The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1893-01-26
JAY GOULD AS A BOY.
ONE WHO WORKED WITH HIM AS
A FELLOW CLERK TALKS.

A Tribute from n Man Who Liked Him
Very Much When Both Were Humble
Clerks In Country store--Young Gouid's
Early Love Amir and How 1t Ended.
James II. Woobiser now of BROOKLYN.
who worked with jay Gould in the general
store in Roxbury, Delaware county, N. Y.
tells an interesting story Of the great finan.
ciers life in the town where both were born.
Mr.. Woolhiser lived there until a few years
ago, when he moved to Brooklyn.
jay Could" said Mr. Woolhiser to a re-
porter, worked on his fathers farm, which
was about six miles out of town. He tended
cattle. first heard of him when he started
to go to the Roxbury high school. He
walked from his home to the school and
baek again every day. His desire to acquire
good education was the talk of the town,
and In this way first heard Of him. He
was pointed out to me by my father as
model young man. He made but few friends
nn,ong his schoolmates. evidently preferring
to he by himself
When | WAS sixteen years old" contip.
ued Mr., Woolhiser, II went TO work in the
store OF j. r. Burnham. You could buy
almost anything from postage stamp to a
moving machine in that store | had been
working there but u short time when one
hue morning | was surprised to see Young
Gould enter the store and ask Mr. Burn
ham for u position. lie was hired Mt n
salary OF five dollars per week The fol
lowing Monday morning he went 10 work
us ~ clerk and assistant bookkeeper He
did all Kinds Of work. Upon several occa-
sions have seen him sweep the floor of the
cid store. He worked hard, and although
always very pleasant was never very talk
alive. During the leisure time of the day
be would grab book and begin to study,
For long time after he had been EN-.
ployed he would leave the store as soon ms
the days work WIS finished and walk
home. As time moved on, however he be.
cnlne more friendly, and in the evenings
alter the work was done he would sit with
us around the stove, Those were happy
days. We would take tlrns in telling
stories. We would also eat hard boiled
eggs, which we cooked ourselves, and
drink cider. 7Iay was not at all backward
Ia telling stories when it came 10 his turn
and could drink nnd cat as much as any of
us. His abstrscted air ut times led me to
the impression that he had something on
ms mud, and one day asked him If lie
HtNh "iig Aibtl'4t. lie IltAA4ti AT me,
Il remember quite well m incident that
happened IN the store one day while Jay
was waiting upon customer and that sci
tied In MY mind what was troubling him.
lie wis serving regular customer when
lie suddenly stopped while in the act of
wrapping up II bundle and said, Il don't
think it is any trouble to become million.
are If one sets out to make himself one
The nan addressed laughed ard said that
he had set out to become millionaire, but
s'w no hopes of ever arriving Mt the mark.
Gould did not reply, and the man went out
saving that he would wait patiently for
Gould to become millionaire.
Often after that we chaiTcd Gould about
his statement and asked him what his plans
were for becoming rich. .....
Why replied Gould, it's ms easy as
can be, Work hard and don't be foolish
When you get little money put it where
1t viii double itself Keep doubling all
your money, and The result will be satistac.
factory
"B"rnham had pretty daughter named
M@rla,' continued Mr.. Woulhiscr, "aud
Gould lad been working ia the store but a
snort time wien lie became very attentive
to her. She was Il pretty blond, and all the
boys Of the town fairly wurshiped her, and
when II became generally known that Gould
was calling steadily on her he was cnvicd by
all the young fellows Heattcndc,l IL part;
with her one night and barely escaped yet
ting into II fight with Que Of Miss Burn
hams admirers.
Gould had been working in the store
about two years v hen Durham was elect ed
TO the legislature, and jay was lef, in
ehurge of the store. While in ALBANY
Burnham received letter from man In
Ma!EHretvilla telling him that some prom.
eiiy III the latter place could be bought at
bargain In some unaccountublc way
Gould learned Of the bargain and bought
the property himself without telling his
employer a word about it He made the
pnleha" while BurnGum WIS negotiating
Tor IT. The day tint lsurthGln arrived il
RoNbury Jay lcti the store, saving that he
was going IikhihS He ScHt direct to Mar
ggretyiile HnG bought the tract of land n
couple Of hours lefora his employer ar.
rived at the place y lien Burulum learned
of Jay act he became angry, and driving
back to his store discharged him with but
few words To cap the climax. Mnrip
EuIhAgH entcreri the store just rs ,lay was
about to Leave and told him never TO call
upon Or speak to her again That wa. the
beginning Of his business career aud tie
end OF his inst love affair
Jay Knocked about Roxhuiy for some
time after lis discharge, and then took ltp
survey issg, Of which he hs.l learned t. little
IN few months he had surveyed and n4de
Il rap al Delaware county ull wrote Il li.
tony of HE m.iirrut WARS Both the n,5l
aud history sold well. Buoyed up by the
success ct his work, Jay next published
map aud history Of Ulster county. lie
next c:gHged ia the cattle raising Industry,
and to ave the exPri:ae Of help tie wat.is.
dtiye Eis cattle to he market a distance of
sixty miles, lie kept at this for some time.
and then secured a position with an en-.
gineer t. survey the Adirondack noun
taias While in these mountains he met
Colonel Pratt, with whom lie afterwanl
went into partnership
From that time Mir Woolhi.er saw moth.
ing n.ete Of lay tieald uatil he moved to
T. IA