The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1881-01-06
APen-Pioture of Jay Gould.

A Pen-Picture Of Jay Gould
Mr. Nathan Church, of Grand Rapids, Mich,
writing to his paper, the Times, from New
York, sketches Jay Gould and his colossal f.
nancial operations in the following interesting
style:
| Il have written to the Times upon several
previous occasions bits of news concerning
Jay Gould, the most famous man ir his way in
the world. But he is never less than an enter
esting study to me, and would like to watch
the man for weeks instead of minutes. He is
at once the most and least known man in
America to-day. know two or three men
who are with Jay Gould almost daily, and
they tell me he is more of an enigma to them
than to strangers Many spectators share in
builds the colossal operations that have made
his name and power, but he never lets any
body into any scheme in its entirety. Reti-
cence is his chief safeguard; without it the
ruling power in Wall street and railroad cir
cles would have long ago been in other hands.
COY OOuIu 10 SCuCA1uy lOSuIuO0 90 q AldA
hard as iron and as cold. In reality there is
no man in the country so easily practiced up
on or is SO robbed by certain classes Born
and reared in poverty, he has raised himself to
a financial condit ton second to that of no man
in the world. Thinking 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
brother journalist for must of the following
paper: The father of Jay Gould was farm
er, who operated a small place in Roxbury, N.
is noted as being productive of bankruptcy.
The elder Gould was poor His sons early
education was neglected. The facilities
for learning which surrounded him were of
the most primitive type, and his work on the
farm precluded him from taking full advan-
tige even OF these.
"As boy he longed for profes sional 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 Alba
ny may still be seen in some of the older Off
scheme, and with it bought 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
Saratoga Rair DAD, which was on the market
OF low figure. Here it was that he showed
l. n ,
months elapsed before he had brought his
company into fourishing condition. At the
outbreak of the war he went into Wall street,
where, by sklllful manipulations of stocks and
the absolute secrecy of conducting operations,
he soon won foremost place. The same
methods he pursued at first are his now. They
make him the most dangerous of antagonists,
for Gould never energies from the background
until he has carried his points and won the
game. Early in his career here he fixed his
eyes on Erie. In 1868 Fisk and a number of
friends controlled most of the road; a few
thousand shares were outstanding. Of Jay
Gould they had never heard. Tracing up the
stock which was needed to give them absolute
power, they found it in Gould's hand. From
small to immense offers were made for the
shares, but he would not sell. The only way
to get the stock, he said, was to let him into
the combination. This they were obliged to do,
and in the following year July he was made
president of the Erie Railroad 1t would fill
the Times to tell of Jay Gould's management
of this great enterprise. Most ofits history is
already known.
"Some twenty years ago Mr.. Gould married
Miss Miller, whose father was of the firm of
Dater 6 Co., wholesale grocers. 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 go to the country
residence at Tarrytown, whose 100000 con-
servatory was burned last week. Jay Gould
is eminently man of habit At the close OF
business he rides directly home, takes dinner
with the family and passes the evening in the
study In this room are his telegraph opera
tor and private secretary. Private wires
| enable him to communicate with his brokers
and aids at all hours Of the day and night. No
man works harder than he. Reading and
| looking at his magnificent pictures are his only
recreations. Wine and tobacco are forbidden
guests. He is generous, open-hearted. big
minded, transformations man. To his family
Mr.. Gould is devotedly attached. He rarely
travels, 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 Mr.. Gould
was dressed in Prince Albert coat of wine
colored material, gray trousers of striped cloth,
CHEAP uncouth pair of shoes, and black
necktie At all times he is the plainest OF
| men.
"Mr. Gould is forty-fve years of age, but he
carries his years SO well that should think
him younger. There is slight tinge of gray
upon his intensely black beard, and his high,
full forehead and sharp. dark eyes attract no.
tice His friends tell me that within year or
two he has changed his methods of doing bust
ness Where he used to manipulate stocks alto
gether, they say he is now exclusively engaged
in the establishment and management Of
great telegraph and railroad enterprises. But
II won't do to rely wholly upon the apparent
4 stiffness Of the man who holds the stock mar
ket by the throat. and w6o can choke shekles
out Of it whenever he happens to be in the
mood"