The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1886-11-18
OBITUARY.
Jonx E. PAaE.

A telegram from New York announces the
death of Mr. John e. Page, nom neuralgia OF
the heart
The sad news. win carry feeling of deep re-
eret through wide circle Of friends.
Mr.. Page was New Yorker of the old school
having the genuine Knickerbocker stamp
and was a person of unbounded popularity in
Albany, during his long residence at the capital
of the State.
His elegant home was the centre of social fes-
tivity and refinement, and distinguished guests
from every part of the State, Governors, Sena-
tors and literary men, counted 1t a privilege to
enjoy the hospitality of 30 genial q host His
home was furnished with all that art and refine
meut could suggest, and his pari0rs and studio
were replete with elegant Souvenirs gathered in
his travels in Europe, AID with statues presented
to him by Powers, the sculptor. He was the
author of profusely illustrated work, entitled
Letters Home, from the Continent" the typo
graphical finish of which we have rarely seen
eQualed.
Mr.. Page had two large dry goods and gents
| furnishing stores on Broadway and North Pearl
| streets, and though his prices were ALWAYS high.
| his patrons were always pleased, for he dealt
only in the best goods. In later years, however,
the large wholesale New York and Boston stores
established close to his own, affected the pros
| perity of his business, in the same way as T.
| Stewards store in New York and John Wanna.
makers "Grand Depot" in Philadelphia af.
fected the business Of smaller houses in these
two cities.
In consequence of this, Mr. Page transferred
| his Albany business to his eldest son and Mr..
VIM. V. Page, and went to Buffalo, where he be-
came interested IN various matters and in Ger
tain pine timber lands in Michigan and in
Florida
lie first came to Tallahassee to inspect and re-
| port upon the Curtis tract in Wakula county
and other timber lands in this locality He had
been accustomed for many seasons to spend his
winters at st. Augustine and in South Florida
but later on he became hopeful of the future OF
the ;" hill country" and he reported favorably to
Buffalo and New York capitalists on the timber
lands of Wakua county
| IL was while examining the titles and diagrams
| OF these lands in the Office of the Secretary oil
State, that he casually laid his pencil dagonally
across the map, and said {" If these lands are
purchased, there should be railroad constructed
through them to render the timber accessible
lie little realized at the time what indefatigable
| labor and heavy losses that pencil and the &C
| c0mpanylng remark was destined to cost him
But when he saw how anxious the state
officials and certain citizens. were to have
some one move in the matter of the "new
Railroad and being repeatedly assured that
abundant aid and encouragement would be
granted by the State, he decided to take hold oil
| piC SbtNi PIioC, W uiNli Hc puSHeu dUeau Win all
the energy that had always characterized him
He obtained his charter, formed his company
and perfected all the details with nicely and
far-sightedness which only those who were init
maely associated with him can appreciate.
But for three years the financial odds were
against him. Several of his Northern friends
who had promised him the greatest assistance
were suddenly and Unexpectedly crippled by the
decline in the wool market, and they had to be
set aside and other directors substituted 4
But, more than all, the unprecedented depression
during the past three years in Wall street caused
| every new enterprise to be looked upon with the
greatest degree Of caution and capitalists were
timid in embarking on any new venture.
However, things began to get brighter during
the past summer. Confidence was regained
The financial outlook became more hopeful and
recently success seemed well nigh assured
Victory was just within his grasp, his face was
bright and his step elastic, he was about TO see
the cause crowned with success for which he had
| suffered and labored and to save which he had
even mortgaged his beautiful home in Albany
But just as he was consummating that which
would have resulted in the speedy completion oil
the T., T. & G. R. r., and would have doomed
this whole section of the State. he was stricken
down ION Wednesday morning LAST in the city
OF New York, and at the very time that Talla-
hassee learned that his enterprise had succeeded
he was lying still in death.
Mr.. Page was a respected member for twenty
five years of the First Reformed Church of AL.
bany where he was indefatigable in his religious
life and good works; and he has probably been
laid to rest by this time in the Albany Rural
Cemetery, where other members of his family
Sleep and where his pastor for twenty years
(Rev. DR.. Rufus w. Clark was buried only 8
few weeks before him. E. W. c.