The record-union., 1896-05-23
DEATH OF A GOOD CITIZEN.
Colonel James MCNaSSer Passes Away at
Salt Lake.
His Death q Serious Loss to This
Community-Will Be Bur-
led Here.


home of his daughter. Mrs. James M.
Donnellan of Salt Lake City. 1t did not
come in the nature of a surprise, for he
had been failing rapidly for several
weeks, and his death was expected at
any moment.
In the taking off of Colonel McNasser
this community loses an enterprlslng,
upright citizen-a man of wealth and
public spirit who was always foremost
i'll every undertaking that had for its
object the betterment of the city, and
one who was liberal with his money
whenever money was needed to advance
local interests. He was a man OF clean
life, and though an ardent Republican,
was never known to ally himself with
cliques, and repeatedly declined to ac-
cept office. He was intensely patriotic,
courteous and of knightly manners and
address.
Deceased was native of Ireland ana
in his SEVENTEEN year His parents
came to America when he was but two
years old and settled at Burlington, VT.
When 30 years Of age he came to Cali
fornia and engaged in stock-raising in
the southern part of the State and sup
piled beef cattle to the mining sections
kelumne River, near Benson's Ferry,
and another in Yolo County.
Colonel McNasser was always an act
i've man of affairs, and even the great
State of California was not big enough
for his operations, which were extended
to Denver when that city began to grow
into a metropolis. He purchased con-
siderable property there, and also be-
,,1%1
Some fourteen years ago he removed
his family from Denver to Sacramento
and leased the Golden Eagle Hotel,
which he conducted for several years,
and then retired to his farm just below
Oak Hall, having purchased the Fearn
property. He bought up large tracts
of the Pocket" lands, which in those
days were susceptible of cultivation,
until he acquired upward Of a thousand
acres.
But the city drainage canal, which
was expected to carry the surplus water
and sewage from the city down into
Snodgrass Slough and thence to tide
water failed of the object intended and
the city drainage was largely thrown
upon his land, since which time that
whole locality has been almost totally
lost to cultivation.
Colonel McNasser was the leading
spirit in the formation of the reclama-
ton district created a few years ago
to protect all the low lands between
here and Freeport from inundatiOn. But
dlSagreements arose and he led the
Pocket" residents in seeding from the
old district. A year ago they formed
new district and laid their plans for a
system of reclamation that would bring
several thousand acres of fertile but
water covered tule land under cultiva-
ton and add largely to the taxable
wealth of the county. Matters have
been delayed by litigation on the part
of those interested in the old district,
and while many men would have wear
led of the conflict Colonel McNasser
never lost hope of redeeming that rich
section Now that he is gone, it re-
mains to be seen whether or not his
neghborS have the courage and enter
prise to fight out the battle.
Besides his valuable farm property
and live stock Colonel McNasser owned
a large number of residence properties
in the city, all in good localities and
we'll improved. AT one time 1t was his
ambition to secure a half-block of
ground between L and M streets, in front
of the State Capital, on which to erect
a mammoth hotel, to be surrounded by
beautiful grounds, but though he Of
fered good prices for the property some
Of the owners refused to sell unless
they received fanciful prices, and he
abandoned the enterprise after he had
secured a few lots.
Then he undertook to secure the half
block on n street, between Tenth and
Elventh, and was willing to pay $25,-
900 for the four full lots, but again
some of the owners held out for exor-
bitant prices, and this, too, was aban-
doned.
Mrs. McNasser died in this city a cou-
pie of years ago, and her husbands re-
mains will be brought here for inter-
ment by her side. The deceased leaves.
besides his daughter in Salt Lake, two
grandchildren, Mrs. John B. Silbey Of
Denver and Mrs. Minnie Flint Of this
city.