Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1911-05-30
MR.. wHlTNER's BIG WORK..

This article from the New York
American. about Mr.. William c. Whit
ner, a citizen of York county, who
married Miss Roddey Of Rock Hill,
commenced the work that resulted in
the organization of the Southern Pow
er company, and who has for some
time had charge of the Gould inter-
ests in North Carolina and Virginia,
will be pleasing to many readers of
The Enquirer:
Frank ]. Gould, youngest son of
Jay Gould, has doubled the millions
inherited from his father, by invest
ments in Virginia traction interests
and water powers.
Frank Gould's share Of his faith
er's great fortune was $12,000,000.
Quietly, but with business sagacity
like that upon which the original
wealth of the famous family was
founded, the young man has obtained
a monopoly Of properties, which ex-
perts say should make him one of the
country's richest men.
"The fact became known through
the presence in New York Of number
of engineers who came to confer with
Mr.. Gould. Chief among these Is Will
liam c. Whitner, an officer in dozen
or more companies which have been
organized during the last few years.
MIR. Whitner declined to go into
the details Of the Frank Gould invest
ments, further than to admit that they
are more extensive than any OF his
New York friends have believed
From other authoritative sources It
was learned that Mr.. Gould has just
secured control Of 25,000-horse water
power on the Roanoke river.
This property Is the nearest large
power to Norfolk, where Mr.. Gould
now owns the street railways and
lighting plants. 1t Is located only 70
miles from Norfolk and so miles from
Petersburg, where he also owns ev-
erything in that line. The Virginia
and Carolina Power company was or
ganized only last week for the purpose
Of taking over this property. The
headquarters will be at Weldon, N. C..
William C. Whitner will be president
and Fritz Sitterding secretary and
treasurer.
Although Mr.. Gould has admitted
ly spent much time prospecting in
Virginia himself, his operations have
been carried on largely by cousin,
Robert Northrop, Whitner and Sitter
ding.
"Whitner, who Is a southerner Of
quiet and unassuming manner, Is said
to be one of the ablest engineers In
the country. He was used by Gould
to obtain and develop the large water
powers on the James river at Rich
mond, on the AppomattoX at Peters,
burg, and on the Rappahannock at
Fredericksburg, and last on the Roa-
noke river at Weldon.
Another of the valuable Gould prop
critics which is being rapidly develop
ed Is the Richmond and Chesapeake
railroad. More than $S,000,0 900 has
already been spent on this work. Miss
Helen Gould Is said to be interested
in this and other projects with her
brother.
One of Mr.. Goulds associates
said:
Frank ]. Gould, who is now but
little more than 80 years old, Is one
Of the smartest business men in this
country. He looks ahead all the
while, and the investments he has
made in Virginia are Of a character
bound to earn big profits. In fact, the
earnings at the present time are large.
= "I have watched him for several
years now, and know him to be thor
oughly practical. Like his father, Mr..
Gould seldom lets the public know
what he Is about until his purpose has
been accomplished. The properties,
which now constitute almost a mo-
nopoly of the Virginia lighting. power
and traction interests, have all been
acquired through confidential agents
in this way"