Cornelius Vanderbilt: photo, biography, quotes, sayings

If you trace the history of all known large capitals, those that are now called "old money", then most often the source of the first profits will be a person with dubious moral principles, but with a huge charisma. And this applies to any of the modern princes, lords and senators. It is worth remembering the domestic history, even not so far to understand: in a hundred years the descendants of people who made a fortune in the 90s of last century, if they do not have titles, they will surely become respected people on all continents. If, of course, the capital will be multiplied. Sometimes pampered descendants simply squander the state. It happened with the legacy of America's first richest man.

The name of Cornelius Vanderbilt in the US is known to everyone, his operations are included in economic textbooks, his name is shocked by coaches and teachers of personal growth strategies. But his story and the history of the clan ends on his son. This is not what the billionaire dreamed of.

The Van der Bilt family

Cornelius was the fourth child in the family, completely his name sounds like Cornelius Vanderbilt Jr., his name was given in honor of his father. The birthplace was a family farm, it happened in May 1794. Like all Americans, Van der Bilta were emigrants who were eager to live their lives to an acceptable level. Nobody dreamed of millions. It is good and a lot of work to support the family and earn a quiet old age - perhaps this was the only financial motivation for the family. Vanderbilt's surname was originally composed of three components: Van der Bilt. Over time, the spaces were flattened, and the name acquired a fusion both in pronunciation and in writing.

The father of the future tycoon earned a small farm, hiring for work in the port. In his understanding, sea, port life is a very heavy burden, in which there is only dirty work and little earnings. He inspired this idea to his fourth son, but the boy understood everything in his own way. In his dreams sea life meant freedom, wealth and unlimited opportunities. Since childhood, distinguished by a steep temper, Cornelius Vanderbilt dreamed of dropping out of school at 11, in order to do his own thing. And even left its walls, but did not reach the port immediately, until 16 years old he worked on a family farm. But even if he wanted to continue his studies, he would not have succeeded. His first business and scandal, he arranged in the walls of the school.

The first experience of trading and blackmail

Before you go after the first million, Cornelius Vanderbilt showed a scandalous character, enterprising and tough in solving problems. The case was still in the walls of an educational institution, where a young money-grinder comprehended reading and arithmetic.

Teachers in the local school did not differ from the surrounding hard workers, except the ability to write, read and count. The rest of the list of "virtues" was common, and drunkenness occupied the first line. Noticing once a meal of hangover from one of his teachers, Cornelius decided to ease the suffering and offered as a treatment of maize vodka of dubious origin. Of course, she was worth some money. The teacher could not resist and confessed to the "savior" in his sin, especially since the brought drink was cheaper than in all the surrounding saloons.

How long this symbiosis lasted, history is silent, but one day an unlucky teacher decided to break out of the clutching hands of the student. It was here that the true nature of the business shark opened: Cornelius Vanderbilt informed that he will tell the whole story to the director of the school and to all the surrounding people on whom the teacher's tenure depends. Tom had to immediately surrender. History eventually became obvious, a grand scandal erupted, teachers were expelled with disgrace, Cornelius left himself.

Later, he said: "If I was to spend time studying, I would not have earned anything at all." This attitude toward the school philosophically links him to all the nouveau riches of the period of industrialization in America.

Business for 10 bucks

Vanderbilt Cornelius briefly reflected on how to earn money and where to get seed money. He asked his parents ten dollars to buy a sailing boat. The amount for the farmers is quite large, and the father could not decide on such an adventurous step, especially if it concerned the port and everything connected with it. But the mother knew her son very well and preferred to grant his request, but with the condition that she should first work on the farm. To get the start-up capital, Cornelius had to sweat pretty much on the household: to drag stones, dig up the earth, plant plants and so on - there is always a lot of work on the ground. Having fulfilled all the promises, he received from his mother her personal savings.

The first boat

Without delaying the case in a distant box and not engaged in reflection, a sixteen-year-old newly-born sailor immediately went to buy a sailboat. The ship was fragile, barely kept afloat, but the captain was determined to become the main carrier in the New York port area. The competition for transportation of residents from one coast to another was huge, it was the only way to get from one part of the city to another. Many undertook the voyage several times a day, the floating taxi fought for each passenger and for a place under the sun among themselves. Cornelius Vanderbilt was too young, and, according to experienced cabmen, to deal with him was not difficult.

During the first time, his ship tried to sink every night. Finding out what was wrong, Vanderbilt realized that the bottom was piercing in the boat. Anger was great, in the course went fists, swearing. Crazy pressure made his case - it began to be feared. To inspire fear to their opponents was helped by a huge growth of two meters, a tinned throat and a stock of non-literary words and phrases that clearly proved their advantage in the dispute.

