Vanderbilt steamboat 1847 gold plated banner ornament

Cornelius Vanderbilt steamboat 1847 In 1847, Vanderbilt took over the presidency of Stonington, the first railroad he would lead. As he was starting to dominate the steamboat business, he decided to take over the connecting railroads. In 1849, he became interested in ocean-going steamboats, taking advantage of the California Gold Rush. He launched a steamship service that transported prospectors from New York to San Francisco via a route across Nicaragua. He made his millions by controlling two burgeoning industries: the steamboat industry and the railroad industry. When he died, Vanderbilt's estate was estimated to be worth $100,000,000