Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1895-08-29

- -.
Started - etase.Driver's Psrquisito
; War ewelled Its Proportions.
The death OF BENJAMIN r. Cheney. the
millionaire expressman, at the advanc-
ed age Of 81 years, removes from active
pursuits remarkable man who was
truly the architect OF his own fortune,
as he commenced his busy career at
very carly age in--an obscure New
Hampshire town and fought his way up
the ladder without aid OF any personal
favors. The express business Of to-
day Is an immense interest and factor
In mercantile transactions Of almost in
calculable proportions, and 1t Is an
American institution Of little more
than half century's growth, yet 1t IL
not new species of industry.
Mr.. Cheney had the reputation of be-
Ing one Of the most skillful managers
of express and railway combinations
that the country has produced. He had
an amazing faculty for discovering the
feasibility Of new routes, and he had an
intuitive perception Of railroad enter
prlses which promised well. He began
investing In railway stocks and was
singularly successful In every venture.
Yet he was quiet operator, so much
so that everybody In the business was
astonished at the amount of his invest
ments when they became generally
known. lie was also shrewd judge
Of real estate values and soon became
large holder of valuable Investments.
Even his most intimate friends knew
but little of his large transactions. He
lived bachelor until past middle life,
when he married young lady then re-
siding in Dorchester.
The greatest harvest reaped by the
principal express companies was dur
ing the late war Of the rebellion, when
everything was sent and received by
express, no matter what the cost. The
writer Of this had varied and some
what tedious experience In the bust
ness during that protracted disturb
ance, and was witness to many scenes
Of somber and many Of a humorous
character. These were mostly seen In
Tic lCtui 40 AlOih Tic oSat Va WoA Jucs
after battle. Sometimes after a VIC
torious Federal action, or the capture
Of rebel town, the officers, as well as
the men, made practice Of sending
home trophies they had captured. These
often were household effects Of COM
paratively little value, and cost the
recipients at home a large tax for ex-
press transportation. Sometimes live
stock was sent, consisting largely OF
dogs and donkeys, sometimes singing
bird or fowls Of peculiar breed. On one
occasion a stalwart negro fellow was re-
officer who found he could do nothing
else with him and thought he might be
Of use on his farm at home. The grin
ming darby had card firmly fastened
about his neck giving the address where
to land him and this direction: Feed
and grub this niger all that he needs.
1t was sad, however, to see the rough
boxes often piled up outside the Office
containing the remains of the boys in
blue sent home for burial among the
scenes which they had left short time
before for the Southern battlefields
These relics often proved a burdensome
cost to their bereaved families at home
We were always glad to forward remit
tances Of money to the oftentImes dis
tressed ones at home. The business
transacted by some Of the big expresses
Adams & Co., for instance, was Of enor
nous proportions, and added largely to
the wealth Of many proprietors. the
terrible war proving godsend to them
at least.-Boston Transcript.