The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1892-04-29
OBITUARY.


The Bellingham Bay Express of New
Whatcom, State of Washington, has the
following notice, under date of April
18th, to which allusion was made n last
weeks BANNER,
The untimely death of Hon. Eugene
Candfeld at 7 o'clock Thursday morn
ing, was a surprise to the citizens OF
New Whatcom and caused cloud OF
delicate sadness to rest over the entire
city since the announcement was made
that the kindhearted, noble old man had
succumbed to the inevitable hand which
all must sometime obey.
Mr.. Garfield had been complaining for
the past six months of a strange numb
ness and rheumatic pains across the hlPs
which lately assumed more startling de-
velopments. He could scarcely walk;
his left arm was a source of much annoy
ance to him, and he had little control of
his lower limbs. Tuesday morning he
was taken down with what was suppos-
ed to be an epileptic fit, and after try
ing struggle which left him weak and
emaciated, he regained consciousness
only to suffer another and more severe
attack Yesterday morning, in which the
answering spirit of death finally con-
uuered. He was conscious until the last
minute and died in CONFUSION. lie
leaves a wife and two daughters, Mary
and Laura, aged II and 10 respectively.
Mrs. Garfield, with her daughters, has
lived in Seattle since 1885, and moved to
New Whatcom just week ago to-day,
occupying the residence at the corner OF
Twenty-frst and + streets.
Senator Garfield was born in Airing
ton, Bennington county, Vermont, on
Nav 2lst, 1887. His ancestors during
six generations have been prominent
throughout the Eastern States. MIR.
Garfield was admitted to the bar in 1858,
after which he made rapid strides in
that profession. He was elected city at
torney of Aurora, ILL.,, in 1872, and in the
same year secured the nomination and
was elected State Senator from the 18th
Illinois district, by 1000 majority, and
served two terms with honor and dis
tinction. 1t was while he was senator
that Gen. John A. Logan said of him:
"Were it not for his defective hearing,
he would make fitting ornament IN the
United States Senate" He married
Miss Emily Hackney, daughter OF Col
Benjamin Hackney, one of the founders
of the C. b. Il Q. railway, in November,
1868.
Senator Garfield came to WhatcOm
upon his arrival in the territory of Wash
ington in 1888. The following year he
organized and Incorporated the Belling-
ham Bay Railway & Navigation Com
pany, and spared neither time nor money
in endeavoring to locate feasible
route throug the mountains and track
less timber to eastern markets for pro-
duce yet underlined. At enormous eX-
pense, surveys of prospective lines OF
railway to New Westminster ana Seattle
were made, and the zeal and energy OF
Senator Garfield became the theme OF
editorial comment all over the coast In
1888 he started the coal and iron mining
on the Skagit river by organizing the
Skagit Irok & Coal Mining Company. In
the later part of 1890 he Incorporated
the Garfield Loan and Trust Company,
with a capital stock of $4,000, and at
the last meeting of the directors OF the
First National Bank of Whatcom, he was
elected president. He was the proud
owner of the most extensive chicken
ranch in the Sound country, and owned
Eliza island, situated about twelve miles
south from the city.
Hon. Eugene Garfield was man OF
honor and generosity. OF him it can
truly be said that up to the time his
upon his earthly surroundings, and the
cold fingers of death clasped those noble
lips in eternal silence, no evil conscience
blurred his upright life; no cloud OF
rightful enmity for moment Obscured
the steady light of his kindly gentle
confidence. Beloved alike by his fellow
citizens, honored and reVered by his col
leagues of the legal profession, respect
cd and priced by his business associates,
this mans life is certainly worthy of
emulation. He rests at peace with al
the world, and not murmur, but devo-
ton breaks the holy quiet of his tomb.
The funeral will take place from the
residence at 2 o'clock tomorrow after
noon. The Masonic Lodges on the Bay
will take charge of the remains. Rev
j.. W.Applegate of the Episcopal church
will Officiate, and the remains will be-
conveyed to the cemetery (which alone
is a monument to his generosity, which
he donated to the city in 1885 on the
cars, giving all opportunity to the i'm
mediate friends and relatives of the de-
ceased to accompany the cOrtege.
Senator Garfield had property ant
securities estimated at about 100000
PROCLAMATION.
Death has removed from our midst ont
of our most public-spirited citizens, ;
man who has been friend of all classes
aud one who has done much for GU
city. As mayor q New Whatcom, re
spectfully recommend that all business
houses in our city. be closed between
the hours of noon and o'clock p. M, o
Friday, April Sth, 1892, to pay fitting
tribute to the memory of Hon. Eugen
Garfield.
NJ. L. MILLER, Mayor.