The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1883-09-06
THE LABOR INQUIRY.
GOULD BEFORE THE COMMITTEE.
he n.k. a y.ry csmnuuIcltI,s Witusrs-HIs
Early Struggles sud Present succsssss-Hls
Attempt to Ban Oat the Western ua.
Ioa and His Future Exploits.

|
tendance, Gould delayed his appearance
The committee heard statements from Geo
W. Weston, a lawyer OF this city, who ap.
peared in opposition to the theories o.
Henry George and Moody. Just as
the witness was beginning his tee.
timony Gould entered. Weston merely
stated that the tendency to monopo.
lize land was not so great as il
was 100 years ago in this country. Gould
then took the stand, and on being sworn
Senator Blair requested him'to give the
history oil his early life and first business
adventures, and then go on and give the
story Of his progress to his present cendi-
ton. Gould seemed to be somewhat stag
gered at the request, but turning with a
smile toward the reporters table, began In
low voice: was was born at Roxbury,
Delaware county, this State, May %, 1886.
My parents had small farm and kept
twenty COWS, which l assisted in
tending. al attended school about
fifteen miles distant, and when
was about Ii years old obtained asituation
In store in neighboring village. l was
much interested in mathematics and used
10 get up at > o'clock and study until @,
when the store opened. remained in the
State for two years when 1 made the
acquaintance Of surveyor who was max
ing survey OF Ulster county. He took
me into bis service at a salary OF SO per
month. Learned thatm employers credit
was not very good, and l was to receive
no money for my work until the
map was completed, so made sun dials
for farmers at one dollar piece to pay my
running expenses. l made surveys alter
wards Of Delaware and Albany counties
and made on these contracts about Sc, 900.
l then went into the tannery business with
Mr.. Pratt, Of Praltsville, and finally en-.
tered into partnership with Charles NJ.
Lsupp, who committed suicide.
MS FIRST RAILROAD.
The first railroad with which had any
connection was what is now a portion Of
the Rensselaer, and Saratoga, OF which l
was Superintendent During the panic Of
1859, the stock went down very low and l
was able to buy in large amount, which
afterwards rose in value and made hand
some profits. The next road in which
Gould said he interested himself was the
Cleveland & Pittsburgh road, which after
wards he leased to the Pennsylvania road.
Gould then rehearsed the story OF bis con-
nection with the Union Pacific road. As
he had interested himself in it, and the
stock was falling, he made up his mind to
carry II through any cost. It was on the
point OF being placed in the hands Of the
receiver. Afterwards, when the road be-
came paying one, and diyidends were de-
the public that it wss Jay Gould's road, asif
this was dangerous thing. He said, how
ever, that he was then engaged in selling
out his stock, which wss soon in the hands
OF more than 1000 investors, representing
the earnings Of many widows and orphans
This ended bis connection with the Union
Pacific, and the stock is now higher than
when ne sold 1t. The next venture was
the building up Of the Gould rail-
road system in the South and West
II began with the purchase Of the
Missouri Pacific from Commodore Garri-
son. Other roads were purchased and con.
nections made to different points Gould
said he had at this time passed the point
when money making was an object, and
his only idea was in carrying out the sys.
tenn to merely zee what could be done by
combination. The line now spread through
Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Mis-.
souri,, Arkansas, the Indian Territory,
Texas, Louisiana and Mexico. There are
central connections at Cincinnati, St. Louie,
Chicago and New Orleans, All the con-
struclion OF this system Of roads vas COM
pleted last year and represents about le,'
900 miles Of road. The earnings oil the
lines when he took possession oil them were
about SIC, 900 per month.
The earnings for the past month were
s5O0000. In building up this system the
southwest has been opened up and the
country thrown open to civilization. Ar.
Gould stated that be was Director in the
Chicago, & Northwestern, Chicago 4 Rock
Island, Delaware, Lackawanna 4 Western,
New York 4 New England aud several
other smaller lines. Incidental to his rail-
road interests he had become largely inter-
ested in the Telegraph business. This was
on account OF the intimate connection be-
tween the two industries.
ArrEMPr TO RUS OUT WESTERN UNION.
He was instrumental in starting the
American Union to make it a competing
line TO the Western union. lie found 1t
would be impossible TO accomplish this on
account OF the extent Of the latter's con.
usctiops. He then turned his attention to
getting control OF the Western Union by
Buying the stock when 1t was low. Find.
ing it 4 paying Investment he had been
constantly increasing b 3 interest. His OBJ
iect in securing control oi the Western
Union was 10 make his friend General
Eckert the manager, as he had great con-
tldance in his business ability. The rail-
road facilities which We have arquirel by
the Western Union are invaluable and it
Ia impossible TO es,imate their value.
"Can you give us your opinion ss to the
practicabiliry OF Government postal tel.
esraph which would take the place oi the
present SYSTEM"
Mr. GoulI-"I think the institutions Of
this country are opposed to any such thing
as that" replied Mr. q 'uld. "Telrgraphic
business more than any other requires to
be managed by experts, and the DIVIDENDS
OF the Western Unien are obtained because
Il does the business well. Under agood
system the whole management ot these
great interests would be subject to chance
and the particular political party then in
power Mr. Gould thought the mail SER
Vice would be better accomplished by
sriyate enterprise than by the Govern.
ment Hn would not object TO the Govern
ment taking hold OF the telegraph spstem
OF the Western Union II It wsuid pay for 1t
what it vas worth on a fair appraisal"
OpENIN6 pp.