Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume XVI.djvu/278

This page needs to be proofread.

258 VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY holding a large amount of the transit stock, threw him out of the management. On his return he organized an opposition line to Mor- gan's between New Orleans and Galveston, and in 1854 established an independent line be- tween New York and Aspinwall, with steam- ers on the Pacific side to compete with the Pa- cific mail line. He soon compelled a compro- mise, and once more held the control of the transit company. In 1856 William Walker, then ruling in Nicaragua, seized the property of the transit company, and Vanderbilt, with the assistance of Costa Rica, fomented an in- surrection which expelled Walker. The bar at the mouth of the San Juan rendered approach to Greytown difficult, which led to the aban- donment of the transit business. In April, 1856, Vanderbilt received a large subsidy for with- drawing his California line, the field not afford- ing profit for two companies. His indepen- dent transatlantic line, started in 1855, was abandoned in 1861 by the withdrawal of the Vanderbilt, a steamer costing $800,000, which Vanderbilt gave to the government on the out- break of the civil war. During his steamship career he owned 21 steamers, 11 of which he built, and with steamboats his entire steam fleet numbered 66 ; and for many years he had been popularly known as the " Commodore." When he abandoned the water in 1864 his ac- cumulations were estimated at $40,000,000. As early as 1844 he had become largely inter- ested in the New York and New Haven rail- road, and in 1845 he began to buy the stock of the Harlem railroad, and in 1864 held the whole of it. In 1859 and subsequently he in- vested several millions in the mortgage bonds of the Erie road. Soon after coming into possession of the Harlem road he secured a controlling interest in the Hudson River and New York Central railroads, and consolidated the two. Since 1873 the Lake Shore and Michigan Southern has been operated in con- junction with the New York Central and Hud- son River roads as one continuous route 978 m. in extent, and with the Harlem and side lines and branches presenting an aggregate of 2,128 m. subject to one management, repre- senting an aggregate capital of $149,000,000, half of which is said to belong to Vanderbilt and his family. He has given a liberal sum of money for education in the south. (See VAN- DEBBILT UNIVERSITY.) VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY, an institution of learning in the western suburbs of Nashville, Tenn. It was chartered in 1872 as the Central university of the Methodist Episcopal church, South, but the efforts to raise funds for its or- ganization were unsuccessful. In 1873 Cor- nelius Vanderbilt of New York gave to the enterprise $500,000, and the institution was named in his honor. He has since increased this amount to nearly $700,000, $300,000 of which is to remain as a permanent invested en- dowment. One of the conditions upon which this gift was made was that Bishop McTyeire VANDERLYN of the Methodist Episcopal church, South, should become president of the board of trust. This post was accepted by Bishop McTyeire, upon whom has fallen the chief responsibility of organizing the institution. L. C. Garland, LL. D., was chosen chancellor, and the Rev. T. O. Summers, D. D., dean of the theological faculty, and ex officio vice chancellor. A plot of 75 acres was purchased, the corner stone of the university was laid April 28, 1874, and on Oct. 4, 1875, the institution was opened for students. It has a theological department with four professors, a law department with three, a medical department with eleven, and a de- partment of philosophy, science, and literature with eleven. The total number of students in 1875-'6 was 300. It has a library of 6,000 volumes, scientific apparatus that cost more than $50,000, and extensive geological and mineralogical cabinets. The plan of instruc- tion is elective. The dormitory system is not used ; students board in private families. Tui- tion is free to all in the theological department, and in the literary and scientific department to all preparing for the ministry.

t.M>KKi;i KUl. a S. W. county of Indiana, 

bounded S. by the Ohio river ; area, 216 sq. m. ; pop. in 1870, 33,145. The surface is generally undulating and the soil very fertile. Bitumi- nous coal is found in abundance. The county is traversed by the Wabash and Erie canal, and by railroads intersecting at Evansville. The chief productions in 1870 were 180,646 bush- els of wheat, 553,925 of Indian corn, 56,361 of oats, 13,318 of barley, 54,842 of potatoes, 115,502 Ibs. of butter, 167,150 of tobacco, and 9,852 tons of hay. There were 2,856 horses, 1,185 mules and asses, 3,254 milch cows, 2,368 other cattle, 3,157 sheep, and 12,223 swine. The number of manufacturing establishments was 281 ; capital invested, $3,808,600 ; value of products, $5,341,517. The chief manufac- tories were 5 of agricultural implements, 17 of clothing, 2 of cotton goods, 8 of furniture, 10 of iron, 10 of machinery, 19 of tobacco, 3 flour mills, 5 tanneries, 5 currying establishments, 4 planing mills, 8 saw mills, 8 breweries, and 1 woollen mill. Capital, Evansville. VAN DER GOES. See GOES. VAN DER HEYDEN, Jan, a Dutch painter, born at Gorkum in 1687, died in Amsterdam, Sept. 28, 1712. He excelled in landscapes, and in painting public buildings and churches, but not in figures, which were added by other artists, chiefly by Adrian Vandervelde. His works include "The London Exchange," the new market and other objects in Amsterdam and Rotterdam, "The Calvary at Cologne," "A Village on the Banks of a River," and "A Street of Rome." The government pen- sioned him for improvements in fire engines. VAN DER UOEVEN. See HOEVEN. VANDERLYN, John, an American painter, born in Kingston, Ulster co., N. Y., in October, 1776, died there, Sept. 23, 1852. Removing to New York at the age of 16, he received in-