The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1892-12-09
JAY GOULD AT RUTLAND,

How the Young Financier Taught o,d
RailrOaders a Trick-PersonaI RemInis-
cences by Rutland Man,
II, G. Tuttle, a prominent Rutland
business man, knew Jay Gould in the
Gays when he was laying the foundation
OF MS millions. Mr.. Tuttle tells an in
terestlng story of the manner in which
| Gould got ahead of the Rensselaer, and
Saratoga management and forced them
TO consolidate their road with his at
0lg profit to himself Mr.. Tuttle's YER
sion is different from others published
According to it Jay Gould came to Rut-
land late In the fifties or early in the six
Ties after his marriage, representing the
interests of his tather-in. law, Mr. Miller
in the road. The road was then being
run by trustees of the bondholders, and
the bonds soon to come due were con-
sidered nearly worthless and the stock
worth nothing except to control the
road after the bonds were paid.
The Rensselaer, and Saratoga Rail
road company was using the tracks of
the Rutland and Washington road to run
their trains over between Castleton and
Rutland and supposed they controlled or
knew where stock and bonds were held
to control the management of the Rut-
land and Washington road, but Gould
had gone to work quietly and picked up
enough stock and bonds to control the
road before the officials of either road
suspecting it.
A meeting was called for the purpose
of leasing the road to the Rensselaer, and
Saratoga company. This meeting was
attended by the officials of both roads.
When they met and the purpose of the
meeting was stated by the stockholders
of the Rutland and Washington railroad,
and the question of the lease to be voted
upon, it was found that a small, black
eyed, full-bearded man had the majority
of the stock or proxies for the same.
and the vote was in the negative. There
was great CONSERVATION in the camp
and Mr.. Gould was informed that his
victory would be of only few days' du-
ration, as the road would be sold under
the mortgage and they would regain
possession.
He quietly informed them that it
would be necessary for them to own the
bonds before they took possession and,
as he had them in his possession, there
was no danger of that. The result was
that he took possession of the road and
refused to allow the Rensselaer, and
Saratoga road to run their trains over
the Rutland and Washington tracks be-
tween Casteton and Rutland, the north
ern terminus of the Rensselaer, and Sara
toga at that time being at Castleton.
He run the road some three years.
When he threatened to relay the iron on
the old Albany Northern road between
Eagle Bridge and Albany he brought
the Rensselaer, and Saratoga To terms
and sold out to them at large plofit,
said to be nearly 100000, which in
those days was considered q colossal
transaction.
Mr.. Tuttle also gives this incident
showing another and better side of his
life. While passenger train was stand
ing at the Salem station he went forward
to the engine, looked it all over and told
the engineer, Charles w. Silloway, a
sturdy, honest man of few words, that
he wanted to ride with him and was ans
wered, ITS against orders" He said,
81 am Jay Gould, the manager of this
road, Mr.. Silloway.' 81 can't help it if
you are the owner, will not let you ride
without orders from the master mechan-
ic." Mr.. Gould found the master me-
chanic, who introduced him to the en-
gineer who would not allow him to ride
on his own engine. Mr.. Silloway told
Mr.. Tuttle what his feelings were at the
time and how he expected to lose his
job, but instead Mr.. Gould commended
him for it and presented him with a,
handsome meerschaum pipe and was al
ways his friend, and went forward many
times to ride with him and take pull at
the pipe.