America 1919

Chapter 817: 280, Reggie Vanderbilt

“Acquiring the New York Central Railroad Company is a very promising prospect for us!”

In Donnie’s office at the Surf Hotel, Donnie poured a glass of whiskey for Jack Morgan and continued.

“Because of William Vanderbilt’s folly of dividing his wealth among his children, though not foolish enough to split the company’s shares evenly, we only need to win over Reggie Vanderbilt and Harold Vanderbilt, these two cousins, to obtain majority control of the New York Central Railroad Company, which will be much easier!”

After William Vanderbilt’s death, he divided his cash equally among his several children, but at the same time, he equally divided the Vanderbilt family’s shares in the New York Central Railroad Company among his eldest son, Cornelius Vanderbilt II, and his third son, Kissam Vanderbilt.

Now that both of these men have passed away, the shares they held in the New York Central Railroad Company have been inherited by their children, Reggie Vanderbilt and Harold Vanderbilt!

“The real difficulty lies in carrying out this affair without alarming the Rockefeller Family. If they catch wind of it, they are certain to get involved, and our mutual bidding would not only result in an impasse but also inadvertently benefit the Vanderbilt family members!”

Jack Morgan expressed his concerns.

Compared to the Vanderbilt family, which had already begun their decline, Morgan and Rockefeller were at the height of their power. If they were determined to acquire the New York Central Railroad Company, it was certainly possible, but this issue stretched on until the 1950s and 1960s.

In reality, it was the competition between the two families, both eager to control the New York Central Railroad Company, that turned the situation into a strategic game between the two.

Their mutual wariness resulted in a long-drawn-out affair!

Donnie laughed: “That’s exactly why we need to cooperate. I will take the lead in the initial phase, and most importantly, my involvement can avoid the attention of the Rockefeller Family!”

Jack Morgan laughed and nodded. He had this idea as well, which is why he decided to collaborate with Donnie. However, there was also a hidden risk: If Donnie ended up with the shares of the New York Central Railroad Company, and then turned against him, Morgan would be at a significant disadvantage in the matter!

But in the end, Jack Morgan chose to trust Donnie. The existence of the Tarot Society was one of the reasons, and the other was his belief that Donnie wouldn’t make such a foolish move.

“So, how do you plan to go about it?”

Jack Morgan asked Donnie.

Donnie answered with a smile: “Jack, do you know who’s staying in the Presidential Suite at the Surf Hotel now?”

Jack Morgan’s eyes lit up, and he responded: “If I’m not wrong, it should be Mr. Reggie Vanderbilt, right?”

Reggie Vanderbilt was quite a notorious figure in the fourth generation of the Vanderbilt Family, not for his business acumen, but because he was a classic spendthrift. The vast fortune he inherited from his father, Cornelius Vanderbilt II, gave him all the means to indulge in extravagance… money!

Reggie Vanderbilt spent nearly all his wealth on women, alcohol, fine food, cars, and other luxury toys; and he had a most fatal flaw – a penchant for gambling!

After the Surf Hotel opened, Reggie Vanderbilt all but abandoned his mansion at The Breakers in Newport, Rhode Island, and took up residence at the Surf Hotel.

Last year, Reggie Vanderbilt even boasted about building the most grand and spectacular estate in Atlantic City, but eventually, that idea fizzled out.

The underlying reason was that Reggie Vanderbilt no longer had so much cash on hand!

Yet, this did not stop him from being one of the most esteemed guests at the Surf Hotel!

“Just two days ago, the esteemed Mr. Vanderbilt lost $70,000 in one night at the Surf Hotel!”

Donnie said, with a chuckle.

$70,000 might seem insignificant to people like Donnie and Jack Morgan, as they had a continuous influx of new funds and couldn’t spend money as fast as they earned it.

However, it was a different story for Reggie Vanderbilt. His family’s fortune had been shrinking faster than it was growing since his father’s generation.

After listening, Jack Morgan was speechless for a moment, then spoke somewhat helplessly: “It’s hard to say how long the Vanderbilt Family will last!”

Donnie waved his hand, speaking nonchalantly: “That’s not for us to worry about!”

The past glory and future circumstances of the Vanderbilt Family had nothing to do with Tang Fei anymore!

“So we start with Reggie Vanderbilt?” Jack Morgan didn’t say anything else at this time.

Donnie nodded: “No problem, but Jack, I think you should return to New York sooner. If you stay here too long, I’m worried it might raise suspicions at the Rockefeller end!”

Jack Morgan nodded and said, “No need to rush, I’ll go back the day after tomorrow. Leaving on the same day would attract even more attention from them!”

.

In the Diamond Hall of the Surf Hotel, Reggie Vanderbilt, dressed in a tailor-made Italian suit and holding an emerald-inlaid cane, sat by the gambling table, fully engrossed in the poker cards in his hand.