New-York tribune., 1892-12-03
PART II.
DEG. 3, 1892.
SKETCH OF JAY GOULD.
Ills RISE TO FINANCIAL POWER.
A WONDERFUL CAREER OF VAST EXPLOITS AND
SUCCESSFUL OPERATIONS


intellectual qualities which were themselves an
achievement. and in the examples which II lur-
nishes of the consistent development of traits
which can scarcely he considered the dover OF
heredity and yet were already apparent at the
outset, the life story of Jay Gould surpasscs py
far the histories of any of tho great hnahcicrS'
spectators and railway managers with whoih hr
was either directly or remotely associated III
career which practically embraced the whole moo
crn phase Of financial operations. Like DieW,
Vanderbilt and Fisk he of humble origin anu
began at an early age to carve out MS fortune on
lines which lay far from those 70 wihch MS Souuh-
full surroundings seemed to direct nm. But Ills
first exhibitions Of independent and original ac-
tiyity were directed toward the acquiring oi ah
intellectual equipment of an entlrey dlhereht or'
der to that which his great rivals IN Nai street
boasted Nothing is plairer than that he was
born ey-maker but il is easily possible mat IL
earlv success in this direction had not encouraged
him 10 bend his energies solely TO the acquisition
of wealth he might have devoted himself not only
successfully but much to his own satisfaction to
HIGHER pursuits Though he was an absolutely
tireless worker in the field of money getting, one
can scarcely study his operations, whether as
mere specuator or as the creator and developer
Of great industrial enterprises. without becoming
convinced that the inctement to many of his CO.
lossal operations was quite as much love Tor ILL.,
teectua application for money. lie himself
said as much when testifying before the l. >
Senate Committee on Education and Labor IN
September, SS3. lie said speaking of his pur-
chase of the control of the Missouri Pacific Kali
way): Railroads had got To be sort of hobby
with me Il didn't care about the money made
/ took the road more a plaything to see what
conld do with it: | had passed the time when
Nv iapf IN
taking the road if you can appreciate that was
more to show that / could make comolnauon
and make it a success" One need not subscribe
10 a declaration of general belief in Jay Gould's
truthfulness i'll giving credence to such s'au
uept Human nature is generally set down as
universal possession and Mr. Gould was yet
vounr man when the scope of his financial opera
,ions WAS such as to give clear evidence that the
material things of this world were abundanty
cared for in his possessions lie nad oil courS''
the instincts of a born specnla'of' We.
his was not the disposition to let results depeha
simplv on the accidental fall Of the dice or the
urn of a caro- lie loved hazard, but he loVed
better TO compel chance 10 enter the chahheis lie
had dug for it. Ii would be folly TO DENY 'i'e
vast value of his work in the development ol 'he
Western and Southwestern States. out perhaps do
200. folly ~ attribute phlanthropic or patti
otic motive to 1t. -.
The education which lie acquired through ms
own energies as youth found its best application
!, this work of developments in his purely specu!a"
tive ventures he was aided by disposition whose
traits as has already been intimated. were lorueu
in his YOUTH or early manhood. III is lmpossioie
IN contemplate without astonishment and even
admiration the spectacle of so stable charac'er
as one must admit Mr. Goulds to have been.
fixed in boyhood and remaining unchanged all
x,I0I from nn
of the most modest kind mot 10 call it absolute
novertvl 70 a position from which practically he
ruled the financial world of tins continent anu
materially affected the fortunes Of the other
With untold wealth at his command he was as
simnlc in tastes as unaffected In manner, as
abstemious in habits, industrious, as scll-de-
pendent and sef-reliant as when he set ont III
boyhood TO make himself rich man. Nor did any
of his less amiable characteristics undergo a
change In some of his first business ventures can
be read the same disposition for silent intrigue
the same secretivenesS touching his in'ehtlohs'
the same subtlety and elaborateneSs oi plan ana
the same indifference TO the feelings or The COM
nents of others. as marked the tremendous opera
lions which are the climaXes of his purely specu-
1.t;ve career-the war over Erie and the gold opera
,ions which eliminated in that memorable ana
deolorabe DAY in September. lS63. winch is writ-
len in history Black Friday
The striking features OF Mr.. Goulds personal
onnearance were those which vindicated hs meh-
tal equipment Physically he was small man
save as 70 his head lie had a remarkably high
and broad forehead. and though his dark eyes
sparkled continually, there was YET ocePN
thoughtful look in them. Ills nose was "IEe
and Ucbraic in mould His manner was exceed
ingly modest, the tone of his voice low ana houu-
lated in accents of gentleness lie was generally
nrfn q.
For society outside of his own family circle fF
cared nothing but at home he was genial, kinu'
iuduloept aNectonate II was not untli the
strain OF ceaseless mental toll began TO tell upon
his physical powers, many years after he na' WON
almost undisputed dominion over 'he h'ahci"
world, that he gave any thought 10 rest or
in the directions usually sought by men OIL VaSe
wealth Prior to that time books were Ills cnie'
sources of recreation When lie put his Steam
Yacht Atlanta in commission he created %h'a-
ton among yachtsmen, but it is doubtful whetI'er
he ever enjoyed his superb playthng with 'no spl'i
Of a sportsman. ~
There was perhaps never time In Jay "o"'u
career when it was possible TO estimate his wealth
with anything approaching cEEcueSs' "'
secrctve disposition stood in the way OF gehcia'
acquaintance with the outcome Of his many ven
lures Long after he had gained control Of the
Wabash system OF railways, the Manhattan Eie
waited and the Western Union Telegraph Company
during little furry in Wall Street in when every
body thought the finger Of Jay Gould was hlouen
but nobody knew a broker sagcly observed: MI
Gould has many properties, but brass band IS not
one of them" lie went forth trumpe'ihs
bis affairs. Moreover his wealth always cohsis'e'
of stocks and bonds which were subject TO the
fluctuations of tie market and which unques'ioh-
ably derived considerable proportion OF their
Tho fo.f hot ba
which they represented. Once, however, lie put
aside his natural secrecy and made an eAblnitloh
of his wealth in order to quiet some annoying
reports that current touching his hnahchil
condition. This in March 1882, when he
snread the contents of his strongbox before his