The Savannah morning news., 1903-01-18

so there is little likelihood that the
Eanderbilts and the Pennsylvania
would now have control of Reading, 1t
is far more probable that George Gould
would now have trunk line to tide
water, in the shape of the Reading in
stead of being in the position of an en-
envy TO both the Pennsylvania and the
Vanderbilts.
The pending erection by willie k,
Jr.," of another Vanderbilt house. at
the corner of Fifth avenue and Fifty
second street, directly opposite the
nome of Willie K, ST." brings to
mind the fact that the Vanderbilt
homes are now very numerous, are
scattered well over the country, and
represent the investment of many mil
lions.
Yet 1t is barely three-quarters of a
century ago since there was only one
Vanderbilt home 1t was a two
story structure on Staten Island. the
entire second story of which was COW
cred by huge A roof, pierced by three
dormer windows. 1t is still standing,
or was until very recently, but the
Vanderbilts do not often take their
friends to see the house where the
Commodore, the founder Of the line,
dwelt when he was building up the
family fortune.
The house opposite which young
Willie K. is to build is one of four,
built nearly twenty-five years ago and
occupied at various times by various
Vanderbilt families, including those of
the Vanderbilt girls. who married H.
Mex. Twombley. the late Elliot F.
Shepard and DR.. w. Seward Webb
These houses were considered superla-
lively magnificent when they were
built, and so they were, but other Van
derbilt houses put. up later eclipsed
them even as they eclipsed most houses
of their day.
The newer and finer Vanderbilt
homes include the late Cornelius Van
derbilt's house at Fifth avenue and
F'ifty-eighth street; Biltmore, George
Vanderbilt's North Carolina house;
the Breakers, the late Cornelius New
port mansion, and the Marble House,
built in Newport by the senior Willie
K
Concerning the last named house it
was said three or four years ago that
Willie K, Jr., and his bride, who was
Birdie" Fair, refused to live in it aft
er their marriage for the simple rea-
son that they hadn't enough money to
keep it going.
Those who know say that no one
with an income of less than a million
a year could hope to come out even
and live there. 1t was in this house
that Mrs. w. K. Vanderbilt, now Mrs.
Oliver P. Belmont, carried on the So
cial campaigns that resulted in the
marriage of her daughter Consuelo
with the Duke of Marlborough and it
was that social campaigns of that sort
might be carried on that the house was
built.
Aln1ont simultaneously with the an
nouncement that the Reading Railway
has come under the control of the Van
derblts and the Pennsylvania comes
the information that the Erie has been
got well in hand by Pierpont Morgan
and ]. J. Hill.
Whether the latter Can eventually
so swing this property as to make it
a permanent outlet for his freight,
transhipped by lake from Duluth, the
eastern terminus of his Great North
ern Railroad to Buffalo, is question
of vast importance in many circles.
Even if he can he is still a disappoint
ed man, since he planned for an all
rail route eastward, and at one time
thought he had it in the shape of the
Baltimore and Ohio, which is now Vir-
tualy a part of the Pennsylvania
system.
Mr.. Hills entry into the galaxy of
railroad multi-millionaires was much
later than that of most of the others,
and was accomplished by himself.
while the reigning Vanderbilts and
Goulds secured theirs by inheritance.
Little has ever been said about the
social ambitions of Mr. Hill and his
family, whereas the breaking into the
charmed circle by the Vanderbilts and
Goulds Mas kept the pens of two gen.
erations of newspaper writers busy.
But though the Hill campaign for So
cial recognition was not obtrusive, it
appears to have been quite successful.
Furthermore, it lasted not more than
a dozen years, and this was quite as
unprecedented as it's lack of noise and
fuss.
In the main. the Hill social tactics
were those of mastery inactivity. In
other words, the family made no move
whatever to gain social favors from
those who had ever seemed disinclined
to grant them.
When Mr.. Hill cot ready he built a
million dollar palace in st. Paul, the
finest private residence by far in all
the Northwest. Then he moved into it,
but none of the social elect of st.
Paul or Minneapolis was asked to in
spect it's beauties, to gaze on the real
art in it's gallery of paintings, or to
share it's hospitality in any way.
Friends of the Hill family in the true
sense were made welcome, but what
termed itself society was left out,
since society had always ignored the
Hills.
After about six months of this, so
ciety, which had expected an agrees
sive Hill social campaign, began to
bestir itself with plans for a change.
If the Hills did not care to break
into Society's circle, then society
must break into the Hill circle. That
this would be difficult nobody expect
ed, of course. 1t was believed that
the Hills were just waiting for a move
of that sort; that they would welcome
st. Paul's social leaders with open
arms, once the leaders should recog-
nize the Hills.
So one day a deputation of st.
Pauls most exclusive society women
decided to call on Mrs. Hill, several
arriving at the Hill mansion in their
carriages at about the same time.
But they had reckoned without their
hostess. When their cards were sent
to Mrs. Hill she sent word down to
them by the butler that she supposed
they wished to inspect the house, es-
pecially the picture gallery. They
were welcome, the message continued,
and she would send servant to con-
duct them through most of the rooms,
but really the ladies must excuse her
for she was engaged at the moment
with the entertainment of a few
friends.
Later. when the Hills invited any
of st. Pauls society folk, the latter