Evening journal., 1910-10-27
NEW NEWS OF YESTERDAY
The Hurry That Cost a VAN
derbiIt Several Millions
BY Holland"

Il wish you could have seen William
H. Vanderbilt upon one occasion
when he thought he was compelled to
decide whether he would spend sew
eral millions in the purchase OF a
railroad or let It go, said the late
Charles G. Clarke, who was for many
years one of the most intimate per-
sonal friends Of Mr. Vanderbilt and a
vice-president Of the Vanderbilt lines.
In order the better to understand
the description, am going to give you,
7 ought to remind YOU continued Mr..
] Clarke. "of the manner in which the
Nickel Plate railroad was built IL was
promoted chiefly by Gen. Sam Thomas
and Cal Brice-we always call
I ed him Cal-and we suspected from
the beginning that it was built with
the intent, by a sort Of genteel black
mail, to compel Vanderbilt to buy a..
II ran from Buffalo to Chicago and
practically paralleled the Lake Shore
railroad. There did not appear to be
the slightest necessity for building u
railroad there, since the Lake Shore
could take care, of all the business
that was offered That was the rea-
son why we suspected that the chief
object Brice and Thomas had in pro-
noting the railroad was to unload it
at fat profit upon the Vanderbilts.
"Just about that time Mr.. Wander
bilt was having a good deal of per-
plexity on account OF the building of
the West Shore railroad, which prac-
tically parallels the New York Cen
tral from New York city TO Buffalo;
and he was accustomed to declare
that he'd be hanged IL he'd buy the
West Shore, and he'd be id if he'd
buy the Nickel Plate. Yet he bought
the Nickel Plate, almost in the
twinkling of an eye and I'll tell you
exactly how it happened. although a
part of the anecdote has already been
published.
zone day | was with Mr.. Vanderbilt
in his Office when some one brought
20 him a telegram that had come over
the companys wires from Buffalo. He
opened IL and read IL, and then handed
it to me. AS nearly as / recollect, the
telegram stated that General Thomas
and Cal Brice had Just left Buffalo in
a private car with Jay Gould as a
guest, and that they were going 10
take him on a tour of inspection over
the Nickel Plate.
What do you think OF that, Char
/ lieY asked Mr. Vanderbilt. excitedly.
I don't know what to think of It,
/ replied.
Well, know. Mr. Vanderbilt
cried, as he jumped out of his chair
and began walking excitedly back and
forth. They've got tired fishing for
me and they're going to have Gould
make an offer to buy the Nickel Plate
and do what he wants to with IT, That
must be stopped
1T seemed TO me that Mr.. Wander
bilt was in good deal Of hurry;
so I said that If Gould bought it he
would get only a roadbed and a
streak of rust
That doesn't make any difference,
he retorted, vehemently. He mustn't
! have it We don't want any more
trouble with Gould. | am going 70
accept Thomas's offer instantly, and
perhaps Gould will learn before he
gets through the tour Of inspection
that Vauderbilt's got control Of the
| road
Cautious a man as William H.
Vanderbilt was, and though wonder-
fully accurate in his forecasts and
judgments, as / almost always found
him to be, he yet seemed to be car