The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-03-14
IN MEMORIAM.
From the Kansas City Star.

Frorl the Kansas City Star.
Kansas lost q lover when Col. n. S.
Goss died, one who worshipped her long
and with full and proud heart.
He came to Kansas in 1857, or about
that year, and settled at Neosho Falls, a
very young town in the big woods on the
banks of the Neosho river, in Woodson
county. Here he was the first post
master, here he lived for many years,
and here, while on a visit among old
friends, he died without warning and
without pain.
He was everything in the little town,
concerned in all its enterprises, and in
1865 he ''took up" with the idea of a
railroad through what in those days they
called 1.-The great Neosho valley" Since
then other valleys have been discovered,
advertised and settled, and the great
Neosho" has lost its greatness in the
public prints, but the railroad, the Mis-
souri,, Kansas and Texas" was built
Col. Goss was president of the first local
company raised to build it and was a
long time the attorney of the road while
its land grant was being disposed of, and
accumulated a fortune estimated at
$780, 900.
The man who acquires 100000 by the
time he has reached middle life, usually
redoubles his efforts and concentrates his
energies in the direction Of making an
other $500, 900; but Col Goss made diff
ferent disposition of his remaining years.
He had always been an enthusiastic hunt
er and naturalist; known to every true
sportsman in the state, and so drew
gradually away, as one may say, from
active business and in 1888 made a prof
fer of his already great collection of
birds to the state of Kansas. on condi-
ton that the collection should be given
rooms in the capitol, and that he should
remain custodian of the collection dur
ing his life.
The acceptance by the state of this
noble gift brought with it two gifts-the
wonderful birds and their collector. Col.
Goss removed to Topeka, established
himself in his workshop, little room on
the right of the main hall as you enter
the east wing of the capitol, while
next came the large room with its feath-
cred tenants which have been viewed
with interest and delight by thousands of
visitors. Here he enjoyed the privilege
given so few men, of ordering his own
life. In his charming little room, a sane
tum not to be entered by every one, he
gathered a few fine pictures, his favorite
editions or Audubon and books like
white of Selborne," and multitude OF
those gifts which nature throws in the
way OF her brightest-eyed and most OBJ
servant children; corals, bright hued
shells and butterflies, which fit and
waver through tropical forests like
winged hits of stained glass. His other
home was the Copeland hotel, and with
certain friends he occupied particular
table year after year. It was those who
gathered about that board and who re-
ceived his first greeting OF the day who
today are most bsreaved and lonely.
lie made long journeys. To hear that
q bird existed not in his collection, or
about which ornithologisus held contro-
versy, would start him on a four
ney to icy Labrador or the tangled
lungleS of Central America. No adyen-
turer ever sought with more ardor reced-
ing FL Dorado, or that fountain of eter-
nal youth which never yet moistened
human lip than he followed his feath-
cred treasure. He grew through his
own thoughts and studies g. be natur-
alist like Audubon or Darwin, not for
fortune or for fame, but for the good he
found in the work and for Kansas at
last
He had another enthusiasm besides
birds; it was his friends. He was in one
sense lonely man. His married life
lasted for but two years, and he remained
for thirty years or more a chil6lesS
widower. His affections reached here
ana there for objects; his surviving rela-
tive aud especially those men and women
whom on some principle Of selection all
his owl. he chose from all the world 10
be bis friends. These he fastened 10
his soul with hooks Of steel" To these
he extended endless little kindnesseS and
talked with the most perfect freedom.
He had his favorites about the state
house 70 whom he hsd fashion OF send
ing tickets 20 the thesters, and other
tokens OF bis regard. This for remenl-
hrance.
Hewas man who, IN life much Of