The San Francisco call., 1903-12-25
forward with your hip as a lever, press
his head backward with your right
hand. In this way he is bound to fall.
Vanderbilt a Worker.
BY EARL d. BERRY.
CFormer Railroad Editor New York Times and
New York SUM

New York SUM
Copyright. 1908. by Joseph B. Bowles)
Noting the fact, recently announced,
that young w. X. Vanderbilt Jr had
been assigned a desk in the financial
department Of the New. York Central
Railroad with the object of teaching
him something about the railroad busi-
ness, veteran officer Of the Central
said: We'll if this young man is like
his father he viii turn out some good
work before he is through"
William K. Vanderbilt. the elder. has
been a good worker as we'll as a good
idler When he was a boy his grand
father, the commodore, expressed fear
that he would be spoiled by too much
petting and idleness. The sturdy COM
modOre 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 IS years old, when he was
called home and set at work in the Of
fee OF the treasurer Of the New York
Central. The young man was not
averse to this arrangement and he
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"
No person in the New York Central
offices at that time took into consider
alton the possibility of William X
ever having "the chance" His father,
hale and robust, had not yet relin-
quished the presidency of the road.
There was J. H. Rutter. vice president,
ready to step into William H. Wander
bits official shoes, and, furthermore,
there was Willie ks" elder brother,
Cornelius, physically strong, capable,
sedate and plodding, in direct line of
succession to the headship Of the house
Of Vanderbilt. The young clerk was
scarcely treated with the respect that
would ordinarily go to a 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 amia-
bility was often mistaken for lack of
spirit and high-salaried clerks as
sumed to patronize him and now and
then shifted odd jobs of their own upon
his non-protesting shoulders.
Now William K Vanderbilt has his
desk-a plain, flat-topped mahogany
table-within a few feet of where he
drudged as a 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 COM
mand alert attention and eager obeis-
ance. A letter or paper accidentally
pushed over the edge of his desk and
dropping on the floor impels even the
/ highest salaried clerks to an involun-
tary movement to pick it up. But the
/ present head of the house of Vanderbilt
neither requires nor tolerates such OBJ
sequious attentions. Quiet, courteous
and amiable as when he was a clerk,
( he transacts such business as is at
/ hand without furry, without aggres-
siveness and without noise. But un-
! finching authority is there, and all of
the New York Central employees realize
| the fact
/ Suppose that Mr.. Vanderbilt detects
a blunder or remissness in the perform
ance of an important duty. He sends
/ for the responsible officer and quietly
/ remarks: Mr.. -, here is a complaint
affecting your department. Please look
into the matter thoroughly and report
] Int laCNS " NAiG DlCStNAChl. MI an
derbilt probably forgets this conversa-
ton at once, but the inexorable routine
of the New York Central system grinds
out the delinquents fate. The report
must, under the methods that prevail,
! be marked "by Mr.. VS. order" and
when the facts are sifted by the presi-
dent scant mercy is shown to the man
at fault. Appeals for clemency are met
by the stern rejoinder, This is a mat
/ ter that Mr.. Vanderbilt took up, and 1
can do nothing for you"
Any expressed wish of W. K. Wander
bilt is law in the New York Central Of
fees. He exercises an autocratic sway
over all of the railroads in the Wander
bilt system. Presidents of the different
lines are simply his unquestioning lieu
tenants, and boards of directors exc
cute his plans with scarcely a COM
/ ment.