The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-02-12
COAL HAD TO WAIT
EVEN FOR VANDERBILT WHARF
HANDS WOULDN'T WORK IN
RAIN.
CAUSED DELAY FOR VALIANT.
WILLIAM *. ESTABLISHED RECORD
FOR RIVER FERRIAGE.

Has Chartered Tug to Do Nothing
but Wait Until He Is Ready to
Cross the River-Tug Is Lying on
the sOuthside of the River Await
ing the Appearance of the Multi
millionaire and His Party-Com-
mander of the Vessel Is in TeIe-
graphic Touch With the Owner.
Mr.. Vanderbilt VIII Not Linger
Long in Savannah.
All ship owners look alike to negro
wharf laborers, and even a Vanderbilt
who owns 100000 yacht can't get
work out of them when the weather is
bad. Wharf laborers think entirely too
much Of their health and comfort to car
Ty coal in the rain, even though William
X. Vanderbilt may be in a hurry to sail
aboard his magnificent yacht for
cruise on the blue waters of the Mediter
Tanean.
The Valiant still lies at the Seaboard
Air Line wharves on the north side of
the river, and she may lie there for some
days longer if the weather does not clear.
The negroes won't work in the rain, and
that is all there is to it. An effort was
made yesterday to induce them to do so,
for it is no small thing when a multi-mil-
lionaire is in a hurry and wants to be
giving his friends a trip.
Seven hundred tons of coal are to be
put aboard the Valiant before she can
make her run across the pond. The fuel
has to be lightered to the vessel and then
put in her bunkers by the hands. All
this involves cosl-carrying capacity. Or
dinarily, the wharf hands do not mind
doing a reasonable amount of work, but
they absolutely decline to take any vio-
lent exercise in the rain. William ks
name is potent in many circles, but it
was simply without effect upon the dar-
kies. They declared that they did not
propose to carry coal in the rain for any
man, whether the owner of a two-by-four
river steamer or the finest yacht aloat
The commander of the yacht is in tele-
graphic touch with w. X, and the latter
has advised him to be in readiness for the
appearance of himself and his party.
Just when Mr. Vanderbilt will arrive is
not known He himself does not know,
but he wants things just right when he
directly to his yacht, as he has given or
ders that would indivate such a purpose.
Lying on the Savannah side of the river
is a tug, ready and waiting, with steam
up. for the arrival of the Vanderbilt
party. The tug has been chartered by
Mr.. Vanderbilt, and she is probably cost
ing him about $50 a day She is not
working very hard and has nothing
to do but wait for Mr.. Vanderbilt
That gentleman thinks nothing of
such little thing as $50 a day for an in
definite time when the consideration of
his convenience is in the other scale. The
Valiant has small boats galore but Mr.
Vanderbilt doesn't want one of them wet
and tug is the thing for him to use In
crossing the Savannah river. 1t IS 500
feet across from the tug to his yacht, and
ne is paying a swell price for ferriage.
1t will probably be long before another
touches the record he will leave Five
cents is the usual cost to get across, but
it has not been reported that boatmen are
meditating an advance to Vanderbilt
prices.
Advices from below were that a gale was
blowing, with the wind forty-fve miles
am hour. that the heavy swell off the
bar would prevent sailing, even were the
Valiant ready for sea.
Mr.. Nanderbilts plans are not definite
ly known, but he intends to remain at
Palm Beach until his yacht is about ready
10 sail. From here the Valiant will pro-
coed to the Mediterranean, and later Mr.
Vanderbilt will join William X. Jr., and
Mrs. Vanderbilt Referring to the depart
ure of Mr.. and Mrs. w. k, Jr from
New York the other day, the Journal
says:
1t lacked ten minutes of the sailing time
of the Cunarder Lucania when an auto
mobile dashed on the pier and came to
IA - &C.. 4, .,.,lr
From it emerged William X. Vanderbilt,
Jr., and Mrs. Vanderbilt. She was dressed
in furs and looked radiant. The Wander
bit baby. Miss Muriel Vanderbilt, was not
there. She has been left with relatives
while her papa and mama are abroad.
The Vanderbiits walked aboard the mo-
ment they reached the pier and servant
followed with wraps and hand bags Mr.
Vanderbilt smiled when the story that he
would engage in automobile racing in
France was mentioned.
ITS all nonsense" he declared. 81
have not the slightest idea where that
story originated. l shall do no racing in
Europe, in France or elsewhere, but may
do little automobiling for pleasure.
have never used the machines l own for
anything else. 1 never was in the racing
business. I have tested their speed quail
ties, but not in a contest with anyone
else. 1t never constituted racing
1--WE are going TO Paris and to the south
of France. We shall be gone three
months. That IS all there is to say con-
corning our trip"
William X. Vanderbilt IS a grandson of
Commodore Vanderbilt. and the head of
the multi-millionaire family bearing his
name. He is 50 years of age and i'm 1874
married Alva Smith. now Mrs. o. II. p
Belmont. He is the third of eight chill
dren of William Henry only son of the
Commodore. He has three children, Con-
suelo, who married the Duke Of MARI
borough William k, Jr., and Harold.