The New York Herald Newspaper, January 5, 1877, Page 3

» CORNELIUS VANDERBILT. Death of the Great Railroad King Ss ; } Yesterday Morning. SKiTCH OF A BUSY LIFE. How the Poor Boatman’s Son Became a Millionnaire. WORKING INTO FORTUNE. The Magnificent Monuments of His Successes. Commodore Vanderbilt died yesterday morning at Bine minutes to eleven o’clock, at his residence No, 10 Washington place, Though well advanced in years he enjoyed comparative healtn and streagth, far be- yond the allotted time of man, and despite his great age no apprehensions of his death were felt until April last, when the spell of sickness which Tesulted in his death began. Shortly after his attack in that month he so far recovered that he was not be- Heved to be in danger, but on the 3d of August last be suffered a relapse, and since that time bas hovered be- tween lite and death, The news of his demise will not cause much surprise, as the daily bulletins of his con- dition have led to a goneral expectation of the event, HIN LAST ILLNESS. ‘ During the long months of bis illness the patient varied greatly ip nis condition atter rallying, so that Bome of bis friends were sanguine he woula regain strength enongh to prolong hislife fora few yeurs at least, But to the practised eye of the doctors who at- tended him his decease was near at hand. His ex- traordinary vitality wus admitted, but the change for | the worse, though slowly day to day, was going on steadily. He suffered most during the morning, improving as the day wore on and sometimes becoming quite bright and cheerful at night, Music had an enlivening effect upon him, and it was when his relatives were gathered around singing for him’ in the evening that he felt most at ease, Often when in pain and troubled look- ing he would ask to bave them sing for him, and as they sang in low tones some hymn or melody his conntenance would change and a pleased expression light it up, On Wednesday night at ten o’clock he was reported to be somewhat stronger, which ouly meant that the decline was momentarily checked, This was a shart time after he had listened to his usual evening concert, which always had a soothing eflect on him. Ho retired at his usual hour, after receiving visit from Mr, Turnbull, At about four o’clock yes- terday mornifg Dr. Elliott, who was in attendance, saw that nis patient was failing rapidly and sent at once for the Rev. Dr. Deems, Mr. Vanderbilt's spritual adviser, and also for Dr. Linsly. There was nothing to be done for his temporal wellare, Every thing that wealth and bis physicians’ skill could de- vise had been supplied to prolong the life that wns ebbing out. Foeble as he was Mr, Vanderbilt was perfectly conscious of his tast approaching death, and held a close and fervent con- versutton with bis religious counsellor, The young and devoted wile, who has so incessantly watched over her dying husband, was present to the last, aiding in every way to case his path into the other world. At sight o’clock in the morning, when it became evident tbat Mr. Vanderbilt was in articulo mortis, the mem- bers of his family were telegraphed for, Among those present at the elosing scene of life were his son, Mr, William H. Vanderbilt, and fam- ily; his six daughters and their husbands, Mr, and Mrs Cross, Mrs. D, B. Allen, Mrs. George A. Osgood, Mr. and Mra, Daniel Torrance and daughter, Mr. and Mrs. William K. Thorne, Mrs. M. B. La Bau, bis grand- | daughter and ber husband, Mr. and Mrs. Meredith Howland; bis nephows, Mr.+C. V. Deforeet and Mr. Samucl Barton; Mr. Worcester, Mr, Elliott F, Shepard, Rey. Dr. Deems and Drs. Linsly and Elliott, THE LAST SCBNE OF ALL. An intimate friend of the family who was present at the Commodore’s death gave tne following descrip- tion of the scene:—Lato last evening Dr. Deems called on bis way from achurch meeting, and he was told in response to his imquiries that the invalid was somewhat brighter as compared with bis condition in the morning. The Commodore talked a good deal on general subjects with his friends, After the company departed he conversed for some time with Mrs. Van- derbilt on religious subjcets very closely. She asked him as to the ground of his faith, and he expressed himself very deliberately and decidedly. Among other things ho said:— ; [shall nevor cease to trust Jesus. How could T let that go?”? He spoke also of his consciousness of his ignorance in regard to spiritual things—for instance, the exist. ‘ence and operations of the Holy Ghost, but said that ignorance did not stand in the way of his faith, Ho understood the Bible as far as he could, and whatever the Bible said tat he believed to be true, The invalid found great difficulty in speaking, and could make but fow utterances during’ the last two hours of bis lite, He took uo little interest in the pas- ages ol Scripture recited to him from time to time, Upon a suggestion by ono of the ladies that some sing- ing might be bad, he misunderstooa the speaker, but shortly alter turned to his wife and said :-- “I thought-you would sing.’” A few of bis favorite hymns were then sung at briof intervais, He showed great interest in the singing, and even attempted with his hoarse voice to join ina hymn which always pleased him; Come ye sinners, poor and needy, Wonk and wounded, sick and sore, Before he was so low, when that hymn was sung he invariably tried to participate in the singing, adding, ab the close:— “Lam poor, and I am noedy, lam woak and wounded, sick and sofe."" Dr. Deems proposed prayer, to which he seemed gindly to agree, At that time it looked ag though his strength was failing so rapidly that the friends about bim tffought the final struggie hadjcome at last, Among other things the pastor prayed that “God would be pleased in His mercy to vouchsafe unto the sufferer an easy departure out of his great pain into everiast- ing life.” whole prayer, and with the — benediction minister, the “blessing of God Almighty, Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost,” his voice tailed. He aftefward attempted to make several remarks, but be could not articulate with suill- crent distinctness to be understood. After the lapse of some tine ge turned to his wite, who was sitting b side him, at recurring to the prayer, he gave utter. ance to the last words he ever spoko:;— “That was a good prayer.” “Yes,” replied Mrs. Vanderbilt, “because it ex- Pressed just your sentiments now.” He nodded assent, The obstruction in his throat did not now seem so painiul fle closed his mouth a fow minutes, as he had often been seen by his friends to do when thinking deeply om some subject, His eyes brightened, and then his mouth opencd, atter which he closed hiseyes, He breathed a few times quietly, and At nine minutes to eleven o'clock expired, GREAT IN BUFFERING. The Rev. Dr. Deems, Commodore Vanderbilt’ Pastor, suid to a HeRALH reporter, yesterday, that he grioved over the death of the good man, not as simply having Jost « parishioner, but as a very near and dear friend, “Alter all,” said the reverend gentleman, “it has come like a surprise, Ihave looked for it so often, And so often has it been postponed, that I can hardly Toalize that my dear old friend has gone, I have seen him every day, excopt eight, since the 26th day of last April, and [ have seen more to adinire in him during his sickness than ever when be was well, He must have beon avery great man, for, like all things that are truly great, he grew and grew upon your re- gard the longer you knew him, I have never known @ grander man. He could take in so much so quickly, He bad an immense daring and yot he possessed tho best kind of womanly tenderness, In mattors of faith ho bad the simplicity of a Witle child, 1 have when it was closed he repeated with tne The Commodore evidently followed the | tho | Then | | to have been at nis meais | robust boy would havo no love for books, | hoeing weeds out of bis moth never deen able to find that during all his sickness he complained once, Inthe beginning he was nervous and irritable sometimes, as be would say ‘ugly.’ 1 have gone into his room after a paroxysm of pain, and he has taken my hand and burst into tears, saying at the same time “*Dr, Deems, will God forgive me ? I’ve been so bad and ugly toward the people that are nursing me so faithfully.’ “But that passed awa; Even then he never prayed that pain might be taken away, but would often say, ‘Dear God, do not tuke it away if 1 be necessary for me.’ I have never met, even in the ranks of the clergy, a man who had 4 more thorough belief in the divine authenticity of the Bible than Mr. Vanderbilt, Of course the public know of the gift of the Church of the Strangers to me, and will naturally believe | am ; grateful, But they never can know the personal affee- his character, It was his desire that he should be buried trom the Church of the Strangers,” THE PUNERAL ARRANGEMENTS, As now arranged the funeral will take place on Sun day morning at half-past ten o'clock, {rom the Church of the Strangers, on Mercer street. Dr. Deems will ofMciate at the ceremonies, which will be simple and without pomp, in accordance with Commodore Vanderbilt's desire, ‘There will be no display of towers in the church, the family having requested the railroad employés and others to send nothing of the kind. The Commodore used to think that the expense necessary for such adornments was a great waste, and once said that the spending of so much money for funerals of the rich made the funerals of the poor seem poor. Sometime before bis death he asked Dr. Deems to take charge of his obsequies, and abstain from anything like splen- dor. The relatives will assemble at the house on Washing- ton place, and proceed thence to the church, in com- pany with the body, which will be carried on a bier. The Commodore chose some ten palibearors a number of years ago, but a majority of them are dead, 0 there will be none at tho funeral in that capacity. ‘The employés of the roads will aitend the services. The remarns will be taken to Staten Island and de- posited in the family vault in the Moravian Cemetery at New Dorp. Iwo ferryboats, leaving the foot of Whitehall strect, will be placed at the disposal of trends wishing to accompany the body to its last rest. ing place, Jt 30 happens that the day appointed tor the funeral nd barely -perceptible from | is the anniversary of the foundation of the Church of the Straugers, rom which the deceased gentleman once Tequested to be buried, and it being the first Sunday of the month itis the day on which communion is customarily served, This service will be, in this in- stauce, postponed for a week, in order to devote tho entire service of the morning to the respect of the great man’s memory, THE FEELING IN WALL STREET, The death of Mr. Vanderbilt was known on Wall street before noon, and although the event has been daiiy “looked for it created a profound sensation in financial circles, in which he was so well known as an operator who took great chanocs and rarely failed to be on the winning side, It was noticed that the feel- ing was generally one of regret at the demise of a man | whose lite ana labors have been so intimately connected with the commerce and finance of the country. None spoke of him but in praise, Even those who at some time bad suffered, owing to his manipulation of stocks, now that the veteran was no more, extolled his daring and admitted that Commodore Vanderbilt had not lived in vain; what, with all his errors, he had been a public benefactor, as shown in the great | steamship and railroad enterprises that he had conceived and fostered. Strange to say, tho taking off of thie active worker in railroad enterprises did not materially affect the price of railway securities, and conse- quently “the street’? was not subjected to any unusual excitement, For more than a year it had been known in commercial circles that the Commodore’s worldly affairs bad been carefully arranged, and as a result it was believed that the market would sustain no dis- arrangement. At the office of tne Commo. dore’s brokers, Messrs, Davis & Freeman, there were anxious inquiries made by oper- ators for particulars, and for some hours the place was besieged by them, But the bu: nese of the street proceeded as usual, and to all out- ward appoarances nd one could have noticed that any unusual event had occurred to disturb the equilibrium of the street, As soon as the report of the demise was verified the flags on the City Hall and other public build- ings, and some of the hotels and public institutions, were raised to half-mast. In all the hoteis, theatres and places of public resort Mr. Van- derbiit’s death was the theme of converse and speculation was rife aa to the effect it would have upon the great interests he had beon so long identified with, It was generally believed that no material change would be percoptibie, as his son, William H. Vanderbilt, has been for some time the directing mind thereof, and 18 generally conceded to be fully capable of carrying out the vast schemes that his venerable father had under way when death called him. THY LAPE OF CORNELIUS VANDERBILT, Tho Vadderbilts were natives of Holland, and were prosperous, though poor and economical, farmers and tradesmen, Several persons of the name ventured to cross the occan to New York in the carly days of American colonization, They were of pure Knicker- bocker stock, and they carried their homo training into practice by settling, not on the island of Manhattan, but on the neighboring and tess pro- tected Staten Island. At the time when tho father of Cornelius (whose namo also was Cornelius) came to America, Staten Island was being divided up into largo estates, which wore worked by persons who furnishod supplies for the city. The elder Vanderbilt took one of these farms, He was fond of ease avd pleasure, and many 4 time he engaged in speculations which fre- quently resulted in loss, He probably gave the Speculative tmpulse to hia son, It was among the duties ofthe old Datch farmer to carry his produce across the harbor to the city in boats, and in this labor ho was greatly assisted by his sons when they came to an age when their work was efficient, The mother was a hard working old Dutch woman, who, like moat peasant women of that day, did her household work, weeded and tended the turnip and cabbage patches, and ber self many times sailed the ferryboat of her husband, with its loads of vegetables, to New York. This Frau Vanderbilt was a woman of great energy and indusiry; moreover she was more thrilty and prudent than her husbadd, who would speculate, like the over-ambitious Dutchman that he was; and it happened once ona timo that, when tho husbaud bad fallen into debt through indiscreet investments, and the farm was about to be cold, the good old woman went to a secret corner and found that her savings, of which nobocy besides herself knew anything, amounted to the sum of $3,000 at least, all