The Durham daily globe. (Durham, N.C.) 1889-1894, 1892-02-20
a CHARACTERISTIC LETTER.

An EpistIe from Jay Gould Written
Nearly Forty Years Ago.
About forty years ago the staid inhab-
itants of central New York took a great
liking to an active young surveyor who
lived in Roxbury, Il small town In Della
ware county. He arose early in the
morning and tramped over the hills and
Wales adjacent to where he lived. With
his surveying instruments he took meas
urements, made maps and found a ready
sale for the product of his activity and
brain.
Although he was a small youth he had
a vigorous way about him that pleased
the slow going farmers and delighted
even the loungers about the postoffice
and grocery combined, to whom he gave
talks on Saturday evenings.
When he left the township and moved
away for good the local prophets saw
great things in store for him, and pre-
dicted that some day he might have
been a selectman of the village if he had
remained, but they forgot him for years
and only recalled his presence when his
identity with Jay Gould, the famous
~financier. was proved to their astOnish-
ment.
Robert Fullerton keeps an ''old curl
osity shop" on Third avenue near Eight
eenth street, where almost any queer
odd sort Of thing. can be discovered.
Among the treasures shown a reporter
was a letter written in 1854 by this same
young surveyor, who could now doubt
less cash in his assets for a round $780,
600, 900, if he felt SO disposed. In spite
Of the fact that Mr.. Gould spelled "tres-
pass, "barOmetrical" and damage" in
a unique way and scattered capital let
tiers to suit himself, the letter looks thor
oughly businesslike, and it may be pre-
sumed that Judge Sherman loaned the
''level' he possessed, and that it was re-
turned to him in proper condition.
The fact that even as a young man he
was connected" with the Newburg and
Syracuse railroad showed his early long
ing for the business in which he has
made himself known all over the world.
Its curious" said Mr.. Fullerton,
'but you will notice that he was not
only connected with one road, but he
could not rest until he had examined
another route through West Settlement
and Puses Brook. That he did things
thoroughly is evident. The handwriting
is none of your offhand affairs, but one
can see the exactness with which every
1T" is crossed and the care with which,
after the letter is written, words were
inserted to allow Of no mistake. The
pOliteness and anxiety in the last para
graph of the letter proper are also appar-
ent, such as an enthusiastic boy could
not fail to put in, knowing that a person
Of Judge Sherman's position would be
accustomed to respect as a judge.
He was also careful to add Judge at
the beginning, so as to give the recipient
the thrill of pleasure popularity supposed
to mildly shock every person with a
handle to his name. A postscript always
adds to the effect Of a letter, for IL man
who might throw away a begging epistle
cannot resist glancing at a postscript,
and the offer Of pay for the use of the in
strument finished the note.
"He had evidently not intended to
offer any money at first, but the thought
of a possible refusal and the need of III
other appeal probably settled the matter.
1t could do no harm, anyway."-New
York World.