After the first incident, the competition did not abate, but the guy got a "residence permit." Many more times he will have to solve the problems in this way, but so legend was forged under the name of Cornelius Vanderbilt. The biography of the tycoon is full of fights, eccentricities, cruelty and the ability to achieve goals.

Strategic dumping

In a short time, realizing that it is not profitable to play by general rules and can not make quick money, Cornelius Vanderbilt created his own rules. The ship with the name "Fleet", according to rumors, hardly kept afloat and threatened to sink every minute, but nevertheless passengers used his services. Three dollars from a man - it was so much worth moving to the other side of New York, and so many took everything. Vanderbilt reduced the fare to one dollar, and passenger traffic increased at times. Those who wanted to cross the river began to fight for a place in his boat and were ready to sit on each other's lap just to save money.

Twelve months later, Cornelius gave his mother ten dollars, and added a family cash to a thousand. The atmosphere created by him among the carriers did not contribute to mutual understanding, the price had to be reduced by everyone, someone was ruined. Wanted to get rid of the upstart all. Fights were a constant affair for Vanderbilt, vocabulary replenished due to marine terms and the choice mat. Nevertheless, Cornelius Vanderbilt earned funds to expand his business.

The First Flotilla

Having bought several ships, Vanderbilt picked up the team to suit himself: everyone swore, knew how to intimidate a competitor with a fierce look, with a strong word, and if necessary, with his fist. The small flotilla actively worked, godlessly dumping, it would occupy the entire market. But in the years 1812-1815. There was a confrontation between England and America. K. Vanderbilt, risking ships and life, continued sea transportation, only now he drove equipment and supplies for the army.

The army's procurement services were not free, and Cornelius had established a speculative scheme: he bought popular goods in one part of New York and sold them to another. Gesheft from resale, he thought was a spin-off, but after all, the main goal was enrichment, but because this business was also well established. Gradually, he bought up all the floating means of carriers and almost became a monopolist. It took seven years. He became a master of coastal shipping, one of the best suppliers, earned the name Commander, saved fifteen thousand dollars, but ... the era of steamboats came.

Captain

Not immediately Cornelius Vanderbilt evaluated the prospects of steamship ships, and having understood, decided to act for sure. For success, he needed knowledge about new ships and their capabilities. As a man who does not tolerate half-hearted decisions, he sells his entire fleet and is hired by the captain to steamship ship Thomas Gibbons with a salary of one thousand dollars a year. At the same time, he married a modest young lady from a neighboring farm, Sophia Johnson.

The steamboat Gibbons under the direction of Captain Vanderbilt cheerfully made flights from New York to New Jersey. Cargoes for different purposes and passengers were transported. Having studied all the subtleties of steamer and large business for several years, Cornelius Vanderbilt convinced Gibbons to build a new vessel together.

A New Era of Business

Vanderbilt invested in his new ship all his means and himself made the project. The new vessel was named Bellona, and Vanderbilt Cornelius, as the leader of the enterprise, revived his own style of doing business - he began to desperately dump. The fare at Belonne was only $ 1, which was four times less than for all other carriers.

The competitors, on whose side the law was, were sued him several times, captains came to the captain, but each time he escaped them. It was said that there are secret cabins on the ship, of which only the Commander knows, and so he easily disappears from Themis. Winning the dominant position in business, he behaved like an invader and a wolf tearing his competitor to shreds, in fact, as it should be with a man named Cornelius Vanderbilt.

He also founded another business: he purchased a small hotel with a tavern on the bank of the river, where the esteemed public could live in anticipation of his steamer and simply enjoy spending time. The owner of the establishment was his wife. This continued until 1829. Thirty thousand dollars already accumulated in his pocket, but he was avid, this K. Vanderbilt, the first million poured over callsigns far ahead. It was time to start a great game.

Refusal as a form of income

Cornelius Vanderbilt is a great businessman, and it became clear during the organization of the first monopoly. Woe is a desire to start his own business without a companion, he sells his stake in New Jersey and moves to New York. The wife resisted the change of place of residence, but the head of the family convinced her in a very extravagant way: he did not agree with his decision for two months in the house for the insane.

Returning to New York, he establishes a steamship company and deals with a familiar business: transporting goods and passengers, but the fare is only twelve cents.