in brightest gold; and how much more, for 0 more was necessary, the world will never discover, If the naturai beat of Commodore Vandor- bilt's genius came from his speculative father tis sturdy, discreet and “bird-in-hand” education, whigh led to his great saccess, came from the judicious old lady whom he called hisfmother, WIS BIRTH AND BARLY YOUTH Cornelius Vanderbilt the younger was born on aten Isiand on the 27th day of May, 174. It 48 sald of him that he was avery noisy bavy and made him- self heard, He was the oldest of nine children, He was always a wild young fellow, who knew more about ‘6 cabbage patches than ‘Tho times, anu the cus. he knew of the addition table, him a lover of books; nor, indeed, had be any natural inclination toward them, When he entered manhood ho could read fairly, write badiy and cipher inexcus- ably. But for breaking a horse there was not the young fellow’s equal on tne whole island, HN RODE A RACRWOKSR when he was only six years old. His lovo for a horse was @ passion that grow out of his earliest days, This His father whipped and his mother expostulated with him, but anxious poring over books was not to his liking, and he would have none of them. Hoe was a vory practical and not avery studious boy, Ho was always full of plans about @ horse or a hoat, and he was many a time sound experimenting with them when be ought He excelled all his com- Panions in whatever became the accomplishments ot a robust boy. fe would swim further tuto the surf that swept up on the island beach; be could jump further upon the sand; he could row further out to sea, BOATING. More than ali things else he loved a boat, This was in the carly part uf the nineteenth century—in Joifer. sonian days, when New York was glad to roll its tion I bear tor the man, founded on my knowledge of | toma of the class from which he sprung, did not make | I Vaudervilt touched with his vos: census numbers up to 60,000. Mynheer Vanderbilt was the owner of a superior boat, one much better than any‘ that was owned by his neighbors, and as, he had more room in it than he required for the transportation of bis own Produce to the eity he afforded advantages for pay to those of his tellow farmers who needed a ferry. Young Cornelius became @ part of this boat, which went over to New York every morning with the tide and returned with the tide every night. So table did the old man find the carrying of vegetables and fish that when he bad none of his own to take to the city he resularly transported those of bis neighbors, The moth Meanwhile, did not give up her share in the busin of sailing, and young Cornelius was a\ways found efli- cient in trimming a sail or 1p handling an oar. HIS FIRST VESSEL.» Cornelius had the ambition to possess a boat of his own. On the lst of May, 1810, he being then in sixteenth yea went to bis mother and asked her for $100, a large sum in those times, to buy himsell boat The prudent old lady would not give him the money, but Foststed that he should do something to pay for the vessol, . “On the 27th of this month,’ said the mothe: your birthday, If by thas time you have ploughed, barrowed and planed that flold with corn (pointing to atract of cight acres, rough, stumpy and stony), 1’ give you the money," “‘lt'sa bargam,’? said Cornelins; “ll do it.” bout,”? said she, “if you don’t do it.” ‘All right,” said the boy; “I understand; and I’m going to do tt.” Alterward, when the Commodore was speal ey of this conversation, he said:—~+ Mother thought she had the beat of me ou that eignt-acre lot, but 1 got some to pe aes and we did the work, and it was woll done, too: for mother wouldn't allow any halt way of doing it, On my birthday | claimed my money, got It, hurried off, bought a boat, hoisted sail and was the bappiest boy 1n the worid,”? SAILS IT HOME. But even thon his pradent mother tried to dissuade him from his object, and his father vigorously pro- tested, ‘The boy, however, had pertormed the condi- tions by a stroke of enterprise in getiing bis youthful companions to aid bim, and the boat he had, Ho bought it at Port Richmond and sailed home, It was & smaller, swifter boat than any tbat was running betweeu the island and New York, and he now knew that he was witboutarival Asthe elder Vanderbilt bad been the first regular ferryman to Staten Island, 80 Une younger became the best. The bouts ran from and to the same parts whence and when they run to at this day. The piace where the Staten Island terry- boats start from New York, near the Battery, was then @ beach. CARTAIN, Vanderbilt was the captain of his own boat at the age of sixteen, With great enterprise he succeeded in running his father and mother out of the ferry busi- ‘bess 1n about six months’ time, His youthful lace did not always attract those who had freizht to carry, any more than it attracted those who as passengers wished to risk ina single trip thetr lives on the rough waters of the harbor. One thing helped him; be was always at his post, Neither wind nor weather prevented hig boat from being at her regular landing place at the time when she wasexpected to be there. Vanderbilt could carry twenty passengers at a time more rapidly than any other man couia carry them. FREIGHTS. In order that his freght business might not inter- fore with the regularity of his trips for the aceom- modation of passengers he frequently worked all the night long. He obiained plonty of business. Tho government was at that time building fortifications ou Staten and Long Islands, and needed both sup- lies for the men aud materials for the work. Young Vanderbilt sought the labor of transportation, and obtalving i, did ft well aud made much money. He soon repaid his mother the $100 which she had given him to buy his boat, WIS FIRST EARNINGS, Besides this ho gave all bis savings to bis parents, as the custom was in those days tor boys under age to do, Yet ho was permitted to retain half of his earnings at hight, so that every summer for three years he saved jor himselt $1,000, It should be known that with some forty boatmen cumpeting with bim in the harbor, and every one of them a grown and sturdy map, the boy must have bad to do a deal of energetic work, not only in obtuining out algo in performing contracts, AS A BOATMAN. But he was no common boatman. He had no vices, He was always seen to be doing bis work, in clear weather and iu foul, scrupulously and promptly. This boy was never betind time. He always hud money in hand, because he did not spend as much as he mado, as other boxtmen did, His parents, through his in- dustry, were placed in good circum-tauces. When he was nineteen years old they remitted the term of ser- vice to which he was bound by custom, and permitiod bim to achieve success lor himself, His mother was the cause of this doing, and be honored her to the last, saying that he owed everything to her. She lived to be eighty-five years old, INVESTWENTS. Cornelius Vanderbilt was always a money making man. From his savings he invested in other satiboats than his own, * Moreover, bo was a lucky man, suc ceeding where other inen'fatled. The ico gave way for him; the wind never capsized him. But much of bis luck belonged to his indomitable spirit of en- terprige. At one time during the war of 1812. though the dite was in September, 1813—the British fleet was endeavoring to penetrate the harbor of New York during a severe southcast storm, and it was repulsed at Sandy Hook. Aiter the tly: the garrison of Fort Richmond, which had served in the contest on the American side, returned to quartors; but it was necessary that some of the officers should go to New York to repost upon the oc- currence and obtain a requisition for reinforcements in expectation of a renewal of the attack when the storm abated, But the storm was now at its feurfui height. There was but ono man who would or could brave thut greut tempest,” *Corneile”’ was sought and found, and Whon be was asked whether he could take the ofll- cers upto the city he promptly replied, ‘Yes; but I shail have to carry them under water part of the way.” He did take them, aud he landed them soaking wet, But he landed them. PLENTY OF WORK. This little adventure, though it was not without its rout consequences im Securing reinforcements to the garrison at Fort Richmond, led to much work for “Corneile, the boatman.’