my memories of eighty years-第40节
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
eized me by the hand and said： 〃Chauncey； come in。 I was never so glad to see anybody in my life。〃
He told me the legislature had adjourned and left on his hands several thousands of thirty…days billsthat is； bills on which he had thirty days to sign or veto； or let them become laws by not rejecting them。 So he had to deny himself to everybody to get the leisure to read them over and form decisions。
〃Do you know； Chauncey；〃 he said； 〃this is a new business to me。 Most of these bills are on subjects which I never have examined； studied； or thought about。 It is very difficult to form a wise judgment； and I want to do in each case just what is right。〃 For the moment he became silent； seemingly absorbed by anxious thoughts about these bills。 Then suddenly he exclaimed： 〃By the way； Chauncey； you've done a great deal of thinking in your life； and I never have done any except on business。 Does intense thinking affect you as it does me； by upsetting your stomach and making you throw up？〃
〃No； governor；〃 I answered； 〃if it did I fear I would be in a chronic state of indigestion。〃
While he was governor he canvassed the State in a private car and made many speeches。 In a plain； homely man…to…man talk he was very effective on the platform。 His train stopped at a station in a Republican community where there were few Democrats； while I was addressing a Republican meeting in the village。 When I had finished my speech I said to the crowd； which was a large one： 〃Governor Flower is at the station； and as I passed he had very few people listening to him。 Let us all go over and give him an audience。〃
The proposition was received with cheers。 I went ahead； got in at the other end of the governor's car from the one where he was speaking from the platform。 As this Republican crowd began to pour in； it was evident as I stood behind him without his knowing of my presence； that he was highly delighted。 He shouted： 〃Fellow citizens； I told you they were coming。 They are coming from the mountains； from the hills； and from the valleys。 It is the stampede from the Republican party and into our ranks and for our ticket。 This is the happiest evidence I have received of the popularity of our cause and the success of our ticket。〃
Standing behind him； I made a signal for cheers； which was heartily responded to； and the governor； turning around； saw the joke； grasped me cordially by the hand； and the whole crowd； including the veteran and hardened Democrats on the car； joined in the hilarity of the occasion。
He came to me when he was running for the second time for Congress； and said that some of the people of his district were anxious for me to deliver an address for one of their pet charities； and that the meeting would be held in Harlem； naming the evening。 I told him I would go。 He came for me in his carriage； and I said： 〃Governor； please do not talk to me on the way up。 I was so busy that I have had no time since I left my office this afternoon to prepare this address； and I want every minute while we are riding to the meeting。〃
The meeting was a large one。 The governor took the chair and introduced me in this original way： 〃Ladies and gentlemen；〃 he said； 〃I want to say about Chauncey Depew； whom I am now going to introduce to you as the lecturer of the evening； that he is no Demosthenes； because he can beat Demosthenes out of sight。 He prepared his speech in the carriage in which I was bringing him up here； and he don't have； like the old Greek； to chew pebble…stones in order to make a speech。〃
Governor Flower in a conservative way was a successful trader in the stock market。 When he felt he had a sure point he would share it with a few friends。 He took special delight in helping in this way men who had little means and no knowledge of the art of moneymaking。 There were a great many benefited by his bounty。
I was dining one night with the Gridiron Club at Washington； and before me was a plate of radishes。 The newspaper man next to me asked if I would object to having the radishes removed。
I said： 〃There is no odor or perfume from them。 What is the matter with the radishes？〃
After they were taken away he told me his story。 〃Governor Flower；〃 he said； 〃was very kind to me； as he invariably was to all newspaper men。 He asked me one day how much I had saved in my twenty years in journalism。 I told him ten thousand dollars。 He said： 'That is not enough for so long a period。 Let me have the money。' So I handed over to him my bank…account。 In a few weeks he told me that my ten thousand dollars had become twenty； and I could have them if I wished。 I said： 'No； you are doing far better than I could。 Keep it。' In about a month or more my account had grown to thirty thousand dollars。 Then the governor on a very hot day went fishing somewhere off the Long Island coast。 He was a very large； heavy man； became overheated； and on his return drank a lot of ice…water and ate a bunch of radishes。 He died that afternoon。 There was a panic in the stocks which were his favorites the next day； and they fell out of sight。 The result was that I lost my fortune of ten thousand dollars and also my profit of twenty。 Since then the sight of a radish makes me sick。〃
XVIII。 FIFTY…SIX YEARS WITH THE NEW YORK CENTRAL RAILROAD COMPANY
Heredity has much to do with a man's career。 The village of Peekskill…on…the…Hudson； about forty miles from New York； was in the early days the market…town of a large section of the surrounding country； extending over to the State of Connecticut。 It was a farming region； and its products destined for New York City were shipped by sloops on the Hudson from the wharfs at Peekskill； and the return voyage brought back the merchandise required by the country。
My father and his brother owned the majority of the sloops engaged in this； at that time； almost the only transportation。 The sloops were succeeded by steamboats in which my people were also interested。 When Commodore Vanderbilt entered into active rivalry with the other steamboat lines between New York and Albany； the competition became very serious。 Newer and faster boats were rapidly built。 These racers would reach the Bay of Peekskill in the late afternoon； and the younger population of the village would be on the banks of the river； enthusiastically applauding their favorites。 Among well…known boats whose names and achievements excited as much interest and aroused as much partisanship and sporting spirit as do now famous race…horses or baseball champions； were the following： Mary Powell； Dean Ricbmond； The Alida； and The Hendrick Hudson。
I remember as if it were yesterday when the Hudson River Railroad had reached Peekskill； and the event was locally celebrated。 The people came in as to a county fair from fifty miles around。 When the locomotive steamed into the station many of those present had never seen one。 The engineer was continuously blowing his whistle to emphasize the great event。 This produced much consternation and confusion among the horses； as all farmers were there with their families in carriages or wagons。
I recall one team of young horses which were driven to frenzy； their owner was unable to control them； but he kept them on the road while they ran away with a wild dash over the hills。 In telling this story； as illustrating how recent is railway development in the United States； at a dinner abroad； I stated that as far as I knew and believed； those horses were so frightened that they could not be stopped and were still running。 A very successful and serious…minded captain of industry among the guests sternly rebuked me by saying： 〃Sir； that is impossible； horses were never born that could run for twenty…five years without stopping。〃 American exaggeration was not so well known among our friends on the other side then as it is now。
As we boys of the village were gathered on the banks of the Hudson cheering our favorite steamers； or watching with eager interest the movements of the trains； a frequent discussion would be about our ambitions in life。 Every young fellow would state a dream which he hoped but never expected to be realized。 I was charged by my companions with having the greatest imagination and with painting more pictures in the skies than any of them。 This was because I stated that in politics； for I was a great admirer of William H。 Seward； then senator from New York； I expected to be a United States senator； and in business； because then the largest figure in the business world was Commodore Vanderbilt； I hoped to become president of the Hudson River Railroad。 It is one of the strangest incidents of what seemed the wild imaginings of a village boy that in the course of long years both these expectations were realized。
When I entered the service of the railroad on the first of January； 1866； the Vanderbilt system consisted of the Hudson River and Harlem Railroads； the Harlem ending at Chatham； 128 miles； and the Hudson River at Albany； 140 miles long。 The Vanderbilt system now covers 20；000 miles。 The total railway mileage of the whole United States at that time was 36；000； and now it is 261；000 miles。
My connection with the New York Central Railroad c
