Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1895-10-04
ploNE1R IN ExpREss BUSINESS.
Started Us tasc.Drivcr's Pera uisitc
War Swcilcd Its Proportions.

War swciicd Its Proportions.
The death of Benjamin p. Cheney, the
millionaire cSprcssman. ut the advanc-
ed age Of Sd years. removes from active
purSv' IS q remarkable man who was
truly the architect of his own fortune.
as he commenced his busy career ut a
very early age In an obscure New
Hampshire town and fought his way ,ip
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
calculablc proportions. aud It Is an
American institution of little more
than half n century's growth, yet 1t Is
not Il new species of industry.
Mr.. Cheney had the reputation of be-
Ing one of the most sklllful managers
of express and railway combna tons
that the country has produced. He had
an amazing faculty for discovering the
feasibility of new routes, and he had an
intuitivc perception of railroad enter
priScs which promised well. He began
Investing in railway stocks and was
sihgularly successful in every venture.
Yet lie was Il quiet operator. so much
so that everybody In the business was
astonishcd at the amount of his invest
mcnts when they became generally
known. He was also shrcwd judge
of real estate values and Suon became
large holder OF valuable Investments
Even his most intimate friends knew
but little Of his large transactions. H0
lived Il bachelor until past middle life,
when he married Il young lady then re-
siding i'll Dorchester.
The greatest harvest rcapcd by tho
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 Il varied and some
what tedious experience in the bust
ness during that pro;ractcd disturb.
ancc. and wns witness to many scenes
of Sombcr and many nj Il humorous
character. These were mostly seen In
the returns from the scat of war lust
after battle. Sometimes after II vie.
torious Federal action. or the capture
of rebel town, the officers, rs we'll ms
the mon, made IL practice of sending
home trophies they had captured. These
often were household effects OF com.
paratlvcly little value, and cost the
recipients al home Il large tax for OK
press transportation. Sometimes live
stock WAS sent. consisting largely OF
dogs and donkcys. sometimes singing
bird or fowls of peculiar breed. On one
occasion II slalwart negro fellow was re-.
ceivcd ut the Boston Office sent by nm
officer who found he could do nothing
else with him and thought hr might he
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 nigEer all that he needs"
II WIS sad. however. to see the rough
boxes often piled up outside the Office
containing The remains of the bows IN
blue sent home for burial among the
scenes which they had left short time
before for the Southern battlcilcds.
These relies often proved II hui,rnsomc
cost 10 their bcrravcd families III home.
We were always glad Ia forward remit.
ianccs of money Ia the oficnlimcs dis.
tressrd ones nj home The business
transacted by some of the big Expresses.
Adams X Co.. for instance. was of cnor.
nous proportions. and added largely ia
me wealth of many propr!clors. the
terrible war proving II Eodscnd 10 them
III least. Boston TRANSCRIPT.