? During the War of 1812 he transported the sick and furiougned soldiers from the forts tuthe city. He found alse much todo with his clean, neat boat in carrying pleasure seckers to the for- tifications, In addition to these advantages it happened that wheo the three months militia was called out for the detence of the city und harbor he wus the one who Teovived the contract for carrying proviswus to tho fort, But, after all, it was not luck tbat aided hin, The commanding generals bad invited bids from the boat- meu, under the condition that the man who took the Contract should be exempt trom military duty and froin liability to the draft. In cousequence of this provision ail the boatmen in the har! bid for the contract on ridiculously Jow terms. **Corneile’’ did noy bid at all* His father urged bim to make a bid, but the young man replied that, there was no use ot bidding upon work that would, at that rate of competition, be done at half price. To piease his father, he did, at the last boar, put in his bid ata price which would yield him a fair profit, ‘Lhe contract, to the utter sur- rise of all who knew of it, was given to him. Whilo 6 Was 10 the office of the Commissary General watt. ing to sign the papers he asked the commander why the award was granted to him? ‘Because,’ suid the General, ‘‘we want the work done, and we know you will do it,” He asked, in his own favor, that the stores that ho Was to carry should be ready at six o'clock in the evening. Young Vanderbilt did all his carrying wo night, faithfully supplying Fort Richmond, Bedloe's Island, Goveruor’s Island, Hell Gate, Wara’s Is,and and Harlem. He slept when he gould find time for sleep, aod when he did not find time hedid notslecp, Ho might alwayé be found ‘n the daytime with his boat at the regular place. fle wi INDEPENDENT From the very beginning he was independent, His rights were his rights, During the war he was ono day sailing his boat, with a load of soldiers on beard, from one of the forts at the Narrows toward New York city, when, near Quarantine, he was hailed by the officer of @ boat which prouching from the Staten Island shore. bout belonged to one of the ferrymen, As boats came alongs of each other the office: ton board Vanderbulv's band urdered the soldiers ashore for inspection. Vanderbilt refused tw permit tho soldiers to leave his boat. Tho officer, stung to rage, drew his sword upon the young boatman; but in & moment Vanderbilt Knocked him down,’ It is unnecessary to siy that without further molestation Vanderbilt landed his sol- diers at the Whitebali dock. MARRIED. Cornelius Vanderbilt was just out of his time of ser+ vice to his parents—bo was ninewen years old—when he married Miss Sophia Johnson, of Port Richmond, Staten Island, NEW OATS, Very soon after young Vanderbilt became the owner of the finest boat in the harbor, He but a hive schooner—the Dread, Then he, in conjunction with a brother-in-Iuw, built the Cuariotte. He was always nproving upou the vessels of the day. On his twenty- third birthday he found that be was the owner of $10,000 ja money, Ab that tine, for this was in 1817, 310,000 was cousidered to be @ nice fortune, He now began, in the winter time, in the Charlotte, to voyage along the Southern coast, taking out and bringing back freights, He was already owner of three boats, STRAM. Mesnwhile Captain Vaauerbilt was observing the progress made vy Fulton und of boats by ais of steam, and, When at last it was evident (o lim that steambouts were bound to super- sede @ulvouts, he gave ail his attention to the torr About this Une he became wequainted with Tho Gibbons, a large capitalist of New Jersey, who was en- rs the transportation of passenyers between New York aud Philadelphia, Mr. Gibbons took Vanderbilt into his employ, a8 the captain ofa litte steamer, at asulary of $1,000 a year, Vanderbilt was not am caloulating tnan in giving Op the profits of sailboating, which amounted to $2,200 4 year, lor the salary ol & steamboat captain at $1,000, He saw that the day of sailbouts hud gone by, and he wished to learn tho Steambout business; ®0 that in 1919 Cornelius Vane derbilt became a steamboat captain, The boat whieh he commanded was so little that its owner called it “The Mouse of the Mountain.” This vessel was at once employed in carrying passengers betweer York and New Brunswick, en route tor Philade Tho Philadeiphia passengers, afer arriving at New Brunswick from New York, were compelied to remain at New Brunswick over night, 80 a8 to be ready for the Phiiaveiphia stage in the morning. Mr. Gibbons was the owner of the stage house at New Brunswick ; but becoming Unfortunate in the management of the hotel he offered it vo Uaptain Vanderbilt, {reo of reyt, pro- Vided he would take charge of it. Cuptain Vandorbilt immediately moved his family there, took charge of the hotel and made a considerabie pront. “PULION'S LICENSH'—A LADY IN THR CASK, At this time—it was in the early days of steam navi- gatvion—an act of the Legisiatare was in force subject- ing any yessel propelled by steam and entering the waters of New York State to forteiture, unless 1t sailed under the license of Robert Fulton, so when Captain thers in the operation | aa at New York he L always hada lady at the helm, ana he disappeared tn order to avoid arrest, THE PERRIES. In 1827 he teased the New York and Elizabethport ferry of Mr. Gibbons for seven years and ran iton bis own account Then he wok it for seven years longer, By this means he inereased the amount of an alpeady large foriune. The main line owned by Gibbons and managed by Vanderbilt was making $40,000 net profit ina year. Vanderbilt was always increasing the quality of the boats. FIDELITY. Captain Vanderbilt remained with Mr. Gibbons for twelve years. Gibbons was engaged in lawsuits over the legislative restriction. laws, and Vandervilt would not leave him. When the suits were settled Captain Vanderbilt reiused u salary from Gibbons of $5,00( rane He was now worth $30,000. ®his was in 18: hen Gibbons offered to give Vanderbilt the Philadel- phia line, allowing him to pay for it when he could, the latter Geclined, because he was unwilling to put himself under obligation to any one. AT THIRTY-FIVE. At thie time he was thirty-tlve years old, He built the Caroline, which afterward went, historically, over Niagera Fails, But his business of building steamboats its difficulties, His competitors were wealthy Mad formi¢ubie. But be had a pian of batiding a better boat than his rivals would build, apd in this endeavor he was successful, He risked everything. The Stevenses, of Hoboken, tried to