Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1903-05-09

scene-willlam X Vanderbilt before
the board Of directors Of the New York
Central Railroad oompany-"Gentle-
men, / would like to be appointed a
committee Of one, with power 10 buy
the Lake Shore and Michigan roads"
A motion to this effect was put one
day and the board unanimously voted
Mr.. Vanderbilt full authority to make
the purchase. Then, to their surprise,
he laid before them mis- brokers' slips
showing that he had already bought the
road and he turned the properties over
to,the company.
But this was not all. The directors
saw that he might make fortune
through the Inevitable advance In
stock. He declined to take advantage
OF the opportunity for personal gain
and gave the company the entire bene-
III OF the transaction, less the interest
on the money used in buying the stock.
lie would accept nothing for his ser
vices
This extraordinary episode occurred
socn after Mr.. Vanderbilt came into
control Of the Central, at the death Of
his brother Cornelius, The securing Of
the properties added two important
railways and thousands OF miles OF new
territory TO the Vanderbilt system.
With the announcement Of William X.
Vanderbit's coming marriage his life
and fortune assume new interest for the
public everywhere.
The possibilities OF more heirs FOR his
millions, foreshadowlng great changes
In the final disposition Of an immense
estate, give unique importance to this
marriage, says the New York Herald.
The social and society features are Of
little account compared with the vast
financial interests involved IN the TAX
Ing OF new wife and the prospective
rearing OF q new family 10 inherit a
large slice OF the Vanderbilt kingdom.
No man Is more inaccessible TO blog
raphers than William X, Vanderbilt.
He Is strong man. and one Of his
strongest characteristics, aside from his
fondness for horses and yachts, is his
intense aversion 10 publicity Still, there
are men who know him well. A Euro
pean yachting friend gives the Herald
this sketch Of the head OF the Wander
bilt family:
MR.. vANDERBILTs EARLY LIFE.
'Mr. Vanderbilt Is now "a years OF
age. He finished his education In the
schools OF Geneva. Switzerland which
gave him his knowledge Of the French
language that makes his life and asso-
Citations so agreeable In Paris.
"on his coming home from Geneva
his father put him into the transporta-
ton department OF the New York Cen
trail, He was then about 20 years old
and remained for five or six years UNI
der Mr. Rutter. who was afterward
president OF the road and always one of
the ablest and brightest railroad men
In the country. Under his instruction
Mr.. Vanderbilt became q complete mas
ter OF the passenger and freight traffic.
Then his father gave him general man.
agement OF the Lake Shore and Mich
igan Central railroads. IN these posi-
tlons he learned every detail OF railroad
construction and the management of
men, and became one Of the best equip |
ped officials In railroad management |
Later William X. and his brother
Cornelius Vanderbilt retired from all |
official responsibility and details OF |
but remained In the d. |
rectorates. On the death OF Cornelius |
William X. Vanderbilt became the head