The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1907-07-18

out of business two years later. He
ruined Daniel Drew in the fight for
Hudson river transportation. Drew
died poor and is practically forgotten.
The Vanderbilt advance went on over
his grave, on land as on the sea, for
Cornelius the Great got into the rail.
road business.
Became Railroad Kings.
It was not Vanderbilt himself who
instinctively foresaw the possibilities
of railroad transportation. Edward
Crane, a promoter Of railroads fifty
years ago, when they were few and far
between, induced the crusty and crafty
old commodore to take to the land
route. Vanderbilt had bought some
stock in the New York, New Haven
and Hartford railroad, but it was not
until Crane managed to get four or
five hours of his time and spread be-
fore him a huge map Of New York
and New England, marked with red
lines showing railroad possibilities
waiting to be snapped up, that the old
commodore made up his mind to buy
and build roads. The great New York
Central, the Lake Shore, the Michigan
Central, the Canada Southern and 9th.
er lines We're the outcome of that con-
ference Thus the Vanderbilts became
vastly greater and richer as railroad
kings than the first Cornelius ever had
been as a steamboat man.
Old Cornelius had practically no edu-
cation, though, as we have seen, he
could write a business letter straight to
the point. He gave his son, William
H., whom he called Bill, no educa
tional advantages. The boy had t.
shift for himself. He got job in a
bank and was making SIG a week
when he married Miss Maria Louise
Nissan, Brooklyn clergyman's daugh-
ter. His father shifted when Bill mar
ried. He informed his son that he
never would get cent Of the fathers
fortune. Bill was not worried. He
kept on at work and pleased his en-
ployers until his health failed. Then
Cornelius the Great softened to the ex-
tent of giving Bill seventy acre farm
around the old homestead on Staten
Island
"You must make your living off the
farm" said the father.
Became Americas Richest Man.
William II. Vanderbilt lived there
and farmed it from 1912 to 1864. He
was forty three years old when his ia
Their finally discovered that he had
financial ability. The old man invited
Bill to come into the fold, giving him
share in the management of the VAN
derbilt railroad system. Bill was a
bigger railroad man than his father be-
fore the latter's death, in 1877. After
the eight sisters or their heirs were
comfortably provided for William a..
Vanderbilt got the main estate. He
was the richest man in America, with
$50, 100000 only thirteen years
from the Staten Island truck farm!
And his father called him Bill.
William H. by studying railroad sci
ence had increased his wealth to $780,
100000 by 1881. When he died from a
stroke Of apoplexy in 1885 after a
stormy interview with John W. Gar
rett, one of his great rivals in the rail-
road world, he left nearly $200,O00,000.
Cornelius and William X, the two
sons who succeeded William H. in the
management Of the railroads, received
between them $120,OO0,0O0, the six 9th
er children getting $1O,OO0,000 apiece.
When Cornelius I'd had an Interview
with Cornelius Sd, regarding the
young mans intention to marry Miss
Grace Wilson, he suffered a stroke OF
apoplexy, which broke down his health
and carried him off three years later.
In the meantime young Cornelius mar
ried the girl he wanted. He got down
to work and invented several very
useful railroad appliances, notably a
fire box, a locomotive tank and a
freight truck.
New Vanderbilt King.
Brother Alfred, the new Vanderbilt
king, who may be called Alfred list,
took to automobiling and driving four
in-hands. In these gentlemanly occu-
pations he has achieved a worldwide
reputation. George w. Vanderbilt,
brother of the second Cornelius and
William X, distinguished himself by
building Biltmore, the magnificent es-
tate near Asheville, N. c. William K.
retired from active railroad manage
ment some years ago and tried to man.
age his son-in-law, the Duke Of MARI
borough, but without success. His
son, Willie X, is a daredevil automo-
bile speeder.