The Dakota chief. (Gann Valley, Buffalo County, S.D.) 18??-1913, 1895-09-05
PIONEER IN EXPRESS BUSINESS.
STARTED as "a Stage-Driver's Perauisite
War SwclIed Its PrOportions.

"s Stage-DriVer's Perquisite
Wal Swclled Its Proportions.
The death of Benjamin y. Cheney. the
nlllllona. re- eXpreSSman. AT the advanc.
ed age OF So Years. rpl..uypS from active
pursuits a remarkable MAJ who was
trul! the architect of his own fortune.
as he commenced his busy career at a
very early age in an obscure New
hampshire town and fought his way ND
the ladder without aid of any personal
favor The express business of to.
day is an immense interest and a factor
III mercantile transactions Of almost in
~calculable proportions. and it is an
American institution of a little more
tllan half Il century'S growth. yet il il
not 4 new species of industry.
Mr.. Cheney had the reputation of be-
ing one Of the most skillful
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 al
intuitive perception of railroad enter
prises which promised well. He bcgar
investing in railway stocks and wa.
~slngularly' successful in every venture.
Yet he was Il quiet operator. so much
SO that everybody in the business was
astoniShed at the Mount of his invest
mentS when they became generally
known. He was also Il shrewd Judge
OF real estate values and soon became
a large holder of valuable investments
Even his most intimate friends knew
but little Of his large transactions. lie
lived a bachelor until past middle life
when he married Il young lady then re
siding In Dorchester.
The greatest harvest rcaped hy tn.
principal express companies was dur.
Ing h late war of the rebellion. when
everything WAS sen and received by
express. no matter what the cost. The
writer Of this had a varied and some
what tedious experience in the busi-
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
the returnS from the seat Of war lust
after Il battle. Sometimes after a vic
tOriOuS Federal action. or the capture
Of Il rebel town. the officers. as we'll as
the men, made a practice Of sending
home trophies they had captured. These
often were household effects OF com.
paratively little value. and cost the
recipients at home Il large tax for cx-
press transportation. Sometimes live
stock was sent. consisting largely OF
dogs and dOnkcyS. sometimes a singing
bird or fowls of peculiar breed. On one
occasion Il Stalwart negro fellow was re-
ceived at the Boston office vent by an
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 Il card firmly fastened
about his neck giving the address where
to land him and this direction: Feed
and grub this Niger all thai 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 a short time
before for the Southern battlcfieldS.
These relies often proved a b%urlenSome
cos to their bcreaved families At home.
We We're always glad to forward remit
anceS of money to The Oftentlmes dis
treSSed one at home. The business
transacted by some Of the big expresses.
Adams d Co.. for instance. was of enor
nous proportions. and added largely to
the wealth of many prOprietOrS. the
terrible var proving q godscnd to Them
at least.-BostOn Transcript.