ruin him, and afew days of good luck saved him. He was always success. ful. He built boats and pecame a steamboat king. This was accomplished in the twenty years succecd- tng the time when he began the steamboat husiness for himself. THE CALIVORNIA EXCITEMENT. Now came the gold excitement tn California. The Pacrfic Mail steamship line having been established in connection with ama, Mr, Vanderbilt determined to find another route than that across the Isthmus, and tor this purpose he, 1p 1849, obtained from the governwent of Nicaragua a charter for a ship canal and & transit company. He had tho exclusive right to transport between the Atianuic Oc and the Pa cilic, over the land aid waters of Nicaragua, by rail- roud, sieumboat or otherwise, all freights und passen- gers. The line was soon put in operation, The ships begun to sail semi-monthly from New York in July, 1851. ‘The price of the trip w: stead of $600, as It was on the le ships en the Auiantic aide land Greytow boats ascended the San Juan and aiter at Virgin Bay, on the western sideof Lake Nicaragua, the ronte was continued overiand with horses for #1x- teen miles to San Juan del Sur on the Pacific const, where ocean steamers were again taken for California. ‘This was a great enterprise for those days. THE PACIFIC MAIL ROUTE bad fewer inconveniences, but it was longer and dearer. ln January, }, Vanderbilt sold his steam- ors and bis (ranclise tothe Transit Company, and be- cume its president. Butit was during the time of his presidency of the coinpany that Willian Walker, the Lhbuster, wok possession of Nicaragua. Vanderbilt retused to sport his men and stores, aud Waiker retaliated by aunuiling, or pretending to’ a derbilt’s contracts with the Nicarayuan government, Vanderbilt showed as great resolution as Walker ord showed; but the difficulty was pnded by the closing of the route, the Saf Juan River having poured down ‘mud and sand anti a bar had formed at its mouth, It is remarkable, however, that the route chosea by Commodore Van- derbilt in 1349 is that one of the tiree which are now considered the only practicable routes tor a ship canal from the Atlantic to the Pacific, and, indeed, there are many cousiderations which make it the Dest of tho three, UNIVERSAL, His ships now fretted every barbor and overy sea; and, besides veing known 43 the leading steamboat owner of America, he was a very wealthy man. In the early part of 1855 he had finished a new steamship, which he called the North Star, li was the first Steamer fitted with a beam engine that ever at- tempted to cross the Atlantic, Up to that time Mmauy prominent steamship mauulacturers were of the opimon that beam engines were im- practicaDle Jor ocean steamers, The North Star was & perfect vessel of its kind, Commodore Vanderbilt, on the 19th of May, 1853, sailed im this vessel wit his family ior a foreign tour. The tdea of a publican citizen traveliing abroad with a steamship for bis own private family use created a con- siderable sensation, At Southampton the North Star attracted great attention. She was more than a yacht; she had 200 feet length of keel and 270 feet overall, with 38 feet breadth of beam. There wore twenty-three persons of the Commodore's family on board of her. The Mayor and other civil officers of- Southampton gave the Vauderbilts a fee, and in return for the reception the Commodore treated his entor- tainers to a sail around the Isle of Wight, FROM SOUTHAMPTON the North Star went to the Hague, to Copenhagen, to the Guif of Finland, to St. Petersvurg, where the +Grand Duke Constantineand the Ctiet Admiral of we Russian Navy visited the ship and obtained permission for a corps of engineers to take drafts of her. Thence the North Star went through the Mediterranean, visit- ing ali the principal Italian cities and Gibraltar, finally reaching Constantinople, where the- Vanderbilia were foved, SALUTES THY OLD Nome, After a four months? sail the North Star returned home, and alter passing the Narrows the Commodore fired a salute opposite bis mother’s old cottuge. OCBAN STRAMBIIIP LINE, Soon after bis returu Commodore Vanderbilt made a Proposul 10 the Postmaster General to run a semi. monthly line to England, alternating with the ships of tne Cotlivg line, and carrying the mails back and forth for $15,000. At that time the Cunard line was with- drawn from the mail service on account of the Crimean war, The proposal being refused, Commodore Vander- biit, in the summer of 1855, estavlished a steamship line between New York and Havre, aod for that pur- pose he built several vow steamers, among them the Ariel und the Vanderolit, There was now an exciting contest, in which the Commodore hud great sympathy in America, It was a matter of mach public curiosity whieh Ime wouul do the fastest sailing. Of the Cunard line there Wore tho vessels Arabia und Persia, of the Colting?iiae the Baltic and Atlantic, and of the Vandor- Dit line the Vanderbilt aad the Ariol The Vanierbi't was Victorious in making the fastest time ever then made by an American or « European steamer, PATRIOTISM, ‘When the civil war broke out and the Merrimac bad disabled some of our naval vessels, Commodore Vau- derbilt presented the steamship bearig his name to the government. Congress thereupon voted him a gold medal, When ho was a steamboat king he re(used to have his boats insured, and, tn order that vur readers may understand bow vast his business was, we give the humes of SOME OF THE PRINCIPAL VESSELS built by him. Those vames will be familiar, Steam- ships—Prometheus, Daniel Webster, Star of the West, Northeru Light, North Star, Granada, Ariol, Vander: bilt, Ocean Queen, Galveston, Opelousas, Magnolia, Matagorda, Champion, Costa Kicu, Port Jackson, New York. Steamboats—Citizen, Cinderella, Westchester, Union, Nimrod, Champion, Lexinztoa, Cleopatra, Augusta, Chitton,'C. Vanderbilt, New Champion, Commodore, Gladiator, Staten Isiand, Huguenot, sylpt, Hunchback, Red Jacket, Kill Von Kull, Weetfield, Clitton No, 2, Westiletd No. 2, Clitton No. 3, Cornelius Vanderbilt, Wilmington, North Carolina, George Dudley, Traveller, Director, Central America, Clayton, Bulwer, MIS RAILROAD ENTERPRISES, Alroady in 1862, when Vanderbilt virtually aban- doned the water, he was supposed to be worth about $40,000,000. He now turned his attention to railroad enterprises, in which he was destined to achieve his greatest successes. He first acquired a controlling in- terest in the Harlem road, buying tho stock at a low rate when it sold as low as six in Wail street. He im- proved the road wonderfully, and soon astoaished the stockholders by paying them eight per cent annual dividend, The Harlem was ultunately leased to the New York Central on a yuarantco of eight per cent, in addition to which the stockuolders receive two per cent from the profits of the Fourth avenus horse line, But the acquisition of the New York Central was his greatest ambitiou, and as a preliminary step he bought a controiiing interest in the Hudson River. Having once control ol those two roads it was comparatively easy tora man of his gigantic resources to achieve bis beck, Mr, Corning, tho President of the Central, in 1804 Secured the co-operation of Vanderbilt to frasirate an attempt to supersede him, ana by Vanderbilt loaning him hall a million of his stock this was accomplished, twas in 1866 that ho obtained full coatrol of this reat road, and at the annual election in 1867, Corne- Hus Vanderbilt deposited the entire