The Minneapolis journal., 1903-12-24

Noting the fact, recently announced.
that young w. K. Vanderbilt, Jr., had
been assigned desk in the financial
department of the New York Central
railroad with the object of teaching
him something about the railroad
business, a veteran officer of the Cen
trail said: well, if this young man Is
like his father he will turn out some
good work before he is thru.
William K. Vanderbilt, the elder.
has been a good worker as we'll as
q good idler. When he was boy his
grandfather, the commodore, ex-
pressed the fear that he would. be
spoiled by too much petting and idle
ness The sturdy commodore believed
that boys should begin to support
themselves just as soon as possible.
William K. remained in the academy
at Geneva, Switzerland, until he was
about 1S years old, when he was
called home and set at work in the
office Of the treasurer Of the New
York Central. The young man was not
averse to this arrangement, and ne
never whimpered when his father told
Treasurer Rossiter to pile plenty OF
work on This boy and don't let him
feel that he is any different from
any other clerk. ~. y. y
During his apprenticeship William
X. Vanderbilt applied himself ~ dill
gently and learned a great deal about
the financial part Of railroading. Oc-
casional incursions into other depart
ments gave him a smatter1ng knoWl-
edge of all branches of the business.
He never, however, manifested any
interest in mechanical affairs, his
business development being chiefly
along financial lines. His mind turned
instinctively to big ideas and big
projects, and his fellow clerks were
inclined to shrug their shoulders as
they said to one another: This chap
would turn things topsy-turvy here II
he had the chance +'-.' T.
No person in the New York Central
offices at that time took into consid-
Grafton the possibility of William K.
ever having 1.-The chance His father,
hale and robust, had not yet relln-
Quished the presidency OF the road.
There wasJ. II. Rutter, vice president,
ready to step into William H. Wander
bilt's official shoes, and, furthermore,
there was ''Willie K. elder brother,
Cornelius, physically strong. capable,
sedate and plodding, in direct line OF
succession to the headsh1p of the house
of Vanderbilt. The young clerk was
scarcely treated with the respect that
would ordinarily go to son. of the
then richest man in the world. He
made no sign Of discomfort, however
but went about his duties day after
day with systematic directness. His
amiability was often mistaken for lach
Of spirit, and high-salaried clerks as.
sumed to patronize him and now anC
then shifted odd Jobs of their oWr
unon his nonprotesting shoulders.
Now William K. Vanderbilt has his
desk-a plain, fat-topped mahogany
table-within a few feet of where he
drudged as boy. Some OF the clerks
who patronized him are still there
The sound of his voice, the shuttle OF
his foot. the scratching Of his pen
command alert attention and eager
obeisance. A letter or paper accl
dcntally pushed over the edge of hi!
desk and dropping on the floor i'm
pels even the highest salaried clerks
to an involuntary movement to pick l
up But the present head Of thu
house of Vanderbilt neither requires
nor tolerates such obsequious atten
tions. Quiet. courteous and amiable
as when he was a clerk, he transact
such business as is at hand withou
furry without aggreSslVenesS AM
without noise. But unf1inching au
thOrity is there, and all Of the New
York Central employees realize tn
fact.
Suppose that Mr Vanderbilt detect
a blunder or remissness in the per
formance of an important duty. H
sends for the responsible officer an
quietly remarks: "Mr. -, here
complaint affecting your department
Please look into the matter thorol
and report the facts to the president.
Mr.. Vanderbilt probably forgets thi
conversation at once, but the mex
orable routine Of the New York Cen
trail system grinds out the delinquent
fate. The report must, under tn
methods that prevail, be marked "b
Mr.. VS. order" and when the fact
are sifted by the president scant mere
ia shown to the man at fault. Ap