The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-12-06
TALE OF FoUK FISANo1ERs.

Fifteen or twenty years ago the throne of
Wall street. New York, was disputed by
four men. They were Jay Gould. James
Fisk, Cyrus Field aud RJssell Sage. They
were all or were supposed to be million
aires many times over, and as they had
made their own money there was every
reason TO believe that they possessed the
money-making instinct in the highest de-
gree, and that they would go on adding to
their wealth as long as they lived They
were occasionally opposed to each other in
the market but more often associated to-
ge;her as partners, though possibly each
cherished in his secret heart the hope that
be would take his associates money.
The nrst 10 drop out of the syndicate of
four was Fisk, who died from shot fred
by a man he had injured. He left a very
small fortune-lttle or nothing. He had
been prone to lavish expenditure and costly
ostenlation; his eQuipages and his opera
house were a standing source Of amusement
to the public They took pretty nearly all
the money he made.
After his death the surviving triumvirate
worked together smoothly and probably
for many years. They were all men of
acute minds, frugal habits and untiring in
duStry. Between 1873 and 1889 they rolled
up tier millions with ease and precision,
and were regarded as inyiucihle. But i; is q
law OF high finance that when several men
combine to take the money Of other people,
they are pretty sure, sooner OF later. TO try
to take the money Of each other as we'll
They resemble the cannibals Of ancient
FIJI, who would rather lunch on q Society
Islander, but II there was no such mea; in
market, would sssUage their hunger on a
cousin u their own. For a long tine after
the boom Of 1SS0-S2 Jay Gould cast longing
eyes at the round pile which Field was ac-
eUmulaung. He marked him down for
slaughter at convenient season. Aud
when that time came, TWO or three years
ago, he gCbbied him without the least CON-
junction. as the custom is between high
hnanciers, he did not strip him quite bare.
He left him million or so to go to market
with. But the rest Of his fortune was par
titioned between himself and Sage; they
pOcketed the money, and dropped silent
tear on the financial grave Of their beloved
partner.
From that hour Gould and Sage must
have felt ss Sir John Ross did when he was
left alone in the Arctic wilds with a single
haH-breed voyageuT and an insufficient
supply of food. Both knew that sooner or
later only one of the pair would survive.
Here-as On so many previous occasions
luck has come 10 the aid Of the great fnan-
cier Of the Western Union. 4 dynamite
bomb, thrown by an insane hand. has prob
ably ended Sage's pOtsntiality. lie has not
been killed, in the flesh; but in tie spiriI
he must have received his death blow.
Seldom does a man OF his age and his
wealth receive such shock ana he the
same man afteTward. He will see dyna-
inter in every stranger who approaches
him, and will pass lis days in covering and
listening for explosions. No man in such a
condition Of mind is ft to embark in large
financial adventures.
He will be the more likely to choose this
opportunity 10 withdraw from active life, as
be is a man of one idea-mOney-m aking.
That is the only pursuit which ever com.
mands thought from him. He never reads
book. He takes no interest in music OF
art. At one time he took part in politics
and went TO Congress, but he soon diseoy.
cred that there was nothing in il, and con.
centrated bis mind on finance. He is tenn
peFa.e eater and never drinks. lie never
had child. and his vile, pleasant home
body, never had reason to complain. He
dwells in modest house, cheaply fur
nlshed. and if lie keeps carriage it has
been set up lately. From the time he gets
up I'll be goes to bed he thinks Of nothing
0nt money. Accident has occasionally COM
PEELED him to become the owner of stocks
and bonds. But the purchases were invol-
untary. The property in which he invests
Is money He lends money On good security
in any desired amounts at the current rate
OF the day, and it ia understood that his line
OF loans is far larger than that Of any bank
IN the United States. When the money
market becomes tight borrowers can always
get few millions from Sage, If they viii
pay enough for them.
How much Is he worth? He can answer