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Cornelius Vanderbilt, was the most successful and powerful American businessman of his time. He made his fortune in steamship lines and railroads but also had investments in manufacturing and banking. Vanderbilt was often called the "Commodore" because of his steamship interests.

He formed a steamship company in 1829, and soon dominated shipping along the Atlantic coast and on the Hudson River. After the California gold rush began in 1849, Vanderbilt established a steamship line that carried prospectors from New York City to San Francisco. By the mid-1850's, his ships made regular trips to and from Europe, and he had become the leading American steamship owner.

In 1865, Vanderbilt gained control of the Hudson River Railroad. In 1869, he merged this line with the New York Central Railroad to form a network that would run from New York City to Buffalo, New York. By 1873, he owned rail lines that extended as far west as Chicago.

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