Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1882-12-17

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was slow, They never entered into the
whirlpool OF speculation, as most men nv
ing n, the coal regions did In those days,
but contented themselves with doing ie-
climate business and adding to their IN
come by careful methods. They made q
few iudicious investments in timber ana
coal lands, about the beginning OF the war,
but did very little in the way OF develop
ment then, on account Of the pending nos
tilities. doubt whether the trm or either
of its members ever speculated, or mace
any attempt to rapidly increase their means
by any Of the feyerish and hasty methods
III wall street, or of stock gamblers the
world over. They were contented to build
their fortunes slowly, by hard WORK; ana
the use of old-fashioned business methods
The community of interest between these
three positive men has been simply sub
lime in its conception and the tenacity OF
It's endurance. It began when they were
children, and the elder was the help OF the
younger. When years and strength
brought the last Of the three to the age OF
work, their interests were cemented, ana
the three ever had common regard for the
success OF each other. In all the years OF
effort, there has never been clash, ana
what one did was accepted as the act OF all.
The elder brother, John B. Davis, now the
leading banker of Richmond, would doubt
less have Joined his fortunes with the other
three. but for a change Of residence that
seemed to forbid it. He moved to the
CAPITAL of Virginia before 1850 and has re-
sided there ever since The relations be.
tween himself and the other members oil
the family has ever been close andtriendly.
The only sister married Mr.. Buxton, ana
now lives at Keyser with Thomas b. DAVIS:
Ii is strange to read family history that
wears the marks OF such fidelity from all
its members to each other.
War brought its changes to the DAVIS
Brothers, as it did all others living along
the border. In great measure it hindered
the increase of their business at Piedmont,
but at the same time it opened up the
avenues of trade to them, and they gained
in new directions what they lost IN the OLD.
All of them remained true to the Union,
and lived under its authority during all
the wears of the war. Henry 6. Davis had
friendly relations with the Government at
Washington, and was in the fullest conf
dence. during the conflict, witbl6en. b; +.
Kelly, who commanded the department. In
which he lived and where his interests
were. He furnished supplies. in large
quantities, to the army, and the kindly re-
lations that were built at that time, by So
cial and business intercourse with General
Kelly and the officers of his command, have
grown closer with the lapse OF time. Not
only during, but since the war, Mr.. DAVIS
has had no frmer friend than Gen. Kelly,
and he. on the other hand, has had warm
place in the heart of the gallant Union
General, whose home is in West virginia.
War closed. leaving Mr.. Davis and his
brothers with fair start in life, but the
demands made upon them just after the
surrender really laid the foundation oil
their present fortune. The railroad COM
pany with which Henry G. Davis began
life was, during the war, one OF the two
iron highways of which the Government
exacted great service in the transportation
of troops and supplies between the East
and West. The end of the Rebellion found
it sadly in need OF repairs; lumber, bridge
timber and crOSs-ties were wanted TO put
it in shape for the traffic that the return
of peace would bring. Mr.. Davis owned
tract Of forest land on the top OF the Ale
ghenies, along the line OF the road, ana 10
their old employee the company turned for
ready aid and for assistance in placing the
road in efficient condition. The mountain
tract was called into requisition for TIM
Der. Portable saw mills were put up, aud
the standing trees were converted into rail-
road supplies as rapidly as possible. All
the appliances that they could command
and work with facility were taxed to their
utmost to meet the demands OF the c0rpo-
ration, whose closest confidence Mr.. Davis
has ever had, both in and out OF its service.
They also opened some of the coal mines,
and worked them to their fullest capacity.
Several mercantile establishments were
added to the list of their enterprises, ana
business grew to an annual val ue OF several
hundreds of thousands of dollars. Prices
for the commodities they produced were
good, and what of their products the rail-
road company did not consume was rapidly
sold 10 private buyers at good pront
The few wears following the war, profits
accumulated rapidly. Two points at which
the brothers were in business az this time,
Piedmont and Deer Park, are so closely as
sociated with the career of Henry q. Davis,
that feel like giving brief description
of at least one of them. When they
bought the wilderness on the Allegheny
summit, it was given the name OF Dser
Park, because of the great herds OF deer
that roamed over it unmOleSted. TO one
not acquainted with the history of this
beautiful spot it would be impossible
TO picture it as it was in those days.
But little more than a decade and half
ago il was an almost unbroken forest. The
beautiful grove Of native oaks bordering
the railroad was, when [ first saw 1T, Just
being invaded by the woodlands axe, to
Law the foundations for the small house
which has since been supplanted by the
present spacious and comfortable summer
residence of Mr.. Davis. The broad stretch
of glades, knoll and lOwland, now sprinkled
with echoes of che best in art, itself q
triumph of the landscape gardener, with all
nature for its foil, was then wild but beaut.
full in the garb of spring time, but pervaded
with the quiet grandeur OF desolatlon. The
spacious hotel now there, with its semi
attached cottages, were not things even OF
the imagination until years afterwards,
and they have been built, while the fertile
fields have been cleared and adorned,
within little more than a decade. The
place which was then a station on the
road, only tor the product OF the saw-mill,
is today the most charming spot upon the
line, and its name is known the country
over as synonym for beauty and health.
There is nothing in the career OF Mr..
Davis that more forcibly illustrates the
general confidence in his foresight and
business integrity than the present condi.
ton of Deer Park. The company that first
employed him as q freight hand has ever
been his friend, and not only assisted in
his business enterprise, but has in great
measure followed his fortunes. Mr.. John
W. Garrett It's President took 2 personal
interest In the elevation 81 Door Pnrk % Ans
present importance. saeitlsie az 4
i. avg - q. fi,f + AZ Al (. ffts ~.