Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1883-09-13
JAY GOULD.
The Railroad King tells tlle Story of
his Eventful Life.

The Railroad King tells tire Story of
his Eventful Life.
Senators Blair and Call waited
patiently for Jay Gould to appear be-
fore them to testify as to the rela,
tions of capital and labor. A large
audience was in attendance. Mr..
Gouid took the stand, and on being
sworn Senator Blair requested him
to give the history of his early life
and first business adventures, and
then go on anyuSfe the story of his
progress to E~sesent condition.
Gould seemed Sebe somewhat stag
gered a. the request, but turning
with a smile toward the reporters
table, began in a low voice: "f was
born at Roxbury, Delaware county,
this state, May q, 1886. My parents
had a small farm and kept twenty
cows, which supported them. I at.
tended school about fifteen miles
distant, and when ! was about four>
teen years old | obtained a situation
in a store in a neigLboring village.
| was much interested in mathemat>
les, and used to get up at 3 o'clock
IN the morning and study until
6 o'clock, when the store was opened.
| remained in this state for two years
where 1 made the acquaintance of a
surveyor who was making the sur>
vey OF Ulster county, He took me
into service at q salary of $40 per
month. I learned my employers
credit was not very good, and as |
was to obtain no money for my
work until the map was completed,
so [ made sun .dlals for farmers at
81 a piece to pay my running X
penses. / made surveys afterwards
of Delaware and Albany counties and
made in these contracts about $4,000
I then went into the tannery "biz"
with a Mr.. Pratt, Of Z~rattsville, and
finally entered into partnership with
Charles M. Leupp, who committed
suicide.
The first railroad with which I had
any connection was what is now apor,
tion Of The Rensselaer, & Saratoga, OF
which l was superintendent. During
the panic Of 1859 stock went down
very low, and l was able to buy in a
large amount, which afterwards rose
in value and / made a handsome profit
The next road in which Gould said he
Interested himself was the Cleveland
Il Pittsburg, which be afterwards
leased to the Pennsylvania road
Gould then rehearsed ouer his connec>
ton with the Union Pacific road.
As he had interested himself in it,and
the stock was falling, he made mp his
miad to carry it through at any cost.
1t was on the point of being placed i'll
the hands of Il recel Ter, and after
wards the road became q paying one,
and declared dividends regularly There
was a great cry from the public that
it was Gould's road, rs Il it was con-
sidered a dangerous thing. He said,
however, he was then engaged selling
out out his stock, which was soon in
the hands OF more than 1000 invest
ofs,representing the earnings Of many
widows and orphans. This ended his
connection with the Union Pacific.
and the stock is now higher than
when he sold it. The next venture
was the building up tfrAGonld railroad
system in the south and west. It began
with the purchase of Missouri Pacific
from Commodore Garrison; other
roads were purchased and connections
made to different points. Gould said
hehad at this time JasseathN point
where money makiyg IS IN object, and
his eiAy idea was M oarrying out the
system, to merely sTe what could be
donnlby combinafioN. Tie lines now
spread throngtsphn1Alinoi hadiaffu,
Michigan, Missouri, 7Hkansas, Indian
Territory, Texas, Louisiana and Mex
leo. There are connections at Gins
c%nuati, ST. Louis, Chicago and New
Orleans; all construction of this sys-
tenn OF reads was COMPLETED last year
and represented about 10000 miles of
road. The earnings of these lines
when he took possession of them was
about $4,000 a month.