Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1903-11-20

country places, so pleasing to the ev-
cry taste. The Clifton addition to
Cincinnati though built by millionaires
has no such grounds. The palatial
Florida homes of Mr.. Flagler do not
equal them, nor do the elegant villas of
the Smart Set at Palm Beach. Prop
critics elsewhere may excel them in one
point or another, but taken as whole
the Davis and Elkins home estates as
they appear side by side on their COM
manding emfnence, present pic
ture superior to any l have yet seen.
On another hill in close proximity is
the home of R. 9. Kerens, Missouri
man, who some years ago made his
home in the State and whose wealth
is put at fabulous round of millions.
Thus has Elkins three men of i'm
mense wealth, any one of whom
can at will and single handed
build and equip entire railway lines,
establish towns. develop large proper
ties, or finance other vast enterprises,
involving an outlay of many millions
of dollars.
A PROGRAM OF GREAT ENTERPRISES.
When the Davis. Elkins interests
were sold in the West Virginia Gen.
trial Railway and when Mr.. Davis retir-
ed from the presidency of that road it
was thought that with increasing years
he would wish to retire from the more
active duties that such RESPONSE bility
imposed. But with the, laying down
of this burden, other opportunity for
great investment was sought. This
purpose has taken shape in
a gigantic program of enterprises
the ful6lment of which, may in far
xeaching public benefits, exceed any
conception yet worked out by Mr..
Davis.
This program in part, consists in the
merging of the Charleston, Clendennin
and Sutton railroad with the Coal &
Coke road, the latter absorbing the
former, which has already been done.
Then to build one hundred and eleven
miles of new road to connect the two.
From both ends this is now being done
by large construction forces. When
completed the road will give direct
line through the State, connecting the
northern and central portions with
Charleston and section; public need
long felt, and one which Mr.. Davis
wealth and enterprise alone has made
possible. Along the proposed new
route the Senator has recently acquir-
ed immense holdings in coal lands and
it is largely to develop these that the
road is being built. Forty odd miles
of the road will be completed and
ready for train service by Jany. 18th,
the remaining work to be push
ed again as soon as Spring weather
permits. Another new enterprise in
which Mr.. Davis is engaged is the de-
velopment of the immense property
holdings of the Davis Colliery Co. With
a capital stock of So, 900. 900; the COM
pany controls 900 acres of land, Is
miles of railroad, and three coal opera
tions, the largest of which is located
at Coalition. There, is now being driven,
many openings, the building of 300
coke ovens and the rehabilitation of
what will be the largest and most COM
plete coal operation in America. In
it's equipment, the newest and most
improved in every line has been sought,
without regard to expense, and the
completing work has now approached
the ideal plant. MI. Davis is engaged
in many other enterprises throughout
the State, but those just mentioned are
the most recent of his great undertake
ings. His son in law, Senator Elkins,
is also interested with him in very
many large enterprises.
| At present that gentleman has under
way new proposition, to which he is
giving attention. This is no less an
undertaking than the building of an
other railroad, the extension of the M.
& K, through parts OF Monongalia
and Preston counties, from Masontown
to Rowelsburg, and connecting two
opposite points of the B. & o. road
Along this territory the Senator has
about 10000 acres of coal lands, which
the road is to aid in developing. In ad
dition to the road building Mr.. Elkins
is opening up mines and building coke
ovens throughout the territory ira
versed by the extension. and will soon
be shipping a heavy output of both
coal and coke.
A. q. MORTON