vote, represout- ing thirteen millions of st Of course ‘part of this stoek was held by bim as proxy tor other #harehoide ers, but the result Was the same, and made iim presi- dent ot the road. His subsequent purebares of the stock of this road were at the rate of about two mil- lions year, the moncy being for the greater part the t accumulation of dividends. He soon was the por. sonal owner of the greater portion ef the Central rail. road, and, consolldating it with the Hudson Kiver, he gave be pubic one line irom New York to Bullaio. ‘The great improvements which he carried out, the ying of stool rails wad four tracks, the erccuon of the Grand Central depot, of the St, Johu’s Park freight depot anda of the gram elevators aud catie ds on the North River, are widely known. compete with other lines irom Builulo to Chicago be made heavy purchases of Lake Shore at a high price and made’ Horace F, Clark president of the road, After his death Vanderbilt assumed the | presidency of the road bimself, and subsequentiy he was said to have bought nutbern Road, Since L «n Southera have been oj largo interest in the Ca a the Luke Shore and Miehi- rated in conjunction with the New York Central and Hudson River roads as one continuous route, 978 miles In extent, and with the Harlem and side lines and branches. presenting an aggregate Capital of about $150,000,000, of which about one-hail is seid to belong to the Vanderbilt family, making, in r&ilroad stock alono, a fortune of about $75,000,000, ON WALL STREET. Asa prominent banker said yestorday—‘Vander- Dilt was the heaviest operator in stocks which not only Wail street, but which the world bas ever eeon. He would irequently risk $10,000,000 or $16,000,000 in aday, but be was hearly always successful, and was hot only the lonviest, but also the most successtui operator the world ever aw.” His first great coup was the famous Harlom?’ corner, im «1804, Whoa legislative = ‘4ing’? — sold tho stock soft, and by refusing to con. firm te graut’of the railway in Broadway expectoa to kuuck down the price of the shares, but Commodore Vanderoiit had bought all the stocks aud made a close cornet upon the “ring,” compelliny them to settte alban enormous joss. One of the heuviest sul- ferers was Daniel Diew. After having sold as low ng $6 in Junua and the Commodore was said to bave netied avout $10,000,000 10 this “toorner.”” Daniel Drew alone was reputed Lo have lost $1,000,000, In 1894 followed bis vy und complicated Wansactions iu Erie in which anderbilt carried On @ gigantic coniest with Fisk, Gould and Drew, with what resalt will bo Kult rémem- bered. In July, i868, a compromise was finally effected which prow ed the Commodore against loss Thea came the declaration of the 80 per cont seri dividend Now York Central, which vroaght up the price ‘of the sorip tv 218 belore it was couverted inte stock. SED EE aa ORT ROM As eae Oe a ae een Hen nn SmMaNaalT GME ee nn eae i NEW YUKK HERALD, FRIDAY, JANUARY 5, 1877—WITH SUPPLEMENT. of thas your Harlem sold ut 286 in June, | His success in paying 8 per cent dividend upon all this sock established for him a great reputation as a railroad = financier. Among bis latest financial transactions were bis heavy pur- choses of Western Union and the assistance rendered tothe Lake Shore in 1873, which bh J re-establish the Union Trust Company after its failure during the panic. The Commodore came compara- tively seldom down to Wall street, preferring to give his orders to his brokers every morning at his home. ‘The last time lie was seen in Wall strees was during the panic. " VANDERBILT'S PUBLIC GIFTS. The institution which will be principally associated with the memory of the deceased is the Vanderbilt | University, situated in the western suburbs of Nash- | ville, Teno, It was chartered in 1872 as the Cextral University of the Methodist iseopal Church, South, but the efforts to raise funds for its organization were Unsuccess(ul, Its condiion was in acritical juncture when, in 1873, Cornelius Vanderviit gave to the enter- rise $500,000, and the institution was bamed in his jonor. Subsequentiy he tuereased this amount to nearly $700,000, $300,000 of which is to remain o6 a permavent invested endowment, On October 4, 1875, the institution was opened for students, I[t has @ theological depariment with jour professors, | a law department with threo, a medical department | with eleven, and a department of philosophy, science and literature with eleven, ‘The total number of stu- dents in 1875-6 was 300, It haga library of 6,000 vol- umes, scientific apparatus that cost more than $50,000, and extensive geological and mineralogical cabinews, Tuition is free to all i Lhe theological department, and in the literary and scientilic departinents to all pre- paring for the minisiry, 8 Weaurn, While Vanderbilv’s railroad wealth is $75,000,000 his accumulations of real es! paratively small, His house in East Washington place is worth $48,000; his office, stable, &c., on Fourth rirees, $51,000; his property in Bowling Green, $27,000; in Cortiandt street, $31,000, and in I wenty-seeond siroet, $15,000, He was also said to have owned Gilmore's Garden, worth about $1,000,000, His _ personal estate for 1576 was assessed at — $45,000,000, On Staten Island he owned a park and hotel, worth $209,000, and several thousand ucres of wild aad. Dr. Deems? church, which will also revert to the Vanderbilt estate bas a life louse ot it) iv worth $50,000, Vo the riches} man he world who ever ma n fortune, unioss, possibly, Krupp, the German gunmaker shouid have outstripped him M13 PERSONAL APIRARANCE, Commodore Vanderbilt was generally described as a most kingly looking man of about six feet one, with a fae, large, bold bovd, fair complexion aud riddty ebeeks, aquiline, powerful nose and lively, dark eyes of keen expression, His bair was beautiluily white, and even now the bankers in Wall street say, “He 1s the fuest Jooking man fever saw,” He was sinaght a8 an arrow if in an imposing tanner, He gen- ) With @ white silk necktie, and in winter a peculiar heavy, tur trimmed overcoat, by | which he was generally known about Wall street, HIS BRCOND WLPR. The first Mrs. Vanderbilt died m 1858. he Commodore's second wite was Miss Frank Crawlord, of Mobile, Ala, and be was seventy-five and she thirty-four at the time ot the marriage, 118 CHILDREN, By bis second wife he had no children. By the first he bad several. Ono of bis daughters married the late Horace F, Clark, an eloquent lawyer and an able rail. rond financier.’ Ano ughter married Daniel ‘Torrance, a successtul and wealthy ratiway manuger. One of his sous wis a graduate of West Point, engaged in the wif and died of malarial fever, Another son, Cornelius, Jr., never excelled in his father's ealling, ‘The eldest son, William H. Vanderbilt, succeeds to the business, Ho inherited the Cowmodare’s stability of character, During tho later years of the Commodore's life William managed a great part of the railway business. “po YOUK BUSINESS WKLL.”? Commodore Vanderbilt had few maxims of life, When be was asked for one he would reply, “Do your business well.” And he was sometimes fond ot add- ing, “Don’t tell anybody what you are going to do until you have done it.” AMUSEMENTS. He was very fond of games with cards, and he spent a great sum of money for fast horses, He himself was an excellent driver, ENDURANCE OF DISKARK. 