Year: 1874

Millions.

 The wealth of the Vanderbilt family has been variously estimated, and the reticence of the Commodore himself has admitted of little else than mere conjecture on this point. There is 8 general opinion, however, among those who are in position to judge most cor rectly that the wealth vested in Commo- dore Vanderbilt exceeds one hundred millions of dollars, and 8 prominent member of the family recently said that the "old man was worth moro than that sum. This vast fortune was acquired by Cornelius Vanderbilt through his own efforts, starting early in life without capital or influence. His parents were poor, and his first money was earned in conveying people to and fro in row-boat between New York and Staten Island. He made 8 large amount of money in steamboat ing, but the great bulk of his wealth has been acquired in railroad combina- tions and in the manipulation of rail- road stocks. He is and has been all his life very remarkable man. His selfreliance and pluck are as natural with him as drawing breath, and his will and purpose are indomitable. A man of such tremendous mental force has he been that he has moved forward to the accomplishment of his objects with power as irresistible as one of his steamboats. His one purpose in life has been the acquisition of money. To this end he has trained his mental and physical resources with the great est care. He has made of himself a machine that has always obeyed the requirements of his intellect. and wherever he has struck it has been with telling force and effect. He has had very few vices. He has always drank moderately and lived regularly, taking just the requisite amount of ex- ercise always. Smoking and whist playing are the only indulgences which he has permitted himself to any con- siderable degree. Every day he is to be seen driving on the toad, with the stump of cigar between his teeth, and until within a year past he has had every evening some of his cronies in for rubber at whist and to talk horse. subject of which he never tires. Lat passed very quietly. He has always

 

 own counsel, and admitted or known no partners. He never allows the plea of affection or charity to interfere with his business matters. He has been we'll, active, and in the harness all his life, and has never tired or weekend. He will be eighty years of age in May. and his sixty odd years of constant hard work show that he has had one of the strongest physical constitutions ever given to man. Some people look at him and say that he will never die, but it is well known that the machine so admirably built and which has lasted so long is slowly but surely wearing out. His mental faculties remain un- impaired, but his gait is less steady than it was, and he no longer trusts himself with the duties he used to per- form. He frequently complains of ex- haustion, and when he drives out it is to be noticed that he no longer drives fast. He is getting ready to lay his harness aside, and has, doubtless, made full provision for the distribution of his colossal accumulations. For number of years his son-in-law. D. B. Allen, was his right hand man, but of late years his son William H. has repre- sented him in carrying out the more active duties of administration. Will liam H. is as assiduous in his attention to work as his father ever was, is scarcely, if ever, seen in public, and can nearly always be found during busi- ness hours at his desk in the Grand Central Depot. Cornelius Vanderbilt was born in May, 1794, at Stapleton, Staten Island, and his parents were also born on Staten Island. Their parents came over from Holland. The house in which he was born is still standing, and is owned by him. At the age of nineteen he married Sophia Johnson, his second cousin, who was then eighteen. She died five years ago last August. She was as remarkable a woman as he was man, possessed great frmness, very shrewd manager, strong principle, and it is said she earned every dollar that she spent after her marriage. Thirteen children in all were born to them, nine girls and four boys, of whom are now living eight daughters and two sons.