The steamer runs between New York and Piccilli, on this route by the time Vanderbilt appeared, there was already a monopolist. And he was pushed out of the market. Then he started a competition with the Hudson River Association, using heavy artillery - did not take money for the journey at all. But naive passengers waited a heavy blow from the free passage: the cost of food and drinks on board was inflated several times, which partially compensated Vanderbilt dumping games. The Hudson River Rebel Association surrendered: this was the first time that the company asked the private carrier to curtail its activities. As compensation, it was offered one hundred thousand dollars and five thousand dollars each year for ten years. And the Commander agreed!

The First Million

Vanderbilt transfers its activities and carries passengers to Boston, Long Island and the cities of Connecticut. Business blossoms, by the age of forty Cornelius has accumulated a fortune of half a million dollars, but the thirst for money has not been quenched. The family moved again, now to Long Island. Continuously dumping, the Commander survives the competitors, gets compensation, and by 1846 his steamship moored in all the major cities of America. It was in this year that Vanderbilt earned the first million in the shipping business.

Panama Canal

In 1848, California discovered gold deposits, and another fever swept across America. The easiest way was to get through Panama, the idea to dig a canal was not new, but Vanderbilt was the first to realize the idea of the idea. Alas, there was not enough technical equipment, and Cornelius decided to reduce the travel time for the prospectors in his own way. Having agreed with the government of Nicaragua, he organized charter flights, thanks to which quick-profit seekers were put in place two days earlier than their counterparts who applied to other companies. Each year, the transit of passengers brought the Commander one million net income.

The idea of laying the Panama Canal was not abandoned by Vanderbilt. Once again selling the entire business, Cornelius went in search of partners. So Panama company Accessory Transit Co. was founded.

Private life

On the eve of the sixtieth birthday, the heads of the Vanderbilt family went on their own yacht to travel around Europe. The vessel was called the "Northern Star", its design and design was handled personally by Cornelius Vanderbilt. Photo yacht with pleasure printed in the then press. The taste of a millionaire was specific, and everything that concerned his personal possessions turned out pompous, screaming for luxury. To shock the public, the Commander was very fond of, with a wry face, reminding others, where he came from "into people" and how many classes he had education. The newspapers of those times often interviewed him, in one of them he said: "All my life I went crazy about money, the invention of new ways to do them did not leave me time for education."

No less pompous was his house on Staten Island, built with all the wishes of the tycoon. It was a fantastic rattling mixture of different styles, had three floors, the situation was the richest in value and tasteless in design. The most evocative art object at home was a statue with the signature "Cornelius Vanderbilt." The photo of the mansion was often published in the media of that time.

Railway tycoon

In 1853, the Vanderbilt family went on a journey, this was Cornelius' first full-time vacation. Managing the affairs of the company Accessory Transit Co, he left two of his cunning employees who, through machinations, took possession of a controlling stake. The Commander's anger turned into a telegram: "Gentlemen! You dared to deceive me. I will not sue you because the referee's car is very slow. I will destroy you. With deep respect, Cornelius Vanderbilt. " As he said, so he did - the profits from the war for his treasure returned in triplicate. The trial lasted for several years, Cornelius Vanderbilt won. The statements of the tycoon addressed to Themis and former employees were widely quoted in the press.

Once, while traveling by rail, the Commander realized that land transportation was safer and cheaper, and the prospects for the development of this business promised huge profits. Vanderbilt once again sells its entire business and buys the most unprofitable railway at that time - Harlem.

Buying short railroads and shares of other companies, he worked on mergers and acquisitions. By investing money in development, he managed to make a long railway route out of small branches. Thus the Central New York Railway was formed. Acting in the usual way - reducing the prices for transportation, Cornelius Vanderbilt quickly becomes the owner of two long and profitable railways - Harlem and New York. During this period, he leads a tough competition, which only adds pepper to life. During the five-year railway epic, Vanderbilt entangled half of America with railway rails, the cost of tickets for his trains was always lower than that of the rest.

Heirs

The tycoon had 11 children, four of them boys. By virtue of his education for the girls, the father did not pay attention - they will not bear his name after marriage, and the family business must be transferred to his son, who will continue it. Of the sons of the most promising, even during the life of his father, the recognized financial genius was William Vanderbilt. He got almost all the state of Cornelius: $ 90 million. The total amount of heritage was America's largest fortune at the time - $ 102 million. The remaining 12 million were distributed between charitable organizations and other children.

No matter how his contemporaries and descendants treated him, his activity, voluntarily or unwittingly, served the development of the country, even if the main goal was profit, but that was Cornelius Vanderbilt. Quotations from his interviews were sold out by books, and many of them became mantras for entrepreneurs. But the decisive factor in the activity of the magnate was the character and irrepressible ingenuity in "taking money out of the population".