The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-09-07
President Of First National Bank of Denver Railroad
Builder, Mine Owner, Now Engaged in Building the
Denver North Western and Pacific Railway.
BY MAURICE NJ. MlNToN.

The early years. in the development
Of California, Washington Oregon, Ne
rada, Idaho, Colorado and Utah. Will
always afford the novelist, dralnatst and
historian color form and atmosphere
Tor novel. play and romantic history.
The conversion of a great, prilneval ter
,itory into rich, powerful and popu!ous
States within the period of a gcni3
GRAFTON is remarkable in fact; and the
surroundings OF those who entered the
wilderness, rich only in health, energy
and natural ability to conquer Nature
and cause her to yield her wealth and
resources to later generations viii ever
appeal to the imagination. These men:
John w. Mackay, James c. Flood, Wli-
liam c. OBrien, James l. Fair, William
sharon, James B. Haggin. George r.
Hearst Charles Croker. Coils p. Hunt
ington. Mark Hopkins, Leland Stanford
and David II. Aioffat VIII always be
types for the novelist, the dramatist and
the historian. They were not mere
fortune. seekers They were strong, able
men, who by the exercise of their great
abilities not only amassed enormous for
tunes for their personal qualification and
thousands to attain comfortable homes,
If not fortune They developed the
mines: Eridironed the plains with rail-
roads; and made available TO fruit plant
ter, cattle man and agriculturist mil!
lions Of acres Search at will the rec
ords Of any Of the Rocky Mountain
States and you will find Connected with
every great enterprise one of these
mighty pioneers of the great West. Even
up TO his last hours John w. Mackay
was at work planning a great enter
prise, that of laying a cable from the
shores of California TO those of the Sand
pfch Islands, the philippines and China.
And to-day the sole survivor OF this
great group of commercial Titans, David
H. Motfat is engaged in the crowning
enterprise of his life, that OF building
the Denver Northwestern and Pacific
Railwav--a link in a great trans-con-
tinental railroad-through an enormous
territory, tich in minerals, coal tlnd
arabic lands, now lying in the heart of
the Rockies in It's primeval grandeur.
FROM BANK MESSENGER.
The rise of young Dave Moffat, the
bank messenger IN New York city, from
q position yielding four dollars a week
TO that OF president OF the First National
Bank Of Denver. with a capital OF 81,
100000, with a surplus of $1,000, $50 and
deposits Of So, 00o.o0o; from that Of a
lad confronting a seemingly hopeless flu
ture to that of the richest and most
Influential man in the State of Colora-
do. reads like q romance. Yet such is
the reward of energy ability and In
fegrity. The boy who faithfully ran
messages for the New York Exchange
Bank, was promoted to q clerkship and
through a long series of years he sue
cessfully combated all difficulties, until
he arose TO the proud position he now
occupies in the financial, mining rail
;,,S, toll dc of
States.
AMASSED GREAT FORTUNE.
To the young man with the world be
fore him the history Of these remarkable
Western men IS pregnant with suggestion
and promise All OF these men began life
under circumstances not conducive 10
worldly fame or fortune. David II. Moi
FAT was born In Orange county, New
York. July -. 1899. He was the seventh
son of his parents His first position was
messenger boy in the Exchange Bank.
New York City, where he gained the re-
coguitioa OF President Selah Van D0ser,
who promoted him. Believing the West
afforded better opportunities. he went TO
IOWA, and became a teller in banking
house IN Des Moines- The Bank OF Ne
brasiSa, in Omaha, recognizing his AFFINITY
appointed him Cashier A few years later
he left for Denver, and there being no
4LiaNse u AilEf VI WV iAis-NN' ~ $500
the plains in a wagon drawn by mules,
and loaded with a full supply Of provis-
ions Denver was at that time mere
frontier settlemon tot a few thousand peo-
pie, mostly mining prospectors. He
opened book and stationery store, which
he carried on for six years. In 1867, Mr.
MotYat. whose financial abilities were re-
oos,iiged by the capitalists who had or
ganized the First National Bank Of Den
Yer, two years previously elected him
Cashier, and from that time this small
bank has increased until its capital is
r,eoo.oo0 its surplus $4,000 and its de-
posts over 100000. For many years
Mr.. Mofat has been its President.
II is not surprising that Mr.. Motfat who
has by his individual efforts amassed a
fortune of si0oOo,ooo. who has established
his reputation for honesty. straightfor-
wardness and clearness of vision, who
has made q record In finance, railroads.
mining. and IN almost every great b,lsi-
ness undertaking, tending towards the de-.
velopment OF Colorado should challenge
tho attention of the railroad world at
large, and the people OF that State in
particular, by the announcement that the
proposed to give Denver a new outlet
10 the Pacific Ocean by building the
Denver, Northwestern and Pacific rail-
way from Denver 10 Salt. Lake City,
where 1t will connect with Senator Clark I;
road to Los Angeles, California
Mr. Moffat Is no novice in railroad
buildinc Thirty-tWo wears 40 Mfr. br-A