1t was said of him just Jatoly:—‘He has beon sick for forty years, aud especially so for the past twenty yeurs, having ‘received a railroad shock twenty years ago from which he bas never recovered. During part of bis forty years’ iliness he has been afhicted with inflammation ot the bladder, piles and a rupture, and from ali of these he ts atill, more or less, suffering, in addition to which he hus to bear the weight of ovor eighty summers and winters,” HIS AGE, Commodore Vanderbilt was cighty-two years old on tho 27th of May last, LACK OF BURIAL. The body of the dead Commodore will go back to Staten Island, whence be came. Amid the large Van- derbilt estates on tho island is the faintly buriul ground, Four miles trom the lower terry landing 1s the old Moravian church, and there, on the slopo of a hill, is an acre of ground used us the Vanderbilt cemetery, At the bighest point is the tomb of the Commodore, a sablerrangan vauit, about thirty feet square, laid tn cement. To reach ‘it ono must pass through 4 small granite temple in the Doric style, above which stands ashatt thirty feet high, In the temple 1s an ciegant and costly statue of “Grief.” Within the inner vault the remains of the Commodore will be laid, PERSONAL RECOLLECTIONS OF VAN- i DERBILT. . THE SURVIVING FRIENDS OF HIS YOUTH--ANEC- DOTES OF HIS LIFE AT NEW BRUNSWICK, Nuw Brunswick, N. J., Jan, 4, 1876. Durwg and after the war of 1812 this old city of Knickerbockers and Long Islanders contained the youthful family of the Vanderbilts. The Commodore began steamboating to this place from New York while quite a lad, before he brought Mrs, Vanderbilt home, Prior to that time he ran a sloop or periauger here, bis first continental veature. Here his brother-in-law, Van Pelt, also lived, and Freeman de Groot, his cap- tain, Mrs, Vanderbilt made the money keeping hotel at New Brunswick which materially assisted to give the Commodore a start in life, Now here live a num- bor of pooplo who never weary of telling their rocol- lections of the most successiul New Brunswicker among many highly diatinguishod. VANDERMILT BELLING SITAD, I was directed on my arrival in New Brunswick to call on Martin A, Howell at the Bank of Now Jorsey, He came out, spectacles in hand, and immediately upon the suggestion said:— 1 knew Captain Vanderbilt very well when he ran here, sir. There are five of us in town who wero seventy years old last yeur and had resided from our birth in New Bronswick, At the time Vanderbilt flourished hero we wero a little Albany, with our houses covered with Dutch tiles and the gables of many of them set to the ssreet. Vanderbilt had early learned his way up the rivers and kills around Staten Island, and the Raritan was then the entering imlet for the growing travel to tho West and South, It saved the bad marshos and stiff clay roads between here and the Hudson, and theretore people dropped on sloops through the kills to Perth Amboy and sailed thirteen miles up to this spot, the nead of navigation.” “What sort of vossel had Vanderbilt when he came hero ?”? “fle had recently acquired his own sloop or pertau- gor, and was buckstoring, froighting, carrying passen- gers and whatever would carn adoliar, I recollect his bringing shad hero,” Mr. Howell then shed light on a quaint old subject, “You see, our farmers to the south bere boughttheir shad from the Delaware, They put thom up every spring in barrele for winter eating. Captain Vander-~ bilt began an opposition to that Delaware trade, aud his way of proceeding was original He would come hero with, sy, 30,000 shad, and hire four or dve men to ride on horseback up all the roads from here toward Princeton, Flemington and Freehold, announcing that there were shad down at Brunswick. He would be there ready for them and sell out his cargo and go back for another load’? “What sort of early steamboat captain did Vander- bilt make?” “fe was tho very mode! of a captain, Everybody had that to say. From stem to stern be was absolute master of bis ship, although he never shouted nor biusterod, He used to ride up to the dock, gniding the enginecr by his hands silently, and he inspired conf. dence among the passengers, His brother Jacob was his pilot. Jon Vanderbilt, now dead, was here too, ‘The Van Pelts and De Groots followed after; for Van- dervilt geverally puts bis family ito basignss and keeps people who have proved usetal in nis group,” Here Mr. Howell stooped his shoulders a little. “Do you see that stoop, sir? Well, the last time I saw the Commodore in Now York he said:—‘Howell, you don’t look much older, bat you stoop a little? ‘Well, Commodore,’ [ said, ‘L gos that stoop delivering butter, eggs and marketing in my boyhood te your mother at her tavern.’ She kept as clon and nico tavern ns you ever saw in your Iife, Marvellously in- dustrious, very saving and anxious to see Cornelias got ahead, she was of tho st help to bim, and he would probably tell you, if bi here, that be owed his start to his wife, Her tavern was named trom Gibbons’ steamboat, of which Vanderbilt was the tain—the Bellona, The tavern was ‘fellona Hall.’ 48 my impression that William Vanderbilt was born there.” Mr, Howell rarther said that he travelled from New Brunswick to Jersey City one nigist to attend a railroad | meeting in Van most frozen, THR COMMODORR'S FIRST HORSES, Captain Roas, a contemporary of Vanderbilt, was 0 sick to be seon, but I received some juteresting smfor- bil’s company, and they were al- | mation from Judge John Terhune, who kept @ book store on Albany street, the old Brunswick, “lam past eighty-three years old,’? “1 am afraid Commodore Vanderbilt full age if he says he was born as late my impression that he was my senior, I sometimes, for he was quite friendly with tended my wedding at Princeton, N.J., ago.” Judye Terhune then related at the house where he boarded. tom Mrs. Letsou. The Letsons were stage ing With the boats, and Johu Letson, one of the stage drivers in America, was still living im sb rons of New Brunswick, yal va “There was much competition for pass ere Judge Terhune, “and Vanderbilt visited che Let 3 peoplo mataally in the Gibbons interest, He was mi then married, We regarded him as a fine-looking, liable, promising map, but rough ‘by dress, We liked each other, however, and it to be married at Princeton, and invited Vanderbilt the wedding, the frst revelation of hia gentility made to me. He came up there elegantly at, ing two horses tandem, and the young ladies sd him with admiration,” ‘ As the Gibbons family had started Vanderbilt 2 - quired of Judge Terhune as to thelr qualities, said :— “IL went to school at Princeton with William Gibbon: and visited him at his home in the outskirts of Eli: beth City. He was an educated man and a lawyer, bf practised very little. He was portly, and wore @ white vest, generally marked with tobacco Juice, At the trial of the celebrated caso of Ogden & Gibbons against the steamboat monopoly William Gibbons made the argument. Hoe is buried, I think, at Bhgabeth, “I may add that there were two Gibbone—Thomas, the father, and William, his son, Both were in the trang portation business, Thetr homestead was at Bottle ow called Madi, the place where Daniel Drew al Seminary. 