The Minneapolis journal., 1903-12-24
VIM. K. VANDERBILT
AS "A WORKER
Began at Eighteen New York Central Offices and Applied
Himself With Quiet Digence-His Slightest Wish Law on
All Vanderbilt RoadsBig Directors Register His Decisions
Active in Railroad Consolidation.
. BERRY Former Railroad Editor NeW York Times and
NeU York San.


= -.
peals for clemency are met by the
stern rejoinder:' This is matter
that Mr.. Vanderbilt took up and 1 can
do nothing for YOU"
Any expressed wish of w. K. Van
derbilt is law in the New York Central
offices. He exercises an autocratic
sway over all of the railroads in the
Vanderbilt system. Presidents of the
different lines are simply his unques-
tioning lieutenants, and boards of di-
rectors execute his plans with scarcely
a comment. He shuns publicity and
forbids his subordinates to talk to
newspaper men about important mat
ters until he Is ready to have an an
nouncement made. In some quarters
critics of Vanderbilt methods and pol
icies have taken the ground that bet
ter results might be attained if the
president Of each Vanderbilt road was
given more authority, with direct re-
spOnsibility to the directorSssS
William X. Vanderbilt spends about
two-thirds of his time in this coun-
try, and in the fall and winter months
he applies himself energetically to
business affairs. When at work he
reaches his office in the. Grand Cen
trail station not later than 10 o'clock
a. M and is frequently there at 5
attention to all matters of financial
policy, and it is often the case that
persons closely connected with his
railroads do not know what he is go
ing to do until he walks into the di-
rectors' room and instructs his di-
rectors to pass certain resolutions. J..
Pierpont Morgan, William Rockefel-
Ter and D. O. Mills-three mighty in
dependent i-millionaires-are di-
tra1 h,1f
up to the present time there has been
no voice raised against Mr.. Wander
bilt's complete domination of the sys-
tenn bearing: his family name, Re-
cent events have suggested the pos
sibility that in the near future MI.
Vanderbilt may of his own volition
surrender his control of the New
York Central to the Rockefellers, who
are reputed to be constantly increas-
ing. their holdings of New York Cen
trail and other Vanderbilt stocks.
Constructive energy and far-sight-
edness have been conspicuous features
Of w. K. Vanderbilt's railroad career.
The merger of the New York Cen
trail, the Lake Shore and the. Michi-
gan Central was conceived and car
ried out by him; the, gradual consoli-
dation of railroad interests east of
Chicago has been largely his work.
and the extensive reconstruction Of
railroads to provide for future growth
of traffic is in line with the policy
announced by him as essential, when
he took the control of the Wander
bilt properties from the hands of his
| afflicted brother, Cornelius, two years
before the latter's death. With the
possible exception of J. Pierpont
Morgan and President A. J. Cassatt
of the Pennsylvania system, William
K. Vanderbilt has been the most po-
tent individual force in establishing a
community Of railroad interest in this
country which insures stability OF
freight rates and has increased the
earning power Of nearly every impor-
| tant line.