Chapter 41: The Unworthy Son

"Cornie, you are an adult now. You need to take responsibility for your own actions. This is your last chance."

On the James Day steamship, a middle-aged man dressed simply, tall and strong, was scolding his disappointing second son, Cornie.

This man was the famous New York shipping tycoon, "Commodore", and the second richest man in American history, Cornelius Vanderbilt.

Cornie's clothes were very elegant, with a black silk tie, a white corrugated silk vest, a black coat, and lambskin gloves. It was in sharp contrast to his father who was dressed simply and unkempt.

The rebellious Cornie listened to his father's scolding carelessly. This was just a commonplace for him, and he had long been accustomed to it.

"From my elementary school to middle school, you, as my father, have never fulfilled the responsibilities that a father should fulfill. You are like a stranger who suddenly appeared in my life when I grew up."

Vanderbilt has three sons, and the second son, Cornelius Jeremiah Vanderbilt, is the most disappointing and worrying one.

"I should have thought that the port is a place where people fall. I shouldn't have sent you to San Francisco. Who would have thought that you would get addicted to gambling there.

Get up from where you fell. I will give you one last chance now. You must earn $260,000 in San Francisco to repay your gambling debts in New York. I won't help you pay off the gambling debts you owe!"

A year ago, Vanderbilt gave this disappointing guy a ready-made small fleet and $50,000 in cash to let him go to San Francisco for training.

I hope this idle boy can understand the principle of working harder and earning more, and being self-reliant, instead of just waiting for food and clothing at home.

The result was the opposite of what he had hoped for. It turned out that Connie had no ability to make money, but he was good at spending money.

In just two months, he spent all the $50,000 in the casino, and sold the boat he brought with him at a low price. In the end, he returned to New York with nothing and continued to hang out in the major casinos in New York.

18 years old should be a good start to life, but Connie chose to go down the path of depravity.

"You can stay in San Francisco to start a business, but you must meet one of my requirements."

"What requirement?"

"In addition to the gambling debts in New York, I also owe $60,000 in gambling debts in San Francisco. The casino belongs to a guy named Brannan, who is extremely cruel. If you think of the father-son relationship, you can pay off this gambling debt for me. Otherwise, I will not survive more than three days in San Francisco."

"Brannan is dead. Now the casino in San Francisco belongs to a guy named Liang Yao. He is the same age as you, and he is already a millionaire in California! A millionaire at the age of 19!"

Vanderbilt learned the news not long ago. When he was still in Nicaragua, he collected information about the second young millionaire in California.

Unexpectedly, this young millionaire defeated Brannan before he arrived in California.

He was full of curiosity about this young man. It took him only five months to defeat his opponent and become the only millionaire in California. How did he do it?

Vanderbilt was very upset. Why didn't he have such an outstanding son?

Perhaps he could only pin the future hopes of the Vanderbilt family on his youngest son who was not yet an adult and was smart and clever.

In his opinion, his eldest son William Henry Vanderbilt was mediocre and not suitable for running an industry. He was more suitable to spend the rest of his life guarding the farm.

The only thing that comforted him was that his two sons-in-law were outstanding, but sons-in-law were only sons-in-law after all, not his own sons.

"Brannan is dead!"

After learning that Brannan had died, Connie clapped his hands happily.

"Can you give me another $10,000?"

"You have to tell me what you want to do with this $10,000 first."

If Connie could use $10,000 for the right purpose, he would be willing to give Connie another chance.

"Start a business! I lost $60,000 to Brannan not because I was not good at gambling, but because Brannan cheated! Whether it was Monte, Faro, or roulette, I never won!" Connie's tone was very firm.

"Now that the casino has changed hands, I think the game will become fair! Give me $10,000, and within three days! I can win back $260,000 to pay off my gambling debts in New York!"

Vanderbilt swung the cane in his hand and gave Connie a severe lesson.

Connie rolled into the cabin and crawled to seek the protection of his sister Louise.

"He was spoiled by you sisters!"

Seeing Louise blocking Connie, Vanderbilt had to give up in dismay, retracted the cane in the air, left the deck, and returned to the captain's room.

As soon as Vanderbilt returned to the captain's room, his son-in-law Clark knocked on the door of the captain's room.

On the night of April 13, 1848, Clark married her sixth daughter Maria Louise Vanderbilt and became his son-in-law.

At first, Vanderbilt didn't like this son-in-law. Clark was born in 1815. In his opinion, Clark's age didn't match Louise's.

It was also widely rumored that this man was a snob among snobs, and that he was a lawyer, and that he pursued Louise because he coveted the Vanderbilt family's wealth.

But in the end, Vanderbilt still put aside these concerns and agreed to the marriage. Clark's persistence in Louise and his outstanding personal ability impressed him.

The Vanderbilt family really needs some capable people, not a good-for-nothing like his son.

"Father-in-law, this is all the information about Liang Yao."

Clark was extremely respectful to Vanderbilt, with a bit of fear in his respect.

"Gold, mining, banking, real estate, building materials, catering, and even shipping, the industries he is involved in are far wider than his rival Brannan. With so many industries supporting him, it's no wonder that he can defeat Brannan."

After reading the materials Clark sorted out, Vanderbilt rubbed his tired eyes.

"Father-in-law, do you really plan to let Connie set up a mining company in San Francisco?"

"Even if I want to, Connie doesn't have the ability." Vanderbilt smiled bitterly.

"The matter of replacing the locomotives of the Stonington Railway Company can be temporarily delayed, but the air route from New York to San Francisco must be opened up as soon as possible, without delay.

The territory of the United States has extended to the Pacific Ocean. Americans in the east need to go to California, and the gold in California also needs to be shipped out. California is the future of the United States, and it is full of business opportunities. Whoever can open up this route first will have the upper hand.

Clark, do you still remember the two most profitable ways I told you?"

"Monopoly, information gap."

Facing the test of his father-in-law, Clark almost blurted out.

"Yes, seizing the opportunity is a kind of information gap. I asked Connie to go to San Francisco in the hope that he could seize the opportunity and make money lying down. It's a pity that he is too disappointing. It really disgraces the style of our family."