The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-05-19
HOW A LUMBER KING DIED.
Baptized ON His Deathbed, He Preached Is
His Men Until They Cried.
Dubois pa Special.

Dubois tPa.) Special
The circumstances surrounding the death OK
John Dubois the founder and patron of this
town, were very pathetic and have left deep
impression on the community. Although not an
infidel, he had lived a careless life. He seldom
went to church. preferring to spend Sunday
walking about his mills or his fine farm of ], 900
acres. For year or more, however his mind
had been strongly inclined to religious matters
He did not go to the preachers with his perplex-
tiles. He read his Bible and consulted with his
lawy er about it. His lawyer was the Hon. Geo.
A. jerks, who has just resigned the assistant
secretaryship of the Interior in order to keep
promise to Mr.. Dubois that he would take the
place of the latter as confidential adviser to q
young nephew, who gets the vast estate.
A Few days before his death Mr.. Dubois sent
for the Rev. Mr. Bell, and, after long CONVEX
sation with him, he baptized and received
into the Presbyterian Church. He Immediately
sent for the heads of all the departments in his
works, and as many OF the men as could crowd
into the sick room, to the number of about fifty.
When they were gathered he gave them such an
exhortation as had never beer heard before in
all this region. He told them he was dying, and
that if he had been well assured of his eternal
welfare week before, lie would not have been
living to talk to them. He could not let go life.
he said, until he got that question settled, and
he urged them not to put it off as he had done.
He was willing now to die, but if it was the will
Of Providence that he should live one year lon.
ger, he would not wish to take up his affaira
aSaiu. uo wouiu put Ia eVery oay, ne sal1, CO.
Jag about the mills telling his men the great
truth that he had at length found out and try,
ing to undo some of the evil his example had
wrought in his long lifetime
His voice and brain were strong although his
body was wasted almost to a skeleton, and he
could scarcely sit up in bed, propped with pill
lows. The men had worked for him-some ten.
some twenty, some thirty years. They were
rough. grizzly fellows from the logging camps
and the mills, but there was not dry cheek ia
the room as he talked to them and called them
by name and bade them good bye. Three days
later he died He was buried on his own farm
short distance back of the house where he lived.
He picked out the spot himself 1t is on tie ton
of gently sloping HILL and overlooks his mills
and the town that he built For the three days
between his death and his funeral all hands in
the town were idle as his own. Not wheel
turned in any of the mills. Nobody did any
business in the stores Three thousand people
looked at him in his coffin and walked behind ID
to the grave
Although his works were divided up into diff
ferent departments, each under its responsible
head, he knew all of the 800 men who worked
for him. and always spoke to them as courteous
ly as If they were all millionaires as we'll as
hmself. Some years ago, when times were dull
and lumber fell to a low figure, the managers of
his works agreed that there must be a reduction
in the wages OF the men. and so told him. He
heard them through and took the figures they
had brought him. but made no decision. The
next day he summoned them to meet him again,
and said
This will not do have examined the books
at the store, and find that it takes about all
these men earn to buy necessaries for themselves
and their families. If we must reduce wages
will begin with you, who are better paid Say
no more about it; guess can stand a loss bet
ter than the men can reduction"