Evening journal., 1913-04-16
NEW NEWS OF YESTERDAY
How William H. Vanderbilt
Changed His Mind
By Holland.

The postal authorities OF the United
States had abundant opportunities in
the early eighties to study the pc
culiarities, temperamental and intel
lectual. of the head OF the Wander
bilt railway system. on the one hand.
and the head Of the Pennsylvania rail-
road system on the other.
One OF the best illustrations Of this
occurred early in the administration
OF President Garfield. It became
known to business men and bankers
Of Philadelphia that the Vanderbilts
purposed putting on fast mail train.
made up exclusively of postal cars
and leaving the Grand Central sta
tion at New York for the West az
4 O'Clock In the morning Thereupon
three or four business men of Phila-
delphia visited the post office depart
ment at Washington for the purpose
OF securing an order for putting
postal cars in service between Phila-
delphia and the West, the train to
leave Philadelphia at precisely the
same time scheduled for the leaving
Of the train the Vanderbilts were to
put on, namely, 4 o'clock in the morn
ing
The post office authorities we're
ready to aid the Philadelphia busi-
ness men. An appointment was made
for them to call upon the vice-presi-
dent, A. J. Cassatt, upon whose new
department rested the responsibility
OF moving the postal cars.
Mr.. Cassatt was cordial enough
when his visitors called, but it was
impossible to get the slightest hint
from his manner or the expression
OF his countenance to show whether
he approved or disapproved Of the
idea. He listened in sphinx-like ST.
lence tapping the while his desk with
a little, ivory paper-cutter. After
he had heard the business men and
the postal authorities he asked
How are we going to be
paid for this?'
The post office department at
Washington will order a reweighing
of the mails delivered by postal
cars hauled over the Pennsylvania
line was the reply.
That's enough" said Mr.. Cas-
satt. 81 will give the order for a
new mail train leaving the Phladel-
phia station at o'clock in the morn
ing" Then he added with a smile:
II think we will get to Chicago as
quick as the Vanderbilt train does"
As the little party was passing
through the corridor OF the Pennsyl
vania railroad Offices they met George
b. Roberts, then president of the
Pennsylvania Railroad Company
There was brief and friendly chat,
and then Mr. Roberts was informed
by the representative of the post Of
fee department that Vanderbilt pro-
posed to take off a Neutrality-suspicious.
fast mail train which he had a year
or two earlier established similar
train ran upon the Pennsylvania line.
Both trains were scheduled to make
the run to Chicago in twenty-four
hours
Vanderbilt is going to take off the
twenty-four-hour train" said Mr..
Roberts. well, all l have to say TO
you, gentlemen is this-I will give
orders to tear up the Pennsylvania
tracks sooner than take Off our
twenty-four-hour fast mail train to
Chicago We have put IL on. and We
viii keep Il on, no matter what Van
derbilt does" That remark was
characteristic OF the great railway
manager George d. Roberts. On the
afternoon of the day following, au-
thorized representatives Of the post
Office at Washington called at Will
liam II. Vanderblt's house in New
York They were told by the butler
at the door that Mr.. Vanderbilt was
taking a nap and would not be dis
turbed
you say TO Mr. Vanderbilt that we
come representing the post Office at
Washington; that we want to tell him
what Mr. Roberts, of the Pennsyl-
vania railroad has decided TO do
about the twenty-four-hour fast train
TO Chicago" they commanded
A few moments later they were ad-
mitted to Mr.. Vanderbilts library.
He was sitting upon a lounge upon
which he had been taking his nap.
He was still rubbing his eyes when
the party entered the room
I'VE have come to see you about
the twenty-four-hour fast mail train
to Chicago. We have heard that you
think Of taking It of" said the
spokesman.
Yes. am going to take it Off II
doesn't pay
well. we thought you would like
to know that the Pennsylvania rail
road will run its twenty-four-hour
fast mail train to Chicago. President
Roberts told us yesterday that he
would tear up the tracks before he
would give up that train"
Did George Roberts say that?'