4 ”” gaid the Judge, “aa arising nan, There was no waste about the family, His wite was universally calied a smart womin, and he tad the facaliy at his business of beimg ubi LOUB,, but coo! and quiet, He got the tallest amount of work out of & ody, aud his courage was proved rather. against (he elements than in any encounters, Although mau, he developed himself against large woinations instead of mere inferiors, We b pain here who used to bring his boat to the wi with much noise and bluster of command, Vand Vani | bit would come in without a loud word, perfectly un- derstood by his crew. He commanded th: soon regarded vy obser pituhsts as an ugly customer, IT never ad. er, bis havit of starting opposition line: r, as was generally belicve bt of and the latter part of the Commodore wags in thi respect more creditable than the first, He came amoug us here at New Srunswick a fine young mart ner, He leit us because this field buk ‘become toc sinvll for Lim; but here he got the experience whjeb- .. made bim powertul. VISIT TO MRS. VANDERBILT'S INM, The Belloua Hotel, called “Bellona Hall,” stood at the lower or steamboat junding of New Brunswick. A part of it is still standing, the old black sign having been painted out a few years ago, and a tire burned out one cnd of it and scorched the cupola, so that the lat- ter bas been taken down, Bellona Hail or Hotel was a frame house, three stories high, built by Gibbons as ssory to his bouts and stages, Mra, Vanderbilt, as a bride, took volumtary, cuarge of it, ‘The doorstep in frout was down to the sidewalk; in the rear ao flight of long steps led to the back yard. Alter Mrs Vanderbilt ceased to keep 1% hor sister, Mrs. Van Pelt, was the landiady. In 1836 Wiitiam be Graw had it, and atterward, in order, » Peter Cherry, David Kanoas, captain of the Antelope, | Jarvis Wander and Captain O'Neill River captains have kept this house for forty years, Part of it ts now © 4 tenement house, Next door is a remnant ot its mval, the Raritan Hotel, The Raritan Canal empties into the river just opposite the back of this house, and the Vicinity 1 the resort of mule drivers and Dargamity, The river, with eight feet of water at low tude, ati shows tn the vista the hulk of the old steamer Now? York, with which Vanderbilt attempted to build up the port of Litue Wasuington, turther down the The street between Builona Hall and the redstone cli! Ol the shore wag literally quarried out, and ; ol the rocks, where it 16 cool, Vanderbilt bad bed shelter the produce of farmers antil his nge should sil to market, Gibbons’ stage stablos were on top of the bulk t At this spot we can see the picture of the in-law, Vanderbilt and Van Po! Me ae to their lit steamers, the Bellona and the Phistle. ir wives busy burrying up the supper for hungry passengt In the stiff red ciay there are fifty wagons stuck and rival agents of stages are bellowing the advan! of their route, On deck is the cool, trim, six-i L Skipper, one day to be the greatest master Of trate portation th the world, RUMANCK OF KARLY STRAMBOATING, A few words about the early contest between derbilt's omployer, Gibbous, und Livingston may e: plun the foregoing. ; In the yoar 17¥3 the Legisiature of New York had grauted Robert K. Livingston the exclusive privilege of navigating the waters of Now Yerk by steam for jourteeu years, Twenty-one yours atterwuard Cornelius Vanderuilt, Jr, was arrested by the Sheriff of Now York ‘or contempt of aa iwjupction seek! w break up the Livingston monopoly, ‘he case of the injunction Was Jobo KR. Livingstou vs Aaron Ogden ‘Tooma i the patrons of young Vander ted that Governor Tompkins recom: mended Ogden and Guyou to take Vanaurbilt, as tue boiwest young man to be jound to fight the monopo!: fhe iret terryboat Vanderbilt probably saw irom the shores of bis Dative Island was the i ju 1809, followed by tue Sea Horse, Thi veing relused mission to the waters of New Yi bad to sravsiet Passengers frow the somasy Kills to New York at Jer- wey City. The fare trom Jersey City wo Elicabethpori was tour sbiliin, Ogden owned the vessela Lu 1521 Vandorbilt’s patron, Gibbuna, ran the Bellona irow Elizabethtown Point to Jersey Cisy, fare twelve ands halt cents, Her bore the inscription, “New Jer sey Must be Free Under that motto Cornelius Vau- derbilt formed the principle of opposition to estab- lished monopolies, which made bim #0 long appear a harpy o} the decp, while, im reality, the victi of vider monopoles, He was a captain of the Lellous, and married at Elizabetutown his wife, Sophie Jubu- sou, at the hotel there, it is said) The Hudson Kiver steamboat mouopoy was dissolved in 1825 by the Su- preme Court of the United States Vanderbilt wus Ubirty-one years old betore the Erie Canal was com- pleied, and thirty-live before the Delawure and Hud jas opened, He was thitteos years old when Ful. / . steamer, the Clermont, appeared. By 1510 tour steamboats of Falton’s pateat were used ou the Hudson, one on the Delaware, oue on te St. Lawrence and one ou Lake Champlain, There only one steamboat on the Missiasippt at the daiile of New Orleans, The tutroduction of the steamboat to America was the work of Chancellor Livingston, who had met Robert Fulton in France while Livingston as Minister there, His brother-in-law, John Arm: ‘trong, married His daughter to William B. Asior, who died in 1876. Thus two of the rich men of New York were in a inanner grouped around Livingston, 1 Was not until 1933 that Vanderbilt’s mative waters, the Kills around Staten Island, were opened by rail irom Amboy and caual irom New Brunswick to the Doiu ware, Tho Stevens family bad meantime built o forry bout and an ovean staamer, and the Stockton fam- uy united with them in New Jersey trapsportation companies, The city of New Brunswic! a by Long Islanders “and by Albany Datch, w called “The River’ bridged with the northern shore as early es 179 While Gibbon: bilt aud Ogden forgot Living. ston's monopoly on yne side, they Frum Opposition Btovens on tue ovhe: rt L, Stevens and Vander- bit encountered each other, not only on the Raritan, but on the Sound, where’thoy competed to Provideu as lute as 1845, Vandervit said of ihe Stevenscs “They were the «i tors of their day, with more tuith than Fulton of Lavingston or any of us. They projected the New Jersey iroad and canal, which wobody believed would pay a dividend.” NOMENCLATURE OF VANDERBILT'S VESSKLA “People wonder,” said an old Brunswick river cap. salu to we, “why the Commodore had Alvert do Groot to make his statue (or the (reight wo in Now York, Why, sit, Albort de Groot’s father, Freoman do Groot, commanded the Cinderella, on Vanderbilt's tine, The Commodore wanted to encourage lis old friend's son,’* “Why did Vanderbilt want to keep that littio Kills terry YT asked. Why, sir, ho warn’t allowed to enter the waters New York, #0 be took that way to getas far along sible,” Ab !’’ continued Captain O'Neill, “seam! ? is on this short river we have had York, lyin’ was built in "27, and lacks but one year of There was the Napoleon aud the Passaic, that belonged Lo the Stevenses, the Neilson, the Now Philadetphia, and, are the George Law and the Maeuts. 4 troops to the war Captains were hard to got hen Vanderbilt was runt » the Stevens Company in W. Richmond, the Von Pe Robert Stevens avtajuet mo all I asked the skipper why V. Raritan, “Weil, #ir, the business was all) Much competition, and the rail took wage tor Bix d Butthe fougut 'em so bard that which seared people, It here and yonder and m made mach money by days,” f ‘anderbiit never unourront money | period of State Nuct: ‘Ber rejidence on Grilla nous resulting (rom @ Mrs Egbert is two years And bas always resided on beon married, but is now & was Mr. Jobu Deforest, and who died avuut 20 years aga, A vee wey many years, und wagon