The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-02-05
voted to Three civilians.

Voted to Three Ciyllinns.
The first civilian TO be voted this dis
tinction was Cornelius Vanderbilt.
| known as the commodore lie re-
ceived the thanks Of Congress and
gold national medal in 1862 for pre-
senting his steamship Vanderbilt 10
the government. He had Just built this
handsome steamship OF 800 tons to,
as he said, demonstrate that individ-
nal enterprise could, without the aid
of government encoura cement, place
upon the ocean stca mships equal, at
least In magnitude, power and speed.
10 any which had been constructed un-
der government patronage and nrotcc-
ton in any part of the world" He
spent about 100000 on her, and she
broke the transatlantic record IN
March. SCI. he received letter from
stanton asking him If he would un-
dertake to prevent the Confederate
steamer Merrimac from escaping out
of Norfolk harbor The commodore
! answered by telegram that he would
come to Washington next day. and ar
irving here, he had his first meeting
with Stanton, who took him over 10
the White House TO sec Lincoln And
the outcome Of this interview was that
he offered Lincoln the Vanderbilt,
which. he said, If properly manned,
would either keep the Merrimac bot
tied up In Fla mpton Roads or sink her
| If she ventureh out
Lincoln asked the commodore to
name the sum for which he would
undertake the service
Nothing Will induce me, sir, to he
come a speculator upon tile necessities
Of my country" said the commodore
| = make gift OF her to the govern
ment for the services proposed And
| the ship was off Fortress Monroe, on
| time, in three or four days
! Three years 10 ter Congress similarly
| thanked George Peabody, the noted
| philanthropist FOR his great and pccu-
| liar beneicence in giving a large sum
OF money, amounting TO $4,000 0oO fol-
! the promotion Of cduca ton In the more
| destitute of the Southern and South
western States" Peabody, born in 795
began clerking II a store in Danvers
Mass, when only eleven and grew to
| build up the largest dry goods business
Of MS generation Although settling in
] London as 4 broker in 1897 he from
there sent money TO found the Peabody
institutes and museums scattered over
! this country. The large donation for
the promotion OF education in the South
| was increased IN 1869 TO S3.5UO,000. lie
spent millions on other philanthropies
here and contributed S2.50o,0O1 for the
building Of model lodging houses for
the poor OF London.
Offered PccraEe by Victoria.
queen Victoria offered to make him
a peer of England in 1867. but he de-
clined. Then she presented him with
a portrait of herself. which now hangs
IN the institute at Peabody. Mass. Tic
hicd bachelor in 1869 and was the
nrst private citizen of a foreign coun
| Wy TO be honorcd by buria in West
,, muster Abbey. but with true American
/ spirit. and also in order 10 carry out
his wishes, his relatives had his re-
mains removed to Massachusetts, TO lie
beside those OF his mother The Mon
arch, the first frigate of the BRITISH
1 navy. carried his body across the At.
santic. and it was received by an Amer.
lean squadron, commanded by Tarragut
i Gladstonc's tribute to hin, was that II,
4 taught the world how man might ht
4 the master OF his fortune, and no, if.
/ slave
R Two Inventors on Roll.
h FOR laying the transatlantic cable
Morse got the priced vote of thanks I;
1863. In only two other cases has
been conferred for services performed
otherwise i!,an by force Of arms.
For distinguished service in the lin
4 OF MS profession, improvements in ord
/ nance and Jealous ana efficient labor
b IN the ordnance branch Of tho ser
4 VICE Captain John Adolph Dahlprc,
4 received such formal expression, o
! NE nations gratitude in 1869.
- While an ordinance officer. ana Io,c