Chapter 194: Because I Pay Connie

After the news that the Pioneer was publicly displayed and offered to all New York citizens for free spread, there was an endless stream of people queuing up every day to experience the Pioneer.

The New York citizens who were lucky enough to experience the Pioneer could not believe that America's own railway company could actually build such an advanced and avant-garde locomotive with such a comfortable riding experience.

After a short experience, when they reluctantly stepped down from the comfortable train carriage, the faces of these New York citizens were full of joy and pride.

Some people were happy, and naturally some were sad and disappointed.

Those colleagues who came to experience the Pioneer with a critical mentality were extremely disappointed.

They were not disappointed with the riding experience of the Pioneer, but they were disappointed that they could not find any shortcomings of the Pioneer.

In the whole of America, there is no other railway company whose carriage riding experience is more comfortable than the Pioneer.

The performance of the Pioneer is excellent and impeccable.

As for the speed they calculated with their pocket watches, it was about 40 miles per hour, which was far higher than the 35 miles per hour advertised by Liang Yao.

If fully loaded with 100 tons of cargo, it can definitely run at a speed of 35 miles per hour, and Liang Yao is not suspected of exaggeration or false propaganda.

The parameters of the Pioneer announced by Liang Yao are true.

"You are so bold to publicly display the locomotive, aren't you afraid of leaking the secrets of the Pioneer?" Vanderbilt teased.

"The American railway companies have no other skills, but they are first-class in imitation and plagiarism. They don't care whether you have applied for a patent to the Patent Office."

"Given the current situation of major railways, do you think they still have the spare capacity and budget to imitate the Pioneer? I think the first thing they need to consider now is how to survive this great change in the railway industry."

Liang Yao said very confidently.

"The Pioneer will not always be just the Pioneer. The improvement of the Pioneer is already underway. When they successfully imitate it, more advanced locomotives may have been put into use."

The cruel law of natural selection and survival of the fittest also applies to the business field.

The deformed environment of the United States has created a false prosperity in the railway industry for 20 years. The bubble of the railway industry in the United States has burst, and a large number of railway companies that lack competitiveness and ambition will go bankrupt.

I wonder how many of the more than 100 railway companies listed on Wall Street will be able to survive this storm?

"I am very fortunate that when I am against the entire industry, I still have a reliable and powerful partner like you."

Vanderbilt smiled with ease.

"I have offended many people, and I will be entangled in lawsuits for a long time to come, but fortunately I have enough experience to deal with the upcoming lawsuits.

Before I became a shipping king, I was a frequent visitor to major courts in New York. Those annoying guys filed lawsuits against me again and again.

When the situation was the worst, the letters from law firms received every month were enough to keep me from worrying about the toilet paper for that month."

Vanderbilt was not born in a powerful family in New York. He was born and raised in an ordinary Dutch farmer family. His parents were both ordinary small farmers.

If there is anything special about him, it is that he inherited the business gene engraved in the bones of the Dutch, and showed amazing business talent and extraordinary courage since childhood.

When Vanderbilt was 8 years old, he secretly took the money hidden in the big pendulum clock by his mother, but he did not use the money to buy toys and snacks for enjoyment like other children.

Instead, he used the money to lend at high interest rates. He would definitely find a suitable lender and recover the money in time. Many years later, Vanderbilt thought of this and said proudly:

My mother never found out that I moved the money in the big pendulum clock, because every time she checked the money, the silver coins would appear in the big pendulum clock.

After one semester, I saved a huge sum of 1 dollar and 80 cents by lending at high interest rates, and became the richest child in the whole class.

But in the end, this matter was exposed. My math teacher discovered the fact that I had huge assets, suspected the source of my huge money and told my mother about it.

After learning about this, my mother did not beat or scold me. She seemed to be delighted to discover my business talent. She just told me seriously that if I wanted to use the family money, I had to tell him to get her consent before using the money.

In 1812, when the Second War of Independence broke out, no one was willing to transport military supplies to the six military fortresses around New York City.

After the outbreak of the war, the British fleet blocked the waters near the port of New York. It was a very risky thing to transport military supplies for the US military in the military fortress.

Vanderbilt, who was only 19 years old at the time, took on this difficult and risky task that his peers were unwilling to take on, breaking through the British blockade and providing military supplies to the US military in the fortress in a timely manner.

After the war, he not only made a huge sum of more than 9,000 US dollars, but also met some powerful people in New York, which was very helpful for his subsequent rise.

