Evening journal., 1913-07-31
NEW NEWS OF YESTERDAY
The Man Commodore VAN
derbilt Put Faith in
By HOrlane

"I never shall forget said the late
Charles G. Clarke. for many years vice
president Of tie New York Central Rail
road Company, and having exclusive au-
thority over the financial depas tment,
my first meeting with Commodore Van
derbilt
Il had not the slightest IDEA when I
met him that 1t was 20 be- the beginning
OF a relation with the Nanderbiits which
would last for half a century. / had
been assistant treasurer of the State OF
New York during several admnistra-
tions in old Wing days. / afterwards
became an officer of a little country
bank in Western New York / think il
was about the year 1858, or il may have
been the early part Of 1859, that / had
an intimation that Commodore Wander
bilt would like to meet me I only knew
him as a conspicuous figure in the bust
ness OF steamboats, and steamship trans
portation That was something that
knew nothing about, for about my only
knowledge of water navigation was what
! had been able to observe upon the Erie
canal and the Hudson river
n
modore Vanderbilt he told me that he
was going into railroading and had al
ready obtained control of the Harlem
Railroad, which was the first railroad
line built from New York city TO the
northern part of New York State The
The commodore said that he wanted me
to come with him and look after the ac-
counts. lie ntimated that he had
learned a good deal about me when
was assistant treasurer of New York
State, and had found out that knew
something about the State banking
business.
"Well. hesitated little, and instead
of being irritated that ] did not at once
jump at his proposition the commodore
showed me a great deal of consideration.
In a few words he outlined to me what
his purposes as a railroad man were. He
was then past so years of age. | had
heard that he was worth ten million
dollars. and that was an enormous for
tune for that time. | suppose | may
have led the commodore to infer that
was astonishcd that a man of his age,
who had made great career and had
| gained a large fortune as a steamship
and steamboat owner should turn to
| railroading
"He said to me. however. that the dis.
covery Of gold in California and the
| building of the railroads across the 18TH
/ mus had turned his attention TO the fu-
/ ture Of the railroad business in the
| United States. He was satisfied that he
had done all that he could do as a
steamboat or a steamship man.
He said To me. furthermore. that he
contemplated the establishment of a
railroad system which would get a very
large business through carrying wheat
and corn raised in the West 20 The sea-
ports He did not think anybody else
| had realized how economically thi.
! grain could be carried if the transporta
tion was an under one management.
Gle pointed out to me that nature
herself had carved ont true failroaC
paths from the great West 20 the At
lantic along the southern shore of LAX,
Eric across New York State and theI
ON an almost level path to New Norl
harbor.
81 was greatly impressed by wha
the commodore said and ! was naturally
somewhat proud that he should hav
chosen me as one OF his assistants il
what J knew from the beginning was
colossal plan. The very grandeur of th'
! plan apncalld 70 me. l went WIN MN
and ! have never regretted IL. HI
showed from the beginning the utmos
confidence in me- and in al my long eX
pcrience with him and with his success
sors I never heard one unkind word no
did I ever see any one of the Wander
hilts when he showed the slightest impa
thence with me-"
Mr.. Clarke was pensioned after h
a &. III a..
and he died in 1909 az the age of 81
years At his death he was the oni'
man who had been with Commodou
Vanderbilt and his successors uninter
ruptedlv from the day the commodor
gave mp steamboating and took up rail
roading
Copyright. 1919. by w. = Edwards. Al
rights reseued)