Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1892-12-15
JAY GOULD.
Starting in Life Poor He Becomes a Railroad
King.

Until he was Ia years OF age Jay
Gould lived with his parents on his
fathers farm, near Roxbury, Delaware
county, New York, where he was born
May %, 1886. At that age he entered
Hobart academy, New York, where be
acquired a taste for mathematics and
surveying, and on leaving school found
employment in making the surveys
for u map OF Ulster county. The ac-
curacy OF this work attracted the at
tention of the late John Delaiield, who
applied to the legislature for aid in the
completion OF the typographical sur
vey OF the whole state by Mr.. Gould.
Mr.. DelalieId died before any material
progress was made, and Mr.. Gould
undertook to make the surveys un-
aided. During the summer OF 1858 he
completed "a survey of Albany county.
and surveyed and mapped other coun-
ties IN New York, from which he accu-
INFLATED $4,000. He published a
History OF Delaware ouuty,"(lS56)
and while projecting other surveys
was Frustrated with typhoid fever.
On his recovery he became acquaint-
ed with Zadock Pratt, who sent him
into the western part OF the state to
select a site for n tannery. He chose
a fine hemlock growth, erected Il saw
mill and blacksmith shop, and with
Mr.. Pratt WAS doing n large numbering
business. Subsequently, ne bought out
Mr.. Pratt's interest, and conducted
the business alone until just before
the panic OF 1857, when he sold out
his entire plant. In the same year he
became the largest stakeholder and Il
director in the SJroudsburg, Pa, bank
Shortly after the crisis be bought the
bonds OF the Rutland & Washington
railroad al 10 GENES on tine dollar,
abandoning every other interest and
putting all his money into railroad
securities. For a long time he was
president, Jreasureran and general super
intendeut OF this company. Ii,
brought about the consolidation o.
the Rensselaer, Il Saratoga road, ana
with the proceeds removed to New
York CITY. III 1853, established him
self as n broker, and invested heavily
in EIie railway stock. Heentered tn,
directory OF hat company and be
came president, holding the office un'
til the reorganization OF the director!
IN 1872. He next made large pur
chuses Oi the stocks of the Union Pa
cIpc, the Wabash, the EeXa Pacific
the st. Lou ) &Northern, the Missouri
Pacific ami the Missouri, Eansa q
Texas railroad companies, taking tbs
latter out OF the hands oil its receiver
IL also invested deeply in the stock 0
the Atlantic IL Pacific telegraph com
p3tny. and on it's consolidation witt
the Western Union he organized tn,
American Union ;lS19), which was
merged into the Western Union II
1881. In December, 1880, oliicia
records showed that Mr.. Gould was II
control of 10000 miles OF railroad, o
more than one-ninIh oi theentire mile
aye oil the country.
EnriV ia 1881 ne became interested
in the elevated railroad system oil New
York city. y doubt having been cas-
upon his financial standing, he sum
muued several gentlemen to his pr
vate office on March 13, 1882, am
spread before them for examInatio
certificates OF stock, having "a fac
value OF 500, OUU,O 900 all i'll his Owl
name, and otIeI Ell TO produce $50,
100000 more If desired. In March
1857, MIR. Gould purchased a CONTROL
ing interest in the ST. Louis x Sa
Francisco railroad company, whicl
has an aggregate mileage OF nearly 30,
miles, and is joint owner with tn
Atchison, Topeka X Santa Fe railroa'
company, OF the Atlantic Il Pacific an,
the western portion OF the Southern
Pacific railroad companies. These
with thr projected trunks, gave hin
""ntrnl OF an additional 1900 mile
OF rail.