Morning journal and courier., 1893-03-02
BY One who Knew Him In Early
DayR.

[Charlss NJ. Lee in the Athol Transcript
The recent death of Jay Gould, famous
mainly for his millions and shrewd methods
of getting them, brings up anew the MEM
ory of his long time ardent friend and CO.
worker in big speculative operstions-Jim
Fisk, Jr.. who between 1850 and 1860 was
as we'll known in Athol as any travelling
man then or now. In this article shall
speak only Of my personal recollection of
of Mr. Fisk, at the time when we were
both engaged in the same occupation
itinersnt peddlirg, covering the same ter
ritory, and being often brought into close
relations with each other for days and
nights at time. The public already kno v
of the mans remarkable csresr as q specu-
lator in New York with Jay Gould and
of his tragic death at the hand of Ed
Stokes.
No better opportunity could be desired
than was thus sfforded to observe the ma
ture and ways of the afterward famous
Jim Fisk, Jr. who even In his youthful
career as trader possessed a wonderful
faculty of making himself noticed and re-
membered. Personally he was of medium
| height, stout build, his hair as white, his
eyes as blue, and face as red as any man I
| ever saw. But his red face was doubtless
caused by his constant outdoor life. OF
the many days and nights passed with him
there was no instance that / knew of his
taking q gless of intoxicating drink.
| While he was never rude or ungentleman-
ly, It msttercd not with him with whom
he came in contsct-whether II was a per-
son In humble lte or the most honored-
all alike recsived the courtesy of q gentle
man from him. IL he had anything good
or bad to say of any one, 1t would be a per-
son most interested who would get the
expression Of his opinion without fear or
favor.
| His methods of selling goods, even in
those early years Of his career, were moi
unlike his subsequent operations. He sold
ladies' dress goods at high cost. His
method was to dive four ss good horses
as could be found, with ws5on, harnesses
and trsppiDgs of elegant and expensive
style, together with four or five one or two
| horse wagons, each having q salesman and
q driver. In this way all world travel In
the same direction, Jim driving the four
n-hand on the main roe1 from town *
town supplying the smaller wagons thaf
rsdisted to every point among the farmers
meeting by appointment eesh night. Thus
whenever they met at night their gay team
and bright Fa,esmen would have about tn,
same effect on the pc ople IS the arrival o
q circus, with Jim the central object. II,
could entertain all those who surrounded
him with sensible conversation, as we'll a
with anecdotes aad jokes of every kind
In this way he sometimes made large sum
of money in this region. At other time,
he was q heavy loser.
Country towns did not fufni q sufic
iently broad field to suit his ambition, ant
he sought large cities, where he coulS
speculate on larger scale, which he did
with variable success. He possessed In
remarkable degree the traditional genius o
the New England Yankee for speculating
and this quality exerted In Legitimate
field In proper way, might have brough
him not only great wealth but an honoret
name. He chose, however, to dissipat
his talents in line of activity which bor
the seeds of ruin, and his end was ftiinI
climax to his later career.