The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1901-04-13
Nh. VANDERBILT ) S|ARI
THE OLD COMMODORE KEPT AN
Inn AND HIS WIFE TENDED
BAR
LIFE IN A NEW JERSEY TOWN
While Conducting Hotel He Took
His First Lessons in the
Field There Was for ss-s
"a Railroad. e-as

The marriage of a young Vanderbilt
has set all the gossips of New Bruns-
wick, N. T., talking about the days when
one of the millionaires ancestors kept
very good hotel on the Raritan river,
near that classic city, says. the New York
Journal. +.
It was here that Commodore Wander
bilt, the great grandfather of Alfred
Gwynne, who married Miss Elsie French,
was mine host of the old Bellonia hotel.
The great grandson had a half million
dollar wedding. His shrewd 70 ebear
dealt whisky over the bar at 10 cents
a glass, and in this way helped to make
his first thousand dollars and found the
colossal family fortune. - -s-s> :,
The old hotel is a New Brunswick land
, mark now. Half the old liars and most
aged inhabitants in town will tell how
they drank with him, but rarely at his
expense, for that is not the way in which
fortunes. are founded. 49, y. r. -. r
The hotel is now tenement house. 1t
shows the wrinkles of age. Its ancient
glory is gone. Its only use, except a
tenement, is that it serves to point a
moral and adorn the tales of the chin
whiskered fraternity who retail remin!s
cences to all corners.
But in the old days when the Wander
bilt who was to become a commodO .
by and by ran it. the Bellonia hotel was
one Of the most important
stopping places and one Of the
best paying properties in the
passenger and freight sloops between
New Brunswick down the Raritan river
to the bay and thence to New York city.
landing at the battery every alternate
day.
> A trip by sloop from New York to
Brunswick in those days was almost as
momentous an event as is a jaunt 70
Europe now. Mr.. Vanderbilt caught the
passengers going and coming and gut
them up at his we'll appointed inn. Tray
elers waited at the Bellonla for arriving
or departing boats or for the coach to
Philadelphia, stretching their legs bcco Z
big log fire or drank hot teddy in tn.
barroom, mixed by the good wife Of The
original Vanderbilt, buxom hoa7eiy
soul who knew how to brew punch that
guest - N''
.Eloplng couples sojourned under the
!, = aIn flfit roof and statesmen Of the
| BUFF and Hamilton type who love, m
cileerSEof the Rel1onia
1t was while conducting this hotel tia
commodore Vanderbilt took n first ;e..
sons IN the field there was for raj
1oau. re saw the demand for better
n!oue OF travel than coach and sloon
ne nad taken the hotel by the adyi e o.
W1tlam Gibbons, president of tho Now
YORK and New Brunswick Freight cow
pany. The hotel was built in 1893 an,
mas passed into the hands of the com
pany. >''''-
Before he became a boniface he dre5p
ca oysters for living in the Rarita:,
pay. He was noted for his skill, and aar-
ing as an FISHERMAN
Cne stormy night in winter Preeidepr
GIBBONS. Of the Transportation comnanv
arrived at Perth Ambcy and wanted to
cross inc Staten Island sound to Totten
Sihe. none OF the boatrnen at Perth Am.
poy would consider an offer to row hin,
across until Vanderbilt was seen. He
SAD that he would take the Job. The
sea In the sound was running hief ana
Cle TRIP was very dangerous. but botb
men nnatly landed IN safety on the
staten Island shore. As it hannenea
1looons mad an appointment with a ladv
among tneEfa fashionable Staten islanders
this night and he appreciated the bra. a,..'
OF young Vanderbilt in rowing him across
the dangerous waters in time not ia dis.
appoint the lady, and thereupon mod,
MIN the captain and part owner IF 3.
small oyster sloop.
one successful season put yo11ne var
derb1lt IN control Of little capital ana
G1ppons, who had always remained his
nrm friend, advised him to assume tba
management of the Bellonia hotel. which
was then in need Of a manager.
vanderbilt did this and began to make
money at once. His wife attended the
motel and served the Increasing trade
with good, well-cooked food and entfcinp,
drinks, while VANDERBILT worked az ca,,'
tain on one OF the freight boats OF the
transportation company, this position.
too, coming to him through Gibbons
patronage.
It was In 1875 that Vanderbilt assumed
charge Of the Bellonia Hotel. For MANY
years he conducted It, aided by his wife.
Then. with Increasing good fortune. Mrs.
Vanderbilt desired to change the hotel
quarters for private residence, and the
family moved to a house few hundred
yards north Of the hotel There they
lived for many years.
The best way is good enough! Use the