Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1892-12-09
DEATH OF JAY GOULD,
One of the Worlds Greatest Financiers.
He Began Life without Capital and
Died worth 500, 900, OOO--His First
Railroad Operations Were in Verm ont.

Died Worth 500, OOO,O First
Railroad Operations Were in Vermont.
Jay Gould, the great railroad financier
died at his home in New York last Friday
morning. The cause of death was pull
mOnary consumption. He had a hemorr-
hage of the lungs the day before Thanks
giving, from which he never rallied. Dur
ing last week he sank rapidly and the end
came quietly with all the members of his
family about his bed Mr.. GOulds physi-
clan knew that the great fnancier was suf-
terlng from consumption two years ago.
but not even his intimate friends were
aware of the nature of the disease.
The history of Mr.. Gould, from the
barefooted boy who wandered over the hills
of Delaware county, N. Y, to the railroad
king, is one of the most remarkable in the
history of the country.
Mr. Gould was born in Roxbury, N. Y,
in 1887 being the son of well-to-do
farmer. His boyhood was spent on his
fathers farm. At that time he was char
acterized by the same reticence and re-
serve which marked his leading financial
operations.
When 16 years old Mr.. Gould entered
Hobart academy. He was an ordinary
student, but excelled i'm mathematics and
bookkeeping. His first employment was
in grocery store, and while here he
bought a tract of land which he knew his
employer intended to purchase, and thus
secured small sum of money. After
selling books and holding a surveyor
cham, he issued history of Delaware and
| Ulster counties, and by selling the books
from house to house secured $1,000. He
! engaged in the tannery business in west
ern Pennsylvania, made a good sum of
money and ruined his partner, who com
mtted suicide He married Miss Ellen
Miller in western Pennsylvania.
Mr. Gould's first railroad enterprise was
conducted in 1857. when he bought the
bonds of the Rutland & Washington rail
road for 10 cents on the dollar. To do
this he borrowed the money. For two
years Mr. Gould lived at the Bardwell
House, Rutland, this state, being presi-
dent, treasurer and general superintendent
of the road in which he was interested.
This gave him a start i'm railroad opera
tions, and he secured the management of
the Rensselaer, & Saratoga road, in which
his father-in.law was interested.
Gould had now found the work for
which he was especially fitted. His foot
was set in the path which he afterward
steadily pursued, and which led him Ia
his present power and wealth. 1t was
natural that he should now turn his eyes
to New York, and he entered Wall street
and began to deal in railroad securities.
He began slowly, laid his plans carefully,
working out each step with rare foresight
and good judgment The stirring times OF
the civil war soon came, and his keen
foresight enabled him to turn to his own
advantage the colossal business disturb.
MI, n
gacity he forecasted the rise and fall in the
price of gold and stocks which followed
the varying fortunes of the struggle, ant
almost every fuctuation was made to yielC
him a profit He was millionaire before
the close of the war. Since the war Mr.
Gould has engaged in many financia
transactions. The story of the scheme
which he worked in company with Jane
Fisk, jr., are given elsewhere
The only effect of Mr. Gould's death OF
the stock market was a slight decline il
J the stocks in which he was largely interest
ed. Mr.. Gould's wealth is estimated a
from S60,O00,000 to $100,000,000. Hi
largest holdings were in Western Unioi
telegraph stock, in Missouri Pacific &
Wabash railroad, and the Manhattan ele
waited railroad.
Mr.. Gould of late years has lived a re
tired life. The care of his interests ha
been more and more confided to his sons
George and Edwin, and his passing ava
l will apparently have no greatly disturbing
t effect in the financial world. His propert
will no doubt be kept closely in the family
He was, in personal appearance, very shor
and slight and frail, with sharp dark eye
1 and Jet black beard, and pallid counte
e. nance, and of an unassuming manner
e He was very happy in his marriage. 81
children-four sons and two daughters
survive him. The mother died in 1885
l He maintained town house on Fifth ave
= nue. and pretentous country place a
4 Tarrytown which cost about half mi
T. lion dollars. He INDUCED in yacht, bu
, aside from this his recreation was confine
i to his flower garden and his family q
home