Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1880-10-12
Law Could.

About Is years ago Mr.. Gonld married
Miss Ellen Miller, who belonged to one Oh
the oldest and wealthiest families IN Ne"
York Her father Was one OF the fouhuers vi
the great firm of wholesale grocers known as
Philip Dater Co. There are SIX chiidren
as the result of this union; the Oldest Is a iad
of seventeen, and the youngest Is now ABOUT
four wears old. The former, while climbing
n tree at Mr. Goulds country seat. the other
dav fell and shot himself in the thigh. there
by giving himself wound that was thought
for some time 30 be dangerous. He IS now
ont of danger. however, and the father, mucn
relieved. has returned 10 his business. In
winter the Gould family lives in spacious
mansion at the northwestern corner OF fhth
avenue and Fortyseventh street In summer
the country seat at Tarrytown is occupied
The CITY residence is not the property OF It's
occupant. but is rented by him from year 10
wear The family's mode OF life Is slnguiarly
devoid of all kinds of dissipation Some
wears ago Mr.. Gould was in the habit OF seek
ing recreation at the opera, and he has always
been passionately fond of mnsic. But OF late
he has seldom been seen at the academy, ana
pratifies his taste in this direction only in his
own parlors.
II il Mr. Gould's custom at the close OF
business hours TO ride directly home, take his
dinner and spend brief period in rest and
conversa alton with his family. After that his
study is at once resorted to, and he does not
often come out of it again until long after
midnight. In this room he has a telegraph
operator and confidential secretary. by
means of private wire he is enabled to COM
municate with his brokers at all hours OF the
day and night 1t is here, in the quiet of his
retreat that nearly all of mis- most important
plans are carefully moulded. He rarely
touches wine or liquor of any kind, and does
not allow tobacco TO seduce him from the
constant cares of business. Few men of any
calling work so necessarily, and think so hard
as Jaw Gould does. His only rest is in few
hours of sleep, hastily snatched and in read
ing or contemplating his magnificent collec-
ton of paintings. His library is very large
one and embraces a wide field of information.
Literature is full of charms for him in all its
branches. and his tastes in this direction are
said, by those who know him best to be of
the most carefully cultivated character. Al
most frugal in his personal habits. he is at
times generous to those he deems worthy.
His gift of so 900 to the yellow fever suffer
ers only a short time back is still remembered.
Father Treanor, the Catholic clergyman
whose death a few days ago made great deal
of stir in New York was one of the men who
received Gould's bounty. Poor people crowd
upon him right and left. and he is said to give
as literally as his late partner, James Fisk.
There is no ostentati0n about this phase of
his life, any more than there is in the others.
His employees regard him with the utmost
tenderness man who has been in GouldS
hire for many years. and who has been al
most constantly by his side, said to me this
morning:
~ have never yet seen the instant when
Mr.. Gould was out of temper. Howevervex-
atious circumstances may be, he Is always
quiet, calm and self-contained. He treats
railway magnate of untold wealth and ii
brakeman of incalcrlable poverty with the
same consideration. | never yet heard him
use an oath to any person under HIM. His
orders he gives quietly, and in the belief that
they will be fulfilled. If they are not, he re-
members it. If they are, he remembers that,
too. But he is never unkind or harsh"
To his family Gould is dev0tedly attached.
He never travels, either for business or pleas
ure, unless he is accompanied by one or more
of his children. They have anything and
everything they want, and do precisely
they please The consequence is that there
is complete harmony and confidence between
them. and they are put upon their honor not
to pain him by unbecoming acts. The one
point in which Gould is extravagant is his
country residence at Tarrytown. In dress he
is the plainest of men. When I saw him
this forenoon, he was clad in an ordinary
Prince Albert coat, striped gray pantaloons,
silk hat that had seen better days, and a
pair of shoes that could mot be termed as any
too elegant. The country hOnse cost Mr..
Gould S250,0 900 some years ago, and he has
since expended about $4,000 more in i'm
prOvemenrs. 1t is spoken of as one of the
most superb private residences in America.
1t covers 200 acres of land, ali of which is
cultivated to the finest degree, and is laid out