Audubon County Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) 1885-1894, 1892-12-08
JAY GOULD IS DEAD.
THE GREAT FINANCIER FALLS
A PREY TO PULMONARY
CONSUMPTION.
Conscious to the Last, He Requests
the Members of His Family to
Gather at His Bedside.


at 9:l5 this morning, The real condi-
ton of Mr.. Gould's health was not re-
vealed until n year ago, when he broke
down ut the famous Missouri Pacific
meeting. This occurred in Novem Der,
1891. The Missouri Pacific was Mr..
Gould's pride. He had built it up and
had made it a dividend paying road.
He was very jealous OF the reputation
which the Vanderbilt roads enjoyed
and always pointed to the Missouri Pa.
citic when he was charged with being
railroad wrecSer, aud not railroad
builder. The Gould boys at that time
were reported to be heavily "short" of
the market. great bull movement,
based on the enormous crops of that
year, was in progress The directors
of the Missouri Pacific, and both Mr.
Gould and his son George favored the
passing of a dividend. According to
reports at that time, Russell Sage, who
was long" of the market, was violent
ly opposed to the move. Sloan, the
conservative president of the Delaware,
Lackawanna & Western railway, was
also director of the Missouri Pa.
citic He, too, was opposed to the step.
debate between Geo, Gould and
Sage grew to heated alteration.
Gould broke down, and il Is said, actu-
ally wept. He tainted away and showed
that his constitution was broken. The
dividend was passed aud the bull wave
restored This action was al first
charged to IA desire to manipulate the
market so that the Goulds could cover
A. e.,
made known Wall street at last real
lied that Jay Could had nearly run his
course. Mr.. Could Immediately set to
work To have his properties in such
shape that his sons coull easily handle
them. He foresaw his impending tate,
Tangles winch bcset the Missouri,
Kansas & Texas and other railroads of
Goulds, in which he was lighting for
an advantage, were Strengthened Last
summer Mr.. Gould again broke down
at the directors meeting. lie was said
to be consumptivc. His sons said that
he was suffering from bronchial aifec-
ton He returned to New York IN time
for the Manhattan Elevated ana West
ern Union annual meetings in Septem'
Der. but he was broken down and look
no active part in the stock exchange.
Mr. Gould for four weeks has trans
acted the principal portion of his bnsi-
ness at his house, only making few
scattering and brief visits to his down
town office. The FANNY hoped that he
would recover as usual, but the attack
of last Wednesday dissipatei all such
hopes.
When it was first reported that Mr..
Gould was very i'll the rumor was SO
quickly denied that it was 10y many
believed to be another of the canards
sprung to influence the market. In
quiries at the Gould residence were
met with no information that could
prove of worth.
Yesterday, however, it became
known positively that Mr.. Gould was
near deaths door.
All through the day and night the
doctors were in attendance at his bed
side, but the patient failed fast, and at
daylight this morning Mr.. Gould's con.
dition became alarming. Mr., Gould,
realizing that he had but little while
longer to 1--we, expressed the desire
that all the members of his family be
called, that he might look upon them
for the last time. lie was perfectly
conscious and entirely composed, meet
ing the end with calmness. This was
his last request and in a few moments
he breathed his last. HIS death was
stated at the family residence to be
directly due 10 pulmonary consumption.
Jay Gould was born in RoXbury,
Delaware county, New York, May %,
1896, His early days were spent on
his fathers farm and ut the age of IA
he entere Hobart Academy and kept
the books for the village blacksmith.
IN fnAS
mathematics and on lea ing school
found employment in making survey
for map of Utter county. When but
20 years old Gould published ',lls-
tory of Delaware County, and while
perfecting other surveys was Frustrated
with typhoid fever. On his recovery
he became acquainted with Iadock
Pratt, who sent him into the western
part of the state TO select a site for
tannery. lie chose a fine hemlock
growth, erected a siw-mill and black
smith shop and with Mr. Pratt was
soon doing large business. Suisse
sequently he bought out Mr.. Pratts
interests 1t was Jay Gould who
brought about u consolidation of the
Renseiar Il Saratoga and Rutland *
Washington roads and with the pro-
-ceeds he removed TO this city IN 1859.
lie established himself, Mt once as "a
broker and invested heavily in Fri, rail-
road stock. lie entered the directory
of that company and became presi-
dent, holding the office till the reorgan-
ization of the directory in 1872. He
next made large purchases of the stocks
of the Union Pacific, the Wabash, the
Texas Pacific, the st. Louis & North
crn, the Missouri Pacific, and the Mis-
souri,, Kansas 4 Texas railroads, TAX
ing the latter ont of the hands of re-
ceiver. lie also invested deeply in the
stock of the Atlantic & Pacific Telc.
graph Co. and on the meditation
with the Western Union 1879, he organ
ganized the American Union, which
two years later merged INFO the West
,ern Union. In December, 1880, the Of
fetal recorcs showed tina, Mr.. Gould
was in control of ten thousand miles
of railroad, or more than one
of the country In the early
part of 1881 he became interested
in the elevated railroad system
been cast upon his financial standing
he summoned several gentlemen TO
his private office on March 10, 1882,
and spread before theu for cxamin-
alton certificates of stock having face
value of S53, 100000 all in his own
name and offered to produce SEQ, 600, 900
more If desired In March, 1887, Mr.
Gould purchased controlling interest
in the st. Louis e San Francisco rail
road company, which has an aggregate
mileage OF nearly 900 miles and rs
joint owner with the Atchson, Topeka
tS Santa Fe railroad company of the
Atlantic & Pacific railroad.
Mr. Gould's wealth is estimated by
an intimate friend to be about $780,
100000. IL Is all in a compact form, as
Mr. Gould took care to prepare for
just such an emergency as has come.
George Gould, his eldest son, is well
versed in the ways of his father and for
the past few years has relieved him
of much OF the weight of business, II
is conceded that the immense fortune
falls into hands that know how 10
handle it.
The funeral Will take place Monday,
at the family residence, and the re-,
mains will e laid bcsilc those Of his