Ottumwa weekly courier., 1878-06-19
GOULD AND VANDERBILT.
Their Railroad Rivalry-Extent
of Their Operations.
From the New York Sun.

Very few people properly estimate
Jay Gould's wealth and power
Within the past twelve months these
have increased enormously his loss
es have been small and his profits i'm.
mense. OF course he was compelled
to expend a great deal Of money in
Washington during the winter for
which he has received unsatisfactory
returns; still, he has added largely to
his wealth and influence in the &C.
QUESTION of the stocks of Western
roads, which have appreciated many
per cent. He it at present the largest
holder of Chicago & Northwestern,
of Chicago & Rock Island, of Union
Pacific, of Kansas Pacific, both stock
and bonds of Colorado Central, and
of the Utah Northern, Southern and
Central. He is also the third largest
holder of Western Union Telegraph,
the first two being Mr.. William IL.
Vanderbilt, and the Hon. E. ID. Nor
gan.
Little over year ago Mr.. Gould's
chief holdings were of Union Pa
cific and Atlantic and Pacific Tele-
graph stocks. He controls at present
about 5000 miles Of railroad, and
holds large lines of stock and bonds
in the separate properties. Mr.. VIM.
ii. Vanderbilt is his only rival in
railway ownership, and while he is
the largest out and out owner of rail-
road stock and bonds, Mr., Gould
probably holds about rs many shares
on margin. Mr.. Vanderbilt controls
the New York Central, the Lake
Shore, the Michigan Central, the
Canada Southern, and it is under
stood has the refusal of the Atlantic
and Great Western. He controls
about 4, 900 miles of railroads, or will,
if successful at the Michigan Central
election. Mr.. Vanderbilt can dictate
terms to railroads east of Chicago !;
Mr.. Gould can make or break the
tariffs of the great trunk lines across
the continent. Mr.. Vanderbilt real
ICES the danger to which he is sub
jected by Jay Gould's strategical pos
-ition, and has been untiring OF late in
his efforts to prevent him from get
ting connection between Buffalo
and Chicago. 1t is to thwart Gould
that he has bought the Michigan Gen.
tral, Canada Southern, obtained the
refusal of the Atlantic and Great
Western, and purchased q short link
of the Chicago and Port Huron rail-
road, which he is now trying to OBJ
tain possession of through the medi-
um OF a western court. In fact there
is but one road left that Mr.. Gould
could possibly get-the Toledo and
Wabash-and it is doubtful whether
it could be advantageously used as q
part Of great through line. If Mr..
Vanderbilt succeeds in preventing a
connection between the Erie railway
and Chicago & Northwestern and
Chicago n Rock Island in the Gould
interest he will probably demand
the Lake Shore and New York Gen.
tral from the eastern end of the great
through line. If he is unsuccessful,
Gould will be likely to injure his
properties greatly. Mr.. Vanderbilt
can do little to injure his adversary
save in the way Of breaking up any
eastern connection. His antagonist
can, by turning the freight and pas
sengers of Chicago & Northwestern,
of Chicago & Rock Island, and of
Kansas Pacific over to the Pennsyl-
vania Central or the Baltimore &
Ohio, inflicting serious damage upon
Lake Shore and New York Central.