Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-07-11
FOR VICE. PRESIDENT
Henry G. Davissof West Vir-
ginia, thg Nominee
HIS RHC CAREER
BEGAN LIFE AS FARM HAND IN
MARYLAND.
Long Service in the United States
Senate-First Vote Cast for
Henry Clay.

/
| Henry Gassaway Davis. the nominee for
| Vice President on the democratic ticket, is
prominent capitalist and former senator
from West Virginia. He was educated at
| the country schools. but his father dying
In his youth he early entered upon bust
ness career. He has held many important
positions. the latest being that of American
| delegate to the Pan-Amercan congress.
| He Is also a member of the United States
| intercontinental railway commission.
! In this last capacity he is one of the most
| influential members, having long been in
terested in the projection of railway to
| connect North and South America, believ
ing such an enterprise to be Of inestimable
| commercial value to the United States as
we'll as to her neighbors in the southern
hemisphere. His principal interests for
many years have been in the building and
projection of railways. rather than owner
| ship of stock In already limited lines.
| He Is closely allied in politics with Sena-
| tor German. and it is; said that their bust
| ness relations have been quite extensive.
| His home at IGlkins. W. Va. is one of the
most beautiful of country seats, and has
been from time to time the rendezvous of
| MANY of his friends in both political and
! business life.
| MIR. Davis father. Caleb Davis. was a
| Welshman by descent, who at one time was
| prosperous merchant in Baltimore. He
subsequently engaged in railroad building,
| and was not successful. He built the little
| town of Woodstock. in Maryland. Henry
G.. the second of his FIVE children. was born
| November IT, 1873. A few years later his
| father died. The mother whose maiden
name was Brown. sister of the
mother of Arthur p. German. United States
| Senator from Maryland. Mrs. Davis wars
| left to care for, support and govern her
~ q hn -fr pCfh nj rI n
| acter, and gave them excellent training.
| Circumstances compelled them to be in
dustrious and economical. and they were
| trained to the strictest integrity The ne
cessity for work in the family was greater
| than the opportunity for study.
When he was yet a mere boy Henry went
| to work on the farm of Andrew Dorsey,
| which formerly belonged to his family, and
afterward on thaEpf ex-Gov. Howard, at
Waverly. Here he managed to add some
thing to the ru1iEents of his meager Eng
lsh education The boy was willing, smart
and active. and hecame a sort of superin-
tendent on the farm. He made many
friends. and when he had reached the age
| of nineteen one of these friends, DR.. Wood
side. the first Superintendent of the Balu-
more and Ohio railroad. then running from
Baltimore to Cumberland gave him a place
as brakeman of freight train on that
road. -z--~-
Railroading was then in it's infancy.
There were no telegraph lines to aid 1t. and
| no means of communicating with the train
| after 1t. had started for its destination 1t
was thought to be Impossible to run a
train during the; night. Delays were fire.
quent and accidents numerous. 1t. took
practical skill. nerve and energy to sur
mount the difficulties which daily confront,
ed the trainmen and Davis surmounted
those difficulties. He liked his work, and
went into it with an honest and ambitious
desire to justify= the recommendations Of
his employer and FRIEND DR., Woodside. He
attended strictly to business and neglected
nothing that would promote the interests of
the company no matter whether it would
put him, to extra trouble OF not. This at
tention to details, even to small details.
and Willingness to take trouble have been
leading traits of Mr.. Davis all his life.
Promoted on Merit
His willingness to work was what made
him a conductor on the road There had
been d wreck. The road bad to be cleared
I'D and there was a great deal to do. He
rallied the men and went at it with energy
and zeal. While thus engaged he was no
t:ced by the president of tie road. VINO had
come to the scene of the disaster, and who
presently remarked to him:
We nave use for you in more important
work
Davis was made a freight conductor and
subsequently passenger conductor. Each
new call found him ready. AS his energy
and willing disposition became known TO the
COMPANY he was promoted steadily.
Mr.. Davis was strictly temperate In his
habits. aid he had the kindred virtue of
economy, both of which were impressed
upon him by the excellent training given
HIM by fis mother He saved all the money
he could while assisting to support his
mother and her family. At the age of
twenty-eight he married the daughter of
Judge BantZ of Frederick, Md.
From il earliest boyhood Mr.. Davis gave
evidence Of his ability to rise to the require
ments of any position to which he might
be called. He was always diffident, even
backward at times. to a degree that often
hindered his advancement but when energy
forced L. m into self-assertcn he never fail
ed to respond. He needed just such train
ing as railroad life gave to fit him for the
path in life he selected at the parting of
the ways. In those early days. when rail-
roads were new and accidents numerous,
there were frequent occasions when pract1-
cal skill, great nerve and indomitable en-
ergy were all important factors in over
coming difficulties and avoiding dangers,
and re very soon gave ample evidence of
the possession of these qualities In SUI
perior degree. Each new duty brought fresh
responsibilities and wider contact with
mankind. calling out the latent qualities
OF the man, that were always handicapped
by the meager opportunities of nis youth
and his retiring disposition.
1t was not long after mis- promotion that
nc became one Of the most popular en-
ployes of the road. He WAS regarded as re-
liable by the corporation he served, as we'll
by the public and was carefully atten-
tive to his passengers, The traditions Of
capt Davis service as conductor are still
fresh along the line. among the people who
Travelled on the train of which he was in
charge.
Voted for Henry Clay.
In those days he took little interest in
politics but hiss, conservative disposition
naturally inclined him to the WING party
and he cast his first vote for Henry Clay
the same year he MAGE his first material
rise in 1ailroadings Afterward he became
acquainted with bIr. Clay. Gen. Sam Hous-
ton. and other great national characters
who figured in those days. They frequent
ly Travelled on his train as far as Cumber-
land. and then took Ithe stage over the
for his train when going east to Washing
ton In !S47,. so well had ne performed the
duties assigned him By President Swan of
the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Company !
two years before; hetwas made supervis- |
or a rosition that gave him direction of all |