railroads

Robert L. Heilbroner writes in 1961's The Worldly Philosophers, p. 182:

In the 1860's, Corenelius Vanderbilt, a fabulous genius of shipping and commerce, found that his own business associates were threatening his interests—a not too uncommon occurrence. He wrote them a letter:

Gentlemen:

You have undertaken to ruin me. I will not sue you, for law takes too long. I will ruin you.

Sincerely,

Cornelius Van Derbilt  

An he did. 

The present day valuation of Cornelius Vanderbilt's [1794-1877] fortune exceeds $167 billion.