The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-07-17
Nominee of Democracy
For Vice President.
vIRILE AND ACTIVE
A Long Life Of the Best Service Its
Success Best Illustrated by tie
Rise From Farm Boys Toll
and Brakeman's Work to
United States Senate.


There is much in the career of
Henry Gassaway Davis. the Demo-
cy. to afford inspiration for young
Americans. 1t shows what can be ac-
complished by integrity, industry and
fixedness of purpose, even when hand
icapped by want of money and by
the lack of any except the most rudi-
mentary school education. Mr.. Davis
was born i'm the little town of Wood
stock, on the old line of the Balti-
: more and Ohio Railway, a few miles
out from Baltimore. on November 16.
1923. His father was Caleb Davis,
and his mothers maiden name was
Louisa Brown. On his mothers side
he was descended from Revolution
airy stock, and his father had been a
soldier in the war of 1872. Some
years before his birth his father, who
had been a successful merchants in
Baltimore, retired from business. and
moved to a farm in Howard county
MARYLAND The Baltimore and Oh1c
Railway was then being built, anc
Mr.. Davis took contracts for railway
work, which resulted in heavy losses
He also built the town of Woodstock,
suit that his farm and other property
were swept away, and he did not long
survive the wreck of his fortune, leav.
ing his widow with four sons and q
daughter to care for.
1t was doubtless to their mother
that the Davis children owed many
of the Qualities and principles tina
have enabled them to succeed IN lie
That this is true seems to be boren
out by the fact that the children ol
her brothers and sister. as we'll as
her own, attained success one OF
her sisters was the mother OF Senator
Arthur Pue German. of Maryland
who is thus first cousin of former
Senator Davis. The Maryland Senator
also inherited many of the traits ol
character of the Brown family. anc
between him and his cousin there hay
always existed the warmest person
al and political friendship.
From Farm TO Railroad Work.
When Henry c. Davis was a boy
free schools were unknown i'm Mary
land and necessity and a desire tc
give to a younger brother educational
advantages that he could not share
resulted in his becoming bread wlnl
ner for the family at an early age
1t was to former Gov. Howard, OF
MARYLAND. that he owed his first eml
ard home. working on his farm until
he was nineteen years old By tha
time the Baltimore and Ohio Railwa,
had been extended TO Cumberland
and the increase in business called
for more men. DIR. Woodside. the SUI
perintendent. was a friend of the Da-
Wis family, and he made young Dayis
a brakeman on a freight train. He
was soon promoted to be conducto
of a freight, and the energetic way l.,
which he took charge of matters anc
handled men in clearing up wreck
on the road having COME to the per
sonal attention of Mr.. Thomas Swami
the president of the road, he was
given another promotion and tool
charge of a passenger train.
President Swami kept track of nj
efficient young conductor, and whei
he was about twenty-four years o
age gave him another promotion
making him superintendent in charg
of the running of all of the trains ol
the road. 1t wan In this position
that Mr.. Davis had his first opportu
nifty to display executive abilities o.
a considerable scale and to introduc
innovations in railroading. Up {
that time it had not been considere
practicable to run railway trains a
night. and freight trains and passen
ger trains alike were stopped a
held over until daylight the mex
morning Supt Davis believed tina
there was no reason why the train
should not move by night as well a
by day, and, against the judgment @
many of the other officers OF tn
road. he made the experiment, tn
first night train being run from Cum
berland to Baltimore. 1t was a com
plete success. and from that day t
this there has been little differenc
between night and day as far as tn
running OF railway trains is con
cerned.
contrasted with the salaries rccciv
ed by railway officials of the presen
day, the pay of Supt. Davis seem
small, amounting TO less than $40
per month but it was sufficient to erl
able him TO assist his mother and Ia
by enough to enable him TO MARRY
In 1868 he married Miss Kate. daugh
ter of Judge Gideon Bantz. of Frede
rick, Md. whose death in Decembel
1902, after nearly fifty years of mar
ried life, was a severe blow 10 tn
former Senator.
Began Business at Piedmont.
Soon after his marriage Mr.. Davi
became the agent of the Baltimor
and Ohio at Piedmont He soon sa'
that there were excellent business OF
portunities at this place. and he es
tablished his brother William r. Da
Wis. as a shipper OF coal ard lur
ber. year later he resigned froI
the railway and became the head
the firm of Davis & Brothers, whic
for more than a generation was |