Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1875-05-27
Remarkable One-Man Power,

IT was a remark of the late James
Fisk, Jr., that when he had been wear
with the frm with whom he began his
| career in this city he had no longer to be
his own errand boy, and on proper &C.
casions people were willing to hunt him
up for the sake of his business. But
what would he have thought of position
and power that would have enabled him
to stay at a residence away in Brook
line and compel every man who would
fam do business with him TO seek an
interview at his own time and place .
Such is the position which his sometime
confederate and associate has achieved.
Mr.. Jay Gould's residence is on Fifth
avenue, near the park, and more than
three miles from Wall street; yet it is
said of him that he never leaves his
house except for recreation. During
the morning he is at home, apparently
idhng away his life, but really full of
intense activities. Lines of telegraph
keep him accurately and instantly in
formed of any fuCtuation in public Sc
curities or in the selling price of fancy
stocks. Other lines maintain commu.
nication with his Wall street agents-a
wire to each agent, it is said. His
operators are in separate rooms for fear
of mishaps. If a visitor calls, thinking
to gain some useful hint, he is shown
to pleasant ante-room, where his eyes
will wander over objects of oSrtu, un-
til presently Mr.. Gould will saunter in
with the air of a man who has not an
object in life. To the INQUIRIES of his
friend-agonized, it may be, with the
frightful fluctuations of his favorite
lnvestment-he returns only vague ex-
pressions of ignorance or injurious
ness, and, referring to the fact that he
never goes to Wall street, AYERS that he
knows little or nothing as to what is
going on there. And yet all the while he
is the terror of that street. He Is reputed
to WELD enormous capital. It has been
stated that he controls 100000 shares of
Union Pacific; and lis influence is out
of proportion to his wealth, for, while no
one knows his wealth, all the operators
know and have felt his power. A curious
story is told, illustrating bis tactics.
1t is stated that, during all the recent
transactions in Union Pacific Railway
stock, not a share has been sold by any
of the Boston Directors. Their enor-
nous blocks remain intact. The belief
is that Gould brought this about by buy
ing of them the option to take, at any
time within year from the date of the
transaction, any portion or all of their
shares at so, the shares then standing
at 80. Forthwith the stock begins to
rise, but not share of these blocks
is put upon the market, as the owners
are too uncertain about their ability to
replace at saving price to care to risk
the operation. And so their passive CO.
operation is secured.
1t results that all the weak operators
in whatever stock Jay Gould chooses to
take hold of are absolutely at his mercy.
For months, it may be, there have been
no sales, or, if sales, at unvarying prices.
Suddenly there is a ripple. There are
ooAOo3 pOlSt1ohSC, u 4IGGlC tuC u1dI-
ket. The sales continue. Timid ones
get frightened and sell. Then others
sell. Then it may be rumored that Jay
Gould is selling, and so he may be, but
he may also be buying, and doubtless is,
at the same instant. Or perhaps he
makes corner" and then squeezes"
his victims. In any and all ways he
profits out of the public loss; and SO he
has his foot on their necks.
And yet this man, with his millions of
capital, his profound calculations, his
combinations, his resources, his impen-
etrable finesse, may at any time take
hold of gold-as witness the Black Fri
day-aad demonstrate that his foot is on
all our necks; for touch the price of
gold and the entire commercial commu-
nifty feels it as with an electric shock
Boston Advertiser.