my memories of eighty years-第48章
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orning's papers。 I was in bed at eleven o'cIock and had between seven and eight hours' refreshing sIeep。
On arriving at our meeting…place the next morning； one of the best…known presidents took me aside and said： 〃Chauncey； by making speeches such as you did last night you are losing the confidence of the people。 They say you cannot prepare such speeches and give proper attention to your business。〃
〃Well；〃 I said to him； 〃my friend； did I lose anything before the arbitrator yesterday？〃
He answered very angrily： 〃No； you gained entirely too much。〃
〃Well；〃 I then said； 〃I am very fresh this morning。 But what did you do last night？〃
He answered that he was so exhausted that he went to DeImonico's and ordered the best dinner possible。 Then he went on to say： 〃A friend told me a little game was going on up…stairs； and in a close room filled with tobacco smoke I played poker until two o'clock and drank several high…balls。 The result is； I think we better postpone this meeting； for I do not feel like doing anything to…day。〃
〃My dear friend；〃 I said； 〃you will get the credit of giving your whole time to business； while I am by doing what refreshes my mind discredited； because it gets in the papers。 I shall keep my method regardless of consequences。〃
He kept his； and although much younger than myself died years ago。
George B。 Roberts； president of the Pennsylvania； was a very wise executive and of all…around ability。 Frank Thompson； vice…president and afterwards president of the same road； was one of the ablest operating officers of his time and a most delightful personality。 Mr。 A。 J。 Cassatt was a great engineer and possessed rare foresight and vision。 He brought the Pennsylvania into New York City through a tunnel under the Hudson River； continued the tunnel across the city to the East River and then under the river to connect with the Long Island； which he had acquired for his system。
D。 W。 Caldwell； president of the New York； Chicago； and St。 Louis； added to railway ability wit and humor。 He told a good story on Mr。 George Roberts。 Caldwell was at one time division superintendent under President Roberts。 He had obtained permission to build a new station…house； in whose plan and equipment he was deeply interested。 It was Mr。 Roberts's habit； by way of showing his subordinates that he was fully aware of their doings； to either add or take away something from their projects。
Caldwell prepared a station…house according to his ideas； and； to prevent Roberts from making any essential changes he added an unnecessary bay window to the front of the passengers' room。 Roberts carefully examined the plans and said： 〃Remove that bay window；〃 and then approved the plan； and Caldwell had what he wanted。
Caldwell used to tell of another occasion when on a Western line he had over him a very severe and harsh disciplinarian as president。 This president was a violent prohibitionist and had heard that Caldwell was a bonvivant。 He sent for Caldwell to discipline or discharge him。 After a long and tiresome journey Caldwell arrived at the president's house。 His first greeting was： 〃Mr。 Caldwell； do you drink？〃
Caldwell； wholly unsuspicious； answered： 〃Thank you； Mr。 President； I am awfully tired and will take a little rye。〃
Mr。 E。 B。 Thomas； president of the Lehigh Valley； was a valuable member of the association。 The Baltimore and Ohio； as usual； had its president； Mr。 Charles F。 Mayer； accompanied by an able staff。 The Erie was represented by one of the most capable and genial of its many presidents； Mr。 John King。
King was a capital story…teller； and among them I remember this one： At one time he was general manager of the Baltimore and Ohio under John W。 Garrett。 In order to raise money for his projected extensions； Garrett had gone to Europe。 The times were financially very difficult。 Johns Hopkins； the famous philanthropist； died。 His immortal monument is the Johns Hopkins University and Medical School。 Everybody in Baltimore attended the funeral。 Among the leading persons present was another John King； a banker； who was Hopkins's executor。 A messenger…boy rushed in with a cable for John King； and handed it to John King； the executor； who sat at the head of the mourners。 He read it and then passed it along so that each one could read it until it reached John King； of the Baltimore and Ohio； who sat at the foot of the line。 The cable read as follows： 〃Present my sympathies to the family and my high appreciation of Mr。 Johns Hopkins； and borrow from the executor all you can at five per cent。 Garrett。〃
Commodore Vanderbilt was succeeded in the presidency by his son； William H。 Vanderbilt； who was then past forty years old and had been a successful farmer on Staten Island。 He was active in neighborhood affairs and in politics。 This brought him in close contact with the people and was of invaluable benefit to him when he became president of a great railroad corporation。 He also acquired familiarity in railway management as a director of one on Staten Island。
Mr。 William H。 Vanderbilt was a man of great ability； and his education made him in many ways an abler man than his father for the new conditions he had to meet。 But； like many a capable son of a famous father； he did not receive the credit which was due him because of the overshadowing reputation of the commodore。 Nevertheless； on several occasions he exhibited the highest executive qualities。
One of the great questions of the time was the duty of railroads to the cities in which they terminated； and the decision of the roads south of New York to have lower rates to Philadelphia and Baltimore。 New York felt so secure in the strength of its unrivalled harbor and superior shipping facilities that the merchants and financiers were not alarmed。 Very soon； however； there was such a diversion of freight from New York as to threaten very seriously its export trade and the superiority of its port。 The commercial leaders of the city called upon Mr。 Vanderbilt； who after the conference said to them： 〃I will act in perfect harmony with you and will see that the New York Central Railroad protects New York City regardless of the effect upon its finances。〃 The city representatives said： 〃That is very fine； and we will stand together。〃
Mr。 Vanderbilt immediately issued a statement that the rates to the seaboard should be the same to all ports； and that the New York Central would meet the lowest rates to any port by putting the same in effect on its own lines。 The result was the greatest railroad war since railroads began to compete。 Rates fell fifty per cent； and it was a question of the survival of the fittest。 Commerce returned to New York； and the competing railroads； to avoid bankruptcy； got together and formed the Trunk Line Association。
New York City has not always remembered how intimately bound is its prosperity with that of the great railroad whose terminal is within its city limits。 Mr。 Vanderbilt found that the railroad and its management were fiercely assailed in the press； in the legislature； and in municipal councils。 He became convinced that no matter how wise or just or fair the railroad might be in the interests of every community and every business which were so dependent upon its transportation； the public would not submit to any great line being owned by one man。 The Vanderbilt promptness in arriving at a decision was immediately shown。 He called upon Mr。 Pierpont Morgan； and through him a syndicate； which Morgan formed； took and sold the greater part of Mr。 Vanderbilt's New York Central stock。 The result was that the New York Central from that time was owned by the public。 It is a tribute to the justice and fairness of the Vanderbilt management that though the management has been submitted every year since to a stockholders' vote； there has practically never been any opposition to a continuance of the Vanderbilt policy and management。
Among the most important of the many problems during Mr。 Vanderbilt's presidency was the question of railway commissions； both in national and State governments。 In my professional capacity of general counsel； and in common with representatives of other railroa
