- !
ion on long freight train. I
The engineer of that train was young :
|
ornelius Vanderbilt
The first trial was made last August 4
etween West Albany and Syracuse Fiji
freight cars were coupled on. A speed &
f thirty miles an hour was developed 9
nd there was a large saving in coal
In the ordinary locomotive there are q
lore than 1,500 stay-bolts in the fre-box
When it is necessary to make repairs =
lese must be taken out. The Vanderbilt ~
re-box can be taken out by cutting a
wv rivets. Practical railroad men have 9
eclared that the invention is one of the
lost important of recent years.
In the Vanderbilt locomotive there are ~
16S square feet of heating surface; the | =
2 tubes of the engine give 2,16456 feet
aking total of 2,356.27 square feet.
The young millionaire kept pegging
way at his drawing board. His per-
stency led Chauncey NJ Depew to de-
are:
THE genius for mechanics has shown
self in marked degree. It was born
him. The grit, determination, business
,umen and love of mastering details is
,mmon to all the Vanderbilts. Get the
,mbination of mechanical genius with
lie other qualities found in this young
an, and a great railroad administrator
i'll be evolved.
II may not live to see it, but as sure
we are alive this young man, if his
,alth holds out and he pursues the
urse that he has marked out, will by N
I'd by perpetuate the name and fame of
e Vanderbilts for another century"
Mr.. Vanderbilt's office life is that of a
and inventor. His home life
that of a rich man, though not So so
ETY. do-nothing. l,
His house is large and richly furnished
He is devoted to his wife and has
owed it as no other man in America
er did. After work hours he is almost
ways with her. He idolizes his pretty
ildren.
IN summer Mr.. Vanderbilt is able to
Ike a longer vacation than most 500
onth men. Yachting is then his favo-
e amusement. At other seasons he
DIS his chief pleasure in driving in the
rk with his wife.
MUSIC AND DRAMA.
WICHITA T.YCEI-M