ROMANCE OF MILLIONS

Shannon News, 27 November 1928, Page 4

ROMANCE OF MILLIONS

FROM £2O TO £20,000,000

TASK BEFORE a BIRTHDAY,

Among the life stories of America's famous millionaires there is none more remarkable than that of 'Cornelius Vanderbilt, who died a little oveT ,50 years ago, leaving a fortune worth more than £20,000,000. How- he set about creating this wealth with £2O, which h;s mother took from ;her little hoard inside the clock of their home, is described in a fascinating book by Mr. Arthur D. Howden Smith. Vanderbilt used to declare.thero-iwas no money, in dishonesty, and .made every penny of his great fortune in a perfectly' legitimate way. He began with a small sailing boat /that r lie bought with the £2O, ancL launched this career as a transporter on Vhis. lflth birthday, tailing passengers to and afro between Saten Island and / Npw York. His mother was proud of the' fact' that Cornelius practically supported-himself by doing-odd jobs ever s since- he was " six, •

At the ago of 13, Cornelius-took over from his father the task Of lightering the cargo out of a stranded-vessel' near Sandy Hook. By the time’/-he" was : 10, he was too go-uhead to bo satisfied with his father ’s ideas, and insisted 1 on setting up for himself. His father and mother made it a condition that; he should plough and sow an eight-acre field before his birthday, in order “to have the £2O for a boat.

The enthusiastic lad r rounded up', all his ‘*chums" bribed them with''Offers of free sails in his craft, and'gOtfthem to work clearing the field 6f, great stones. He finished the job.on the day before his birthday. Next morning ho was at the ferry, ready for ; passengers.

Twelve months later Corneel Stalked into the kitchen wheTe his mother was cooking supper. He handed her back the notes she had given him to buy the boat. “No, Nb!" she protested: ‘‘You keep that, Corneel. You have done all ....." “And here's a.thousand here’s a thousand dollars I saved, beside," added the young man. “Guess that’ll ease things for;pa, eh?" On December 31, 1817, at the -age-of 23, Corneel balanced his ledger, -and found he had three vessels-and £IBOO in cash, made in seven years. “.Steam's bound to beat, sails," he ; reflected, when deciding to scrap his .boats, ' ‘if ye give folks comfort and stowage.' Then the young man, took the plungo into river “steam-boatin’." When nearly 70 years old he made s another leap put of steam-boats / into railways. He sold off his steamships,taaldufioeured control of the 'Harlem; line. /sAAtxthe time of his death, -Mr. Vanderbilt-was the dominating : figure in : American railways and controller of M/all Street.