"You reminded me that I don't have to worry about competitors interfering in California, and I don't have to worry about being sued." Liang Yao said.

"There are many people in the east, and there are also many disputes. I think I will encounter more and more lawsuits in the future. I must make preparations early and establish a strong legal department for my railway company."

As the largest oligarch in California, Liang Yao is the leading oligarch both politically and economically. The entire judicial system in California is just a tool in his hands.

No one would think of going against him, but the situation is different in the New York area. It may be difficult to find someone richer than him in New York, but there are many people more powerful and influential than him.

It was difficult for him to get a bargain in New York, and it was inevitable that his railroad would be maliciously sued by competitors in the future.

Liang Yao called Kony, and Kony soon appeared in front of Liang Yao.

"Sir, are you going to tell me to buy the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Company?" Coney asked.

The stock price of the Baltimore-Ohio Railroad Company has plummeted from $31 to $20 per share. In just a few days, more than $1 million in assets have been wiped out.

"Don't be anxious. Your father isn't even anxious. Why should I be anxious?" Liang Yao said, "The stock price of the Baltimore-Ohio Railroad Company still has a lot of room to fall. Let them fall for a while."

Liang Yao said very calmly.

The stocks of railroad companies on Wall Street are plummeting. Except for the two culprits who caused this tragedy, no one is willing to spend money to acquire the railroad companies that everyone is clamoring for at this time.

"Then what are your orders?"

Kony asked confused.

"Issuing a recruitment notice, Stonington Railway Company, a subsidiary of America Group, is recruiting experienced lawyers with specific benefits."

Speaking of the specific salary of New York lawyers in this era, Liang Yao's knowledge blind spot was touched upon, and he did not know how much salary he should offer.

He only knew that New York lawyers were among the elite and high-income people in society in this era. He had no in-depth knowledge of their specific treatment.

Whether it's 1850 or 2022, in New York, and it can be said to be in the United States, the cost of becoming a lawyer is very high, and you need to pay a lot of money.

Career choice is also a high-risk investment. Careers with high entry barriers naturally mean high income.

"Mr. Vanderbilt, I would like to know how much the law firm pays to serve you?"

Liang Yao asked Vanderbite.

"It's hard to say, it depends on how many times I'm sued." Vanderbilt thought for a moment and said.

"The annual consulting fee for the law firm that specializes in serving me is US$3,600, but the consulting fee is only a small part of the expenditure. The income limit of the law firm is very high, and their income depends on how much they win for me that year. commissions obtained from the lawsuit.

Since 1829, I have been the most sued person in the entire New York area, a record that no one has ever been able to break. "

Liang Yao probably knew for sure that a law firm that could serve America's top wealthy people like Vanderbilt must be the top law firm of this era.

"The specific treatment will refer to the law firm that serves your father." Liang Yao said to Kony.

"Okay, I understand, sir."

Kony nodded, while not forgetting to say to Liang Yao.

"This is all in the past. Ever since Clark became our son-in-law, Clark has been responsible for the Vanderbilt family's lawsuits. Clark does not charge money to litigate for his father."

After speaking, Kony smiled and walked away.

"You can also save this little money?"

Liang Yao looked at Vanderbilt in surprise.

He now even wondered whether this guy took in Clark, a son-in-law who was a lawyer, in order to save annual legal fees.

Vanderbilt had told him that Clark was his right-hand man, and now perhaps he could add one more: unpaid right-hand man.

"Clark has very strong professional skills and is a rare good lawyer." Vanderbilt said with a smile.

"Kony has undergone earth-shaking changes with you. He was never so diligent when doing things for me before."

"Because I pay Kony's salary."

Liang Yao said without thinking.

"After acquiring the railway company, I plan to let William also exercise."

Vanderbilt said, looking at Coney walking away.

"I think this will be a very wise choice." Liang Yao commented.

William's ability is enough to take care of the railway company. Of course, the premise is that the father and son can put aside their estrangement between them.

At this moment, Liang Yao noticed several well-dressed people boarding the train that had just stopped.

One of the people seemed to be former New York Governor Fish and current New York Governor Hunter, who had been seen at the port.

Fish and Hunter are both from well-known families in New York State. The status of those who can be with Fish and Hunter will naturally not be simple.

"Do you know who the people around Fish and Governor Hunter are? Their identities don't seem simple."

Liang Yao pointed at Fish and his group and asked Vanderbilt.