Staten Island seventy-six years ago--The establishment of the Staten Island ferry--Birth of Cornelius Vanderbilt--His boyhood--Defective education--A famous rider--His early reputation for firmness--Superintends the removal of a ship's cargo at the age of twelve--How he pawned a horse--Becomes a boatman--How he bought his boat--A disastrous voyage--His life as a boatman--His economy and industry--Earns three thousand dollars--The alarm at Fort Richmond--Vanderbilt's perilous voyage for aid for the forts--His marriage--His first contract--How he supplied the harbor defenses--Builds his first schooner--His winter voyages--Becomes a steamboat captain--His foresight--Leases the hotel at New Brunswick--The dangers of navigating the New York waters--The steamboat war--How Captain Vanderbilt eluded the sheriff--Becomes manager of the steamboat line--Declines an increase of salary--Only wants to carry his point--Refuses to buy Mr. Gibbons's interest in the steamboat company, and builds his own boat--Narrow escape from ruin--Final triumph--Systematic management of his vessels--How he ruined the "Collins Line"--The "North Star"--Becomes a railroad director--How he foiled a plan to ruin him--dishonest legislature--Vanderbilt's triumph--His gift to the Government--His office in New York--Vanderbilt in business hours--Personal characteristics--Love for horses--His family. CHAPTER X. DANIEL DREW. Birth-place--Birth and parentage--A farmer's boy--Goes to New York to seek his fortune--Becomes a cattle drover--Leases the Bull's Head Tavern--His energy and success in his business--Brings the first western cattle to New York--Helps a friend to build a steamboat--The fight with Vanderbilt--Drew buys out his friend, and becomes a steamboat owner--Vanderbilt endeavors to discourage him--He perseveres--His success--Formation of the "People's Line" on the Hudson River--The floating palaces--Forms a partnership with George Law, and establishes the Stonington line--Opening of the Hudson River Railway--Drew's foresight--Room enough for the locomotive and the steamboat--Buys out the Champlain Company--Causes of his success as a steamboat manager--Becomes a banker--His success in Wall Street--Indorses the acceptances of the Erie Railway Company--His courage and calmness in the panic of 1857--He saves "Erie" from ruin--Elected a director of the Erie Road--Is made Treasurer--His interest in the road--His operations in Wall Street--His farm in Putnam County--Joins the Methodist Church--His liberality--Builds a church in New York--Founds the Drew Theological Seminary--Estimate of his wealth--His family--Personal appearance. CHAPTER XI. JAMES B. EADS.