St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1894-10-08
CURTIN IS NO MORE.
Pennsylvania'S War Governor
Passes Away in His
Eightieth Year.
HIS VERY NOTABLE CAREER.
Was Prominent in National
Politics for Nearly Fifty
Years.
HIS VERY NOTABLE CAREER.
PENNSYLVANIA RESERVES"
Equipped at the States Ex-
pense and Held for Ma
tional Orders.

BELLEFoNTE. Pa, Oct. 7.-EX-Gov.
Andrew g.. Curtin died at O'cock this
morning. His end was peaceful, he
having been unconcious during the last
twelve hours of his life. All the MEM
bers of his family were at the bedside
when he passed away. Mr.. Curtin had
been in feeble health for some weeks,
but his condition grew serious on
Thursday last, and from that time he
sank rapidly. Death was caused by ola
age-the ex-governor being i'll his Soth
year-cOmbined with nervous trouble
which, upon reaching the vital point in
the brain, ended his lite. When the
case first took on serious aspect, ply
sicians were summoned. but they then
abandoned all hopes of recovery. and
the death of the old war governor was
not Il surprise. Andrew Gregg Curtin
was born in Bellefonte, Center county,
April %. 1915. His father, Roland
Curtin. emigrated from Ireland in 1898,
and in 1907 established near Bellefonte
one of the first manufactures of iron in
that region. Andrew studied law in the
Dickinson college law school, was ad-
mitted to the bar in 1889 and soon be-
came prominent. He early entered pol
itics as a Whig. laboring for Harrison's
election in 1910, and making success
ful canvass of the state for Clay in 1874.
He was a presidential electOr in 1S4S,
and a
Candidate for Elector
on the Whig ticket in 1852. In 1854
Gov. Pollock appointed him secretary
of tb commonwealth and ex-officio
superintendent of common schools, and
| in the discharge of his duties Mr.. Curtin
| did much toward reforming and per-
| fecting the school system of the state.
In his annual report of 1855 he recon-
mended to the legislature the establish
ment of normal schools, and his sug.
gestion was adopted. In 1860 Mr.. Cur
tin was the Republican candidate for
governor. The Democrats. though di>
vided in national politics, were united
in Pennsylvania, but Mr.. Curtin was
elected by majority of $1,000. He ad-
vocated the forcible suppression of
secession. and was one of the war gov
ernors who were most earnest in the
support of the national government. He
responded promptly to the first call fur
troops, and when Gen. Patterson, VINO
was in command in Pennsylvania, asked
| fer $4,000 more troops, they were i'm
mediately furnished. Gen. Patterson's
requisiuon was afterward revoked by
the secretary Of war on the ground that
the troops were not needed, but Gov.
Curtin. instead of disbanding them. Oh
tanned the authority from the legisla-
ture to equip them at the states ex-
pense and hold them subject to the call
! of the national government. This body
of men became known as the
| sPennsyivania Reserves
and were accepted by the authorities at
Washington few weeks later. Gov.
Curtin was untirirg in his efforts for
the comfort of the soldiers, answering
carefully the numerous letters sent him
from the field, and originated a system
of care and instruction for the children
of those slain in battle, making them
wards of the state. He thus became
known in the ranks as the soldiers
friend" Gov. Curtin's health began to
fail in 1868, and he signitied his lnten-
ton of accepting foreign mission that
had been offered him as soon as his
term should expire, but in the mean.
time he was renominated and reelected
by Is, OGO majority. In November, 1865,
Mr.. Curtin went to Cuba for his health,
and in that year declined another offer
of a foreign mission. In 1869 Gen.
Grant appointed him minister to Rus.
sia and in 1865 and 1872 he was promi-
nently mentioned as a candidate for
vice president. He returned home in
August, 1872, supporting Horace Greeley
for the presidency and subsequently
Joined the Democratic party, by which
he was elected TO congress for three
successive terms. serving from 1881 till
1887. In recent years he had been Iiv-
ing in retired life in Bellefonte, where
he was conspicuous figure. and where
his home was pointed out as one of
the most interesting features of that
locality.
1t has been decided, at the urgent re.
quest of Gov. PaltiSOn, to bury eX.
Gov. Curtin with a military escort. Ii
will consist of regiment of infantry, a
troop of cavalry and battery of ar.
{ Hllery, ana is the escort accorded by
military etiquette to cOmmander-in.
chief The whole will be in command
of brigadier general. Ex-Gov. Beaver
has charge of the arrangements of the
funeral, which will be held under the
auspices of the g. A. r.
Pattison ProcIaims.
HARRISBURG, Pa, Oct. 7.-Gov. Pat.
tison issued a proclamation tonight ex
pressing his profound sorrow for the
death OF ex-Gov. Curtin. and paying 6
high tribute to his public service a.
executive of the state and In the Other
important positions which he held. He
invokes for the bereaved family of the
ex-governor the sympathy of the Eco
pie of Pennsylvania. and orders al
flags on public buildings to be displayed
at half-mast. and that several depart
ments of the state government within
executive control be closed on the day
Of the funeral. which will take place
at o'clock next Wednesday afternoon
Gov. Pattison and his staff, Mai
Snowden and the commanders of the
three brigades Of the national guard
together with the members of their re-
! spective staffs, will attend the funera
of eX-Gov. Curtin. Adjt. Gen. Green
| land issued an order tonight directins
five companies each of the Twelfth anC
/ ! Fifth regiments, Hunts battery, O.
Pittshurg, and the Sheridan troop, o.