The mistake that the Erie Board have made is
伊利董事會犯了一個錯誤
that they have telegraphed
他們發電報稱
where they need to expand without securing the land first.
他們需要擴張 而無需首先確保土地
Gould and Fisk are stuck in middle-management at the Erie.
古爾德和菲斯克當時不過是伊利的中層管理者
But they represent the new America that Vanderbilt is helping to create.
但他們代表了范德比爾特幫助建立的新美國
One of self-made men with ruthless ambition.
一個人們懷有殘酷野心 靠自己力量成功的國度
And after years of watching the Commodore dominate,
經過很多年對船長統治的觀察之后
they're eager to build their own empire.
他們渴望建立自己的帝國
They recognize Vanderbilt's plan to buy the line,
他們意識到了范德比爾特的鐵路收購計劃
and see the opportunity they've been waiting for.
將這看成是自己等待已久的時機
Competition, I think, it's good for the system,
我認為競爭是對系統有好處的
and it's really, I think, what most businesses is about,
我認為它就是商業經營的實質
is doing a better job, and out-hustling your competitors.
做好自己的工作 打敗競爭對手
Gould and Fisk begin printing new shares of stock,
古爾德和菲斯克開始印刷新股票
using a printing press they set up in the basement of the Erie offices.
利用他們在伊利地下室配置的印刷機
Each share they print
他們所印的每一份股票
dilutes Vanderbilt's stake in the company,
都會稀釋范德比爾特在公司的股權
and they print over one hundred thousand.
他們一印就是十萬份
There was some fine print in one of the clauses of the Erie's
伊利章程的條款中有一條細則
charter that allowed the board of directors to issue new stock,
允許董事會印刷發行新股票
unbeknownst to the shareholders.
同時無需讓股東知道
Go.
快去
And so, the more shares that Vanderbilt bought,
因此 范德比爾特買得股份越多
the more he had to buy in order to approach that magic majority.
他就還需要買更多 才能獲得多數控制權
Their plan is known as "watering down stock".
他們的計劃被稱作"股票摻水"
Highly illegal today,
在現在 這是非法的
at the time, it had never been imagined.
但在當時 沒人想到過這樣做
Its simplicity is brilliant.
這種方法的簡潔性太過巧妙
And Wall Street is never the same.
華爾街因此變得不同以往
The only rule was there were no rules.
唯一的規則就是沒有規則
Whatever it took to put your competition out of business,
只要能將對手擠出競爭
they were gonna try to do it.
什么手段都值得一試
Unaware, Vanderbilt continues to buy.
毫不知情的范德比爾特還在繼續購買
Think of the look on his face.
想想他臉上會是什么表情
Oh, God, I wish I could be a fly on that wall.
天啊 真想親眼看看
The freshly printed shares are hand-delivered to Vanderbilt.
新印出的股份被親手交送給范德比爾特
Here are the Erie shares.
這些是伊利的股份
I assume we control the company now.
我想我們現在就能控制公司了
a toast!
干杯
A toast.
干杯
To money!
為錢干杯
To Vanderbilt's money!
為范德比爾特的錢干杯
Vanderbilt has bought seven million dollars
范德比爾特買了七百萬美元
of watered-down stock from Gould and Fisk.
古爾德和菲斯克的摻水股票
Today, worth over one billion dollars.
折算到今天 價值超過十億美元