Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1858-06-26
JOHN FRINK.

The character of this great stage-proprietor,
who was well known to many of our older cit-
zens, and whose death recently occurred, is thus
mentioned in the Iowa correspondence of the
Springfield Republican:
Brief mention has been made in the Republi-
can of the death Of Nh. John Frink of Chicago.
He merits from the public record Of Hampden
county more extended notice. Born within
its boundary, he followed the march of the pop
ulous column, which has led from the dawning
to the declining sun, leaving in its passage the
marks OF its spreading sway and its subduing
civilization, from the tides Of the Atlantic to the
swells Of the Pacific ocean, With sharp sa-
gacity, which looked far into the future, he chose
his standpoint at the head of the great system
of lakes, where he discerned the seat of coming
empire. With small means, and an unknown
name, he took with him a resolute energy, and
an interchangeable courage, to which difficulty and
obstacle gave only new strength and determin-
alton. Slenderly educated, and lacking the fin
ish of refined associations, he prevailed by the
native and naked force of nature which had in
it all the elements of triumph in any calling he
might choose. The West then was a wide acope
of leagues and acres, to which the labor of man
had brought but little of development Com
munisation was uncertain and difficult. Public
thoroughisres and public coneeyances, both for
travel and lnielligence, we're wanting. He or
ganlzed and put la operation the means Of trans
portation, radiating from Chicago to the outer
limits of Illinois, and into the bounds Of the then
territories of Wisconsin and Iowa. He was the
hardy and unconquerable pioneer of the stage
service in the wide spreading of these now pop
ulous haunts of production and wealth. In
twenty years, enlarging, with the expansion of
the field, the circle and extent of his undertake
bp biiilf N m association tho
erful in its means, the most perfect in its ma
chinery, and the most diffusional in its area of
action, of any in the country. In 1850, all of
the important mail lines, in the four states of
Illinois, Wisconsin, Iowa and Missouri, we're
owned and controlled by a company over which
he held single and sole direction. Without
any jealousy of the rival mode of transit, while
the scream of the steam whistle followed fast up
on the wheel ruts of his coaches and the tracks
of his horses, he gave hearty cooperation in
the construction Of railroads. All the iron high
ways, which have driven the slow and lumber
ing vain and wagon from use, owe to him no
small share of the active exertion which has car
ried them to completion. No man has left a
more legible and ineffacable handwriting of la
Dor and capacity on the prairies Of the North
West than he. He died as he had lived in the
agitation and excitement of large undertaking,
leaving name long to be held in recollection
by those who read the progress of dominion and
national greatness in the humble annals of those
who have chosen the victories of peace instead
Of war. Rude in manner, hard and harsh in
temperament, he was not without touches Of
true nobility of mind and elevation of purpose.
Unrelenting in his enmities, and unfinching in
his regards, his feuds and his friendships had
the enduring iron of his character. His better
actions have left memorials which will live; and
for the blemishes of his life, from which we
would avert our eyes, let them be judged, not
by US, but by Him to whose dread account he
has been called.