The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1889-11-03
WEST VIRGINIA WEALTH
REMARKABLE ENTERPRISES FOO
TERED BY EX-SENATOR DAVIS.

His son-in-Iaw, Steve Elkins, VIII Succeed
Him, and the Family VIII Re the Rish-
eat In America-A Woman Now Coutrol
the Garrett Interests
Especial Correspondence
WASHINGTON, Oct. 3f.-One day last
week was in the city OF Wheeling W.
Va. At the railway station was an ac
ouaintance, Capt. w. w. O'Brien, oneoi
the prominent bankers OF the town and
now rich man. Said he: "On your way
cast over the mountains you will see
some of the railroads ex-senator Davb
and his son-in-Iaw, Mr.. Elkins, are build
ing. Perhaps you will be interested in
knowing something Of Mr.. Davis and hi
enterprises. Thirty years ago l was a
porter wheeling truck along this plat
form here. Ny pay was $3.50 day, and
| thought was getting rich, because he
fore that had been getting but ninety
Eve cents day working in the nail mil
over there. remember very distinctly
the day the first train on the Baltimore
and Ohio railroad crossed Wheeling creek
into this station.
1.-THE conductor of the train was Davis.
now the millionaire ex-senator. Before
that he had been a freight brakeman
Davis always had way Of saving vi
money. Before he left the road as con
ductor he had saved up snug little sum
aud he didn't take it from the company
either At little town up in the noun
tains he started a country store with hif
savings. 1t was not much bigger at firsi
than a freight car, and, If l mistake not
his start was made by throwing coun
ter across one end of a wrecked and
abandoned cattle car, which he boarded
ND and swung n door on for his uses
After time he started bank in one enc
Of his store, invested in lands and mines
and began to grow rich.
'If ex-senator Davis lives ten or fiji
teen years." continued Capt. OBrien
"he will be one Of the richest men il
America. He and his son-in-law are
constantly buying timber and mineral
lands in the interior of West Virgins
at astonishingly low prices. They have
bought thousands and tens of thousands
of acres of beautiful timber lands at
dollar or two an acre-lands which will
be worth twenty-five or fifty times az
much as soon as railroad reaches near
enough to them to develop their re
sources. Davis and Elkins are building
their own railways, thus bringing out
the value of their immense landed pos
"The Davises are taking the place OF
the Carrots as the richest and most i'm.
portant family in this section of the
country. While the CARROTS have been
having nothing but bad luck, the Davises
have gone right along, adding millions
to millions. The Baltimore and Ohio
road has not paid dividend for three
years, but the Davis enterprises have all
flourished. Actually, the Baltimore and
Ohio is now being supplanted in sections
Of this state by the Davis roads on ac
count of better management. Davis
himself, who used to be freight brake
man on the Baltimore and Ohio, is a
richer man than Garrett ever was.
"People may think there is luck In
this" added Capt. O'Brien, "but | can
see something better than luck. see
difference in the principles
governing the two families. The Gar
retts were brought up as votaries of
fashion and pleasure. They were not
trained to business, TO railroading, to
he management of large enterprises.
1t is well known that Robert Garrett
lost his reason through excuses in the |
pursuit of pleasure. Queer that this
great family should finally have all its
property come under the control of
woman. | was in this very station in
which we are now talking, few weeks
100, when a special car rolled in. From
{ stepped a beautiful young woman, q
blonde, attired in n plain travelling cos
ume. Hereye appeared quickly to take
n eVerything-the station, the tracks,
he condition of the railway property in
general. She made inquiries Of the men
Who accompanied her, and gave some
directions. / asked who she was, and
vas told, Miss Mary Garrett, the boss
# the b. and o. railroad She was on
tour of inspection. 1t is said she has |
ctual and active control of the vast in
erests of the Garrett family, and that
Inder her management the property is |
low in better shape than it has been at
ny time during the last five years.
Nov. ex-senator Davis has no sons.
,ut he is determined that his race shall 1
lot run out, and that the great property |
le is building up shall not pass under the
ontrol Of strangers after his death.
several years ago, he brought his son-in-
lw, Elkins, back from the west and in
crested him in the Davis enterprises. Ii
) not necessary to say that Elkins has L
een valuable lieutenant. He is one
4 the beenest business men in America.
marvel of energy and resources. A
nrious fact is that the ex-senator and 1
is son-in-law keep no books as between
and the extent of individual
wnership in their property is not known.
is in Davis name, which
means that il belongs 10 the family. FL
ms is thoroughly familiar with every
eature of the familys enterprises, and
n the death of Mr.. Davis will assume
ontrol thereof. AS his own boys grow
p, they will be trained in the manage
lent ct railways and mines in time to
AXE their fathers place.
Another son-in-law of Davis is Lieut. |
'rown OF the navy, the Lieut.. Brown
mo was such a favorite with President |
harrison and his family at Deer Park |
uring the summer. All his leaves Of alb
ence Lieut.. Brown spends in West Vir-
inia, learning the details OF his father
FLAWS business. am told he has made
pecial study OF railway management,
Ding out on the trains, into the shops,