Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1914-10-21
D. A. Tompkins.

IuC lOuS lClCaoO S1iaS w 49,
Tompkins. With it closed the ac-
tivities of mind which ever work
ed for community good, and of
hands that always wrought for the
hetterment of social, moral and In
dustrial conditions. first at home,
next in the State and after that in
the Nation. His character is quite
we'll portrayed in the sketch which
has been prepared for the news col
umns. and it was the qualities there
in outlined which so early in his life
in Charlotte brought him into PROM
inence throughout the South. An
unassuming engineer and sur
veyor when he reached Charlotte
to face the problems OF his career,
he died with his / anne known at
home and abroad as a developer of
enterprise and the builder Of monu-
ments to prosperity. He had been
discernment and this ne exercised
in consideration of all projects
upon which he was approached for
aid or advice. Never a thing ill.,
volved in doubt had countenance
from him; never good movement
appealed to him in vain. Of the
latter, none in Charlotte failed Of
his support was never passive. 1t
was active and founded on deter
minalion to secure results In this
way he gave momentum to the cot
ton oil industry, whose value was
at first not appreciated, but which
has become second in Importance
only to the cotton industry itself.
lie was a practical economist, and
he worked strongly and heroically
in the building and loan interests
until the associations had gained an
impetus from which their present
splendid proportions were of easy
and safe attainment.
With Mr.. Tompkins' construc-
tive ideas and his achievements in
community development the pub
lie has some knowledge. With his
private characteristics and his So
cial side, however, it, has had but
partia; appreciation, for he kept
that to himself. His more intimate
associates who at times had
g.inps4 ofl,;> .,i:icr lifszknew h;m 50
be man Of noble and generous i'm
pulses, strong in his sympathies,
mindful of human faults and appre
ciative of merit and virtues, but to
this, he would have US give small
thought.
Suffice it that he never brought
His conscience to the public mart:
But lived himself the truth he taught,
White-souled, clean-handed, pure OF
heart. -
A memorial in stone may some
time mark his resting place, but all
over the South there are living
monuments to the triumph OF his
character. The ener-
gies which he expended in the de-
yelopment of the communities which
came under his influence will elo-
quently proclaim how we'll he
wrought and how nightly ne ac-
conplishad. With Mr.. Tompkins
lead, a career of splendid achieve
ment is ended. d.-Cllarlotte Observer.
In the death Of MIR. d. A. Tomp-
kins, of Charlotte, the South has
lost man of constructive genius.
For many years this valuable citl-
zen, who made his own way from
an unknown man to national fig
ure, has labored without ceasing in
the up-building of the South's in
lustries. He was instrumental in
developing the cotton seed oil IN
dustry. 1t was he, in connection
with the late Mr.. J. p. Caldwell,
who founded the Charlotte Daily
Observer, and these two men built
up that paper to its present position
Of importance.
The death of Mr.. Tompkins is
the cause of peculiar regret to the
Greenville Daily News, as he was
for a time large stakeholder In
this paper, and although he has
sold a part of his interest, he was
still affiliated with the ownership
when death came to him. He aided
The News, as he did the Charlotte
Observer, in building from smaller
to greater things.
NJ Tnnnl,ins was man of dis