The Savannah morning news., 1904-08-14
The Many Sided
August Belmont
To His Many Lines Of Activity He Has Lately
Added That of National Politics.
BY WILLIAM @, KOUNTZE.

by means of which he took possession
of the property. Mr.. Belmont was
grievously wounded by the exploit, not
merely because the loss of the control
of the Louisville and Nashville meant
also the loss of an important client OF
customer for Mr.. Belmonts banking
house, but also doubtless involved ex-
plantations that were not pleasant ia
make to the great European bankers
whom Mr.. Belmont represents, and
also hurt seriously his very proper
business PRIDE
The loss of the Louisville and Nash
vile, which was handed down to him
by his father, and which he extensively
improved has been the one severe
setback Mr.. Belmont has received in
his financial career. Still, he has more
than retrieved his fortunes in rapid
transit, and his methods in financing
the great subway undertaking have
been the cause of universal admiration
His "L'' Interests.
Mr. Belmont has given his rapid
transit interests the personal super
vision that characterizes him in all
his activities. When he had leased the
Manhattan elevated system from the
GouldS he was asked whether he
would become its president.
When I lease a railroad I, of
course, expect to assume the manage
ment," was is reply.
Shortly after he took to riding up
and down the railroad, getting caught
in brushes and hanging on to the
straps like the humblest of his pas
sengers. All the time he was studying
I the system, and before long he in
| augurated reforms that perceptibly re-
| lieved the congestion and caused long
| suffering New Workers to gasp in
pleased wonder.
Perhaps the secret of his success
along so many lines lies in this trait
of personal supervision. With a stop
watch in one hand, a camera in the
other, and with his coat and waist
coat off, he watches his horses worked,
and his trips of inspection to his
Kentucky stud and stables are not
taken merely for a change of air. IF
a pin falls upon the floor of his bank
ing house he hears it," is the common
saying of the clerks. At any rate, he
pays attention even to the most trivial
of details, and, no matter how large
the mail or how pressed he is for time,
he looks over it and answers every
letter. And to know that he is no
mean letter writer consider the fol-
lowing gem written to Controller
Grout of New York city during the
course of a controversy over the sub
way:
IT do not desire to continue a cor
respondence which, now that it has
assumed the form and substance OF
your letter, cannot be of any benefit
to either of the interests we respec-
lively represent. And while I must
confess that 1 have neither the pa
thence nor the ingenuity to comment
upon all the expressions or intima-
lions of your letter, permit me to say,
with no little emphasis, to you and to
all others interested in the subject
matter of correspondence. that" etc.
Pleasure n Business to Him.
He looks after his pleasures as he
does his business. He knows how
many pounds of dog biscuit are eaten
in his famous Blemton Kennels in a
day: as the largest owner in the cup
yacht Constitution" he gave her
building and trying out constant SUI
pervision; no matter what he has in
hand it Enthusiastically shows the Bel
mont mark and scrutiny.
How he gets through so much work
in the course of a day is constant
wonder to all who know his habits.
His personal appearance is such as to
give the impression that he could not
stand such a constant strain-he is
frail and small of stature, yet he works
early and late, keeps half dozen sec
retaries hustling for dear life, and still
manages to find time almost every
day to indulge in his favorite sport OF
riding, and, in season, in riding to the
hounds.
Before his interests became so va
ried within the past five years or so,
he was frequently seen on the polo
field and with the whip in hand. AS
a polo player he is considered the
superior of George Gould, and once
in awhile even now the two men and
their two boys play against each
other, lust for the fun of the thing "
as the financiers express it.
The Elder BeImOnt's Idea.
1t was their fathers idea that his
three boys-August, Perry and o. II.
P.-should each follow along one line
and become well-known thereby. FOR
a time it looked as if the old gentle
mans desire would be fulfilled, with
Perry in politics, August in racing. and
o. II. p. in banking; in fact, shortly
after their fathers death the news
papers announced that the brothers
would so direct their energies. But
August has been the leader these past
ten years in everything except politics
Now he has far more renown in that
direction than Perry, OF WnOm hlchdIu
Croker once said, he could be Presi-
dent some day if he wished. This CEN
tering of the Belmont interests-even
to the social interests-as they
were before the fathers death
is remarkable. Perhaps the ex-
PLANTATION hes in the statement
made the other day by a friend who
has known the family for years:
"Augy is like his father he's GER
tainly a chip of the old block
But to duplicate his fathers political
career, as he has all his other lines OF
endeavor. the son will have to become
the national chairman Of his party and
| its guiding spirit for score of years
| or more.