Fairhaven herald. [volume] (Fairhaven, Wash.) 1890-????, 1891-03-29
THE WALL STREET WIZARD
Jay Gould is the Richest
Individual IN the
World
His Fortune is Estimated at
Two Hundred and Fifty
Millions
Half of This Immense Wealth
Was Made During the
Past Year

those who sneered at what they called the
undue prominence given a putocrat. But
these people did not take into considera-
tion the influence that this one mans
condition might have upon great indus
trial and financial interests. When Mr.
Gould balanced his books the first Of the
year the figures showed that he was the
richest man in the world.
One year ago John D. Rockefeller
headed the list and William Waldorf AS
tor, representing the Astor family, was
next. These two men were then rated at
sl5O,OOOOOO and 100000 respectively.
Mr.. Gould was next with about sl25.OOO,-
600 Now Mr. Gould is at the top and IL
Is not because either of the other two
have lost any money, but because he has
made more. The magnitude Of the feat
OF doubling fortune OF 1925, 10000 in one
year has the elements of tale Of the
ARABIAN Nights" in the telling, but Just
the same IL is asserted, and with probable
truth, that this is what Mr.. Gould has
done.
Such a fortune, then, makes Jason
Gould the richest individual in the world.
The richest family In the world is. of
course, the ROthchildS, whose combined
holdings are valued at 2OOOOO.OOO pounds
or Sl,OOOJOWO, yet no single member Of
the family is worth more than So
100000. The next richest European
is the duke Of Westminster, who
owns a good, big part of the city Of Lon
don, which, together with his other pos
sesseSSiOns, most Of which Is In land,
makes his fortune i'm round numbers
about Ss0,OOOOOO. There are five men in
this country who have more than that.
Besides Jay Gould there are John ID.
Rockefeller. with Sl5O.OOO.OOO; w. w. As
tor, SlfOO0O.0O0; Cornelius Vanderbilt,
100000, and William X. Vanderbilt
about SSO,0OOOO0. All OF them except
Gould and Rockefeller inherited the bulk
OF their fortunes. The Vanderbilt family
has probably as much money as Gould.
yet he has more than any two members of
It, and, what is more he has made IL all
himself. Some OF the other very wealthy
people In this country are Coils Z. Hun
tingtOn, who is rated az S45,OOO,OOO; Rus
sell Sage 100000; William Rockefeller.
Leland stanford, Mrs. Hetty Green.
William Aston, each S3O.O0O.OOO or S35.OOO. o
90; Philip ID. Armour, the Mark Hop
kins estate, the Charles CrOcker estate.
Henry Hilton and ID. o. Mills, S25. coo, 600,
and A. j. DreXel, J. Pierpont Morgan
Andrew Carnegie, o. II. Payne. f. W..
Vanderbilt, George w. Vanderbilt ana
their sisters. Mrs. L. f. Shepard Mrs. W.
ID. Sloane. Mrs. II. Mex Twombley and
Mrs. w. Seward Webb, George NJ. Pull
man, j. w. Mackay, Robert and Ogden
GOelet, Mrs. Moses Taylor, James Cor
don Bennett. David II. Moffatt, ex Sena-
tor Fair and the Flood estate, each Of
which controls between 100000 and
t20OOO,0OO.
Ten years back the fortune OF this little
New Yorker, who, less than forty years
ago was tanners apprentice, was esti-
mated az slOO,OO,OO0, acquired largely II
not solely, by his skill as a manipulator
a nj InE
he was perhaps the most unpopular citi-
gel the laws Of this country has ever
shielded. The constant agitation Of
public sentiment against the man and
his methods resulted, after a time, in an
investigation of both by a committee Of
congress. The investigation was one Of
the most remarkable incidents to be re-
corded in Mr.. Gould's history.
He willingly and frankly gave a history
of his operations as far as they concerned
the public or the laws. and by his great
knowledge Of both showed bis investiga-
tors how the responsibility for any evils
that might exist lay in their own doings.
You can blame no man for taking ad-
vantage OF inadequate laws" he told
them, but you must make laws which
will prevent such advantage" Nor did
he stop here, but in a clear, cOmprehen-
sive way he directed the attention of the
committee and the people TO other evils
which had never appeared TO them,
and by practical demonstrations
substantiated by statistics, which
came to his tongue as spon.
taneously. as Intelligence to his eye.
he pointed out the sources OF numerous
evils which menaced the peoples welfare.
and then. too, while his hearers marvelcd
at his knowledge, suggested remedies.
many OF which have since been applied
with great benefits. Instead OF investigat-
ing Mr.. Gould, as the congressional com
ls1 a -. 0
gated the committee. why do you ask
me these things?' he Intercepted Sen.
ator Blair, the chairman. Make your
laws to protect the peoples interest and
do not blame any man II he profit by the
tnsuthciency Of them as they stand on
your statute books"
That congressional investigation has
resulted in a gradual change OF sentiment
toward Mr.. Gould His recent achieve
ments IN obtaining control Of the Rich
mund Terminal the Union Pacific and
the Pacific Mail steamship companies
demonstrate his business sagacity more
than anything else he has ever done,
although his methods OF bringing about
so many remarkable changes as he has
done Ia the management OF these three
properties are in no wise different from
the operations which led to his investiga-
tiOn by congress.
His great knowledge OF RAILWAYS. the
details OF their management and value
and his easy command Of large Sums Of
money are the means with which he
works, and in deal like that OF the
Union Pacific he simply pits his knowl-
edge and money against tho knowledge
and money Of another man or another
band OF men.
In personal appearance Mr.. Gould has
changed but little from the figure which
the public has known for so many years.
His hair is trife grayer and his beard Is
not so black rs IL used TO be-. but his keen
brown eyes, which ars piercing black at
times, are as brilliant and restless
AS OF yOre. Mr.. GOuli Is n ty-
four years OF age, or will be-
In May, and looks his age, although his
slight, bOyish figure is Just as active as it
ever wa, and his mental equipment
equally we'll balanced lie Is also quiet
and conservative in manners and dress.
a0d in "A crowd would be- taken for gro
ceryman's clerk who had grown up I'm the
business. His friends say he is as modest
as he looks. He Is a man who never for
gets friends or foes, aud he pays obliRa-
tions TO both with equal enthusiasm, as
hundreds OF men eau testify. He f. one
OF the most charitable Of men. lie also