Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1881-01-07
SAY GOULD.
A Rem Picture Of the Railroad
AutOcrat.

AUbOCEhts
Grand Rapids Timos.l
Born and reared in poverty, he has
raised himself to a financial condition
second to no man in the world. Think
ing that readers of the Times, who,
day after day, see illusions to this
man and his schemes, who for years
have read and heard Of him, may like
to know about his personality, l
have become indebted to a brother
journalist for much Of the following
paper. The father Of Jay Gould was
a farmer, who operated a small place
in Roxbury, New York. The section
in which this farm was located is
noted as being productive Of bank
ruptcy. The elder Gould was poor.
His sons early education was neg
lected. The facilities for learning
which surrounded him were of the
most primitive type, and his work on
the farm precluded him from taking
full advantage even of these.
ASS boy he longed for professional
work. Leaving the farm he found
employment in the county surveyors
Office. Jay Gould was sent out to
survey Rensselaer, and Saratoga coun-
ties, and did his work well. His map
Of Albany may still be seen in several
of the older offices Of that city. He
made one thousand dollars clear in
this scheme, and with it bought a
tannery in Goldsboro, Pa. Here he
accumulated money rapidly, and was
soon enabled to buy up a majority of
the stock Of the Rensselaer, and Sara
toga railroad, which was on the market
at a low figure. Here it was that he
showed his first ability as a railroad
manager, and not many months elapsed
before he brought bis company into a
hourishing condition. At the out
break of the war he went into Wall
street, where, by skillful manipulation
of stocks and the absolute secrecy Of
conducting operations, he soon won a
foremost place. The same methods he
pursued at first are his now. They
make him the most dangerous of an
tagonists, for Gould never emerges
from the background until he has
carried his points and won the game.
Early in his career here he fixed his
eye on Erie. In 1868 Fisk and a
number of friends controlled most of
the road q few thousand shares were
outstanding. Of Jay Gould they
had never heard. Tracing up the
stock which wal needed to give them
absolute power, they found it in
Gould's hands. From small to i'm
mense offers we're made him for the
shares, but he would not sell. The
only way to get The stock, he said, was
to let him into tile combination. This
they we're obliged to do. and in the
following July he was made president
Of the Erie railroad. 1t would ill
the Times to tell Of Jay Gould's man
agement of this great enterprise.
Nest Of its history is already known.
Some twenty years ago Mr.. Gould
married a Miss Miller, whose father
was Of the firm Of Dater e. Co.,
wholesale groeers. They have six
children. In the winter they live in
the elegant house on the northwest
corner of Fifth avenue and Forty
seventh street, and in the summer the
Gould family 60 tn the country resi-
dence at Tsrrytown, whose $4,000
conservatory was burned last week.
Jay Gould is eminently a man OF habit.
AT the close Of business he rides d.
rectly home, takes dinner with the
family and passes the evening in the
study. In this room are his telegraph
operator and private secretary. Pri-
Vate wires enable him to communicate
with his brokers aud aids at
all hours OF the day and night.
No man works harder than he.
Reading and looking at his magnif-
cent pictures are his only r~ecreatons.
Wine and tobacco are forbidden
guests. He is a generous, pen
hearted, big.minded, unostentatious
man. To his family Mr.. Gould is
~devOtedly attached. He rarely tray
els, either for business or pleasure,
unless accompanied by some Of his
children. They have anything and
everything they want, and do just as
they please. Yesterday MIR. Gould
was dressed in a Prince Albert coat OF
wine-colored material, gray trousers Of
! striped cloth, a cheap and uncouth
pair Of shoes and black necktie. AT
all times he is the plainest Of men.
Mr.. Gould is forty five years Of age.
but he carries his years so well hat !
should think him younger. There is
a slight tinge Of gray upon his intense
ly black beard, and his high, full fore.
head and sharp, dark eyes attract no.
tice. His friends tell me that within
a year or two he has changed his
methods Of doing business. Where
he used to manipulate stocks alto
gether, they say he is now exclusively
engaged in the establishment anc
management Of great telegraph and
railroad enterprises. But it wont dc
to rely wholly upon the apparent still
ness Of the man who holds the stock
market by the throat, and who car
choke shekels out Of it whenever h,
hannanc IN he in tho mood