Rensselaer Republican, Volume 14, Number 15, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 29 December 1881 — Vanderbilt and His Two Boys. [ARTICLE]

Vanderbilt and His Two Boys.

The railway king avoids Wall street and all other unavoidable excitement* Tbe report that he had suffered a paralytic stroke suggests at least his liability to such a misfortune, and hence the importance of keeping quiet. His luxurious Style of life is not adapted to promote health, and one need not be surprised at any time to hear ut a fatal result. The fact that be has just Jbeen sued by two Rochester men illustrates that liability to such annoyance which his position involves, and this suit will be one of a highly vexatious nature. Vanderbilt is at present’much engaged in the construction of his palace, which J 9, necessarily, very slow work. The ob has beei\_ under way three years, and it may require two more to finish, it. Considering the brevity of human life, this is a disproportionate share to be spent in mere preparation for living. William has an immense estate to bequeath, and he would like the railway empire preserved intact,but experienccr has taught him that any favoritism, may lead to breaking tbe will. Hir sons, William K and Cornelius, each inherited $2,000,000 from their grandfather, and so did Frederick. The latter, however, is rather an outsider at present, having incurred paternal displeasure by marrying a woman almost old eqough to be his mother. Neither of the two above mentioned sons are business men* and hence can hardly be expected to succeed their father in his distinguished position. William is trying to teach them business. and hence na? mad? one of them director, while the other is his private secretary, but this is a very different thing from controlling the destinies of a railway empire. William knows this, and hence the future of the family is overhung with many doubts and misgivings, and the construction of tba will is a task of peculiar difficulty.