Vanderbilt and Walker

Posted by John Crandall Jul 20, 2006

As best I can tell from a fair amount of research on the subject the two men never actually met. Vandebilt's famous line, "You have undertaken to cheat me. I won't sue you, for the law is too slow. I will ruin you." is from a letter addressed to former Accesory Transit Co. managers Cornelius Garrison and Charles Morgan, although many have mistakenly addressed it to Walker.

The whole episode is a fascinating glimpse at money, power, politics, and views of the possible from the age of Manifest Destiny. In many cases, tales you might hear about either Vanderbilt or Walker have the air more of legend than fact. It is true, however, that Nicaragua probably was the best place for a canal across the Central American isthmus, but that this episode led to the estblishment of interests in Panama which likely settled the issue of where the canal was to be built.

Vanderbilt's grandfather was from a Dutch village called Bilt, add the Dutch for "of the" van der and you get Vanderbilt.

For interesting reading in this area see:

Scroggs, William. Filibusters and Financiers. New York: Macmillan Co., 1916.

and

Carr, Albert. The World and William Walker. New York: Harper and Row, 1963.

Also, see my Cornelius Vanderbilt article (It mentions a few more details about him and Walker)

For all my articles go to my Transportation History Home Page