The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1881-06-03


JAY GOULD.
In most of the countries of Europe,
and especially in England, great wealth,
when inherited, is, as a general thing,
realized through the slow and patient
channels Of some trade or calling. This,
doubtless, is owing to the fact, that the
natural resources of these countries are
mainly developed to their utmost capa-
city, and that 81 narrow are their
boundaries, individually, as well as
their ideas of government, the spirit
OF enterprise can find no resting place
for the sole of his foot among the i'm
poverished masses of their dense popu'
~lations. ~
When, however, we come to contrast
this undesirable state of things with
the condition of affairs within the
boundaries of our own vast common
wealth, we are at once struck with the
magnitude of their dissimilarity, and
with bosoms elate with joy and pride,
but with no mean feeling of triumph,
turn from the sunset of older nations
to the glorious dawn of u W rising
greatness. which, even now, exceeds in
luster some of the boosted noontides OF
the past.
Here a newly created world, SO to
speak, possessed Of wealth far exceed
ing that of "Ormns, and of Ind and
teeming with all the u necessary
to our greatness and happiness, lies
spread out before us in boundless ex-
panses, presenting to every species of
enterprise fields for operation SO filed
with promise, and Of such gigantic
magnitude, that those of the old world
are dwarfed into insignificance before
them. Under such circumstances it is
not a matter of surprise that our vast
resources are becoming rapidly devel-
oped, that cities and civilizations are
now being scattered through regions
not long since sacred to the foot of the
white man, and that constantly in our
midst some adventurous and fai seeing
spirit leaps from out the masses, and,
at a single bound, as it were, Iattains to
colossal wealth and Importance.
There is no stronger case In point
touching the latter relation than that
presented by the gentleman; whose
name appears at the head Of this arti-
Gle, and who has for some time past
commanded SO large a share of public
attention with regard to the boldness
and magnitude of his operations in
some OF the leading interests of our
economy. Although not free from the
suspicious which naturally attach to
men who, from comparative penury,
become, a if through the wave of
a m%agician's wand, the possessor Of
millions, yet there are those who have
faith in him as a sharp and successful
operator, who has given more offense
through his superior business tact and
daring than through any absolute dis
honesty on his part.
Jay Gould was born at Stratton Falls.
Delaware county, New York, in the
year 1886. His father, John B. Gould,
who died in 1866, and who had been
married. three times. was a ,well-to-do
farmer, and small -storekeeper. Jay
was a son by his first wife, who went
the way of all flesh in 1S41, little dream
ing that her boy of five years was
doomed to pass through a course Of
two step-mothers. Young Gould, how
ever, early betrayed symptoms of genius
and self reliance, for he had scarcely
got well into his school days till he
regarded himself already a man, and
invented a mouse trap. This latter has
been considered by some as either a
bitter c upon the unwieldy d.
mcnsions Of thetgreat square, unsightly
white frame home in which he was
born, or graphic foreshadowing of
his subsequent operations in Wall
street. Be this as it may, he passed
his childhood like most other country
lads of that period, with this difference,
that he was studious, ~reticent, and had
the advantages of a fair education.
When sixteen years Of age he made
his first move in life, and became a
clerk to Squire Burhan.' y at Roxbury,
two miles from-the Falls. who kept a
small store, remarkable for the variety,
original character and infinitesimal
quantities of its stock. Here his au-
ditory nerve became SO susceptible that
his employer thought it altogether too
sensitive torso small an establishment.
Mr.. Durham had managed to obtain
intelligence that q very desirable piece
of land was for public sale, cheap, In
Albany, and determined to purchase 1t.
This he cautiously whispered to some
parties in the presence of his young en-
ploye. On proceeding to put his design
into execution, however, he found that,
in the interim, his clerk had become
possessed of the property, having awaited
himself of the astuteness of his;hearing.
The genius of Jay must nysbeen Of
no ordinary, character, for before he
was twenty years of age be appeared
suddenly a full-blown engineer, and
made a survey of Delaware county, a
map of which was published in 1856,
by Collins G.. Keeney, Of II and 10
Union street, Philadelphia, with the
words, "From Actual Survey by Jay
Gould. ;" As there Is no royal road to
| peometrv we fear that his biopraphera