The Washington herald., 1915-12-04
HISTORY BUILDERS.
The Founder Of Modern Railroad
Systems.

1T is only necessary to refer back to
the year 1851 in order 10 get good per-
speCtive which will reveal the relation
which Commodore Vanderbilt afterward
bore to the railroad systems Of the United
States" said the late Charles c. Clarke 10
me. shortly after he retired from a serv-
Ice which lasted for fifty years with the
INanderbilts. Much Of that time Mr..
Clarke was vice president Of the Wander
bilt system.
AS a Young man. was very much in
ter asted. as in fact everybody was who
lived in the southern part OF New York.
by the construction of what is now known
as the Erie Railroad. II got it's charter
from the legislature in 1s32 but there had
been for a year many public meetings at
various points along the projected line
of the road. I don't think there was
better example OF the way In which pub
lie opinion was stimulated so greatly that
a legislature recognized II by chartering
a railroad as was the case with the Erie.
Il may say that grew up with the
road. for 1t was nearly twenty years in
building. remember very well when
Millard Fillmore. as President of the
United States. took part in the formal
opening of the road. in tho spring of 1851.
AT that time. Commodore Vanderbilt
was at the height OF his activities as a
steamboat and steamship owner. He was
much occupied with the proposition for
constructing a railway and steamship
route across Nicaragua whereby travel to
and from California could he facilitated.
But the Panama railroad people got ahead
of that project.
MANY things which Commodore Van
derbilt sfterward said to me led mo 10
suspect that his first inclination toward
railroad ownership and operation began
at that time.
The Erie Railroad began business in
tho spring of 1851, and the Hudson River
Railroad. which had been built after
overcoming almost insIrmountable hnan-
ciai difficulties. began opera ations In the
fall of that year. II is curious fact
that It was not until the year 1851 that
the City of New York was connected with
Albany by railroad line.
Everybody thought that Commodore
Vanderbilt. when he began his career by
buying the Harlem Railroad. had made
the venture only as a sort Of plaything.
but knew better, for ne had counseled
with me and had then brought me into
association with him. He told me that
the time had passed when the railroads
Of the United States. or many OF them,
should be operated as Independent or
ganizations. He pointed out to me the
necessity for consolidation along railroad
lines. and 1t was then that I first per-
ceivcd how vast was his business concep-
tior and how great his constructive force.
He was the first of those who after
ward became commonly known as rail-
road magnates. and his road. when uni
fed. perfected the first of the great rail-
road systems OF the United States. I have
had fifty years OF experience In the world
OF railroad affairs In the United States
and have never seen a moment when /
did not recognize that the commodore was
really the founder Of modern railway
sytems in this country. That. I am sure.
Is the estimate which future generations
will have Of him."
Copyright. lsH by y. ]. Edwards. All rights
reseryed.j