Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1897-10-29

civil engineers in the country, died Friday
night at the home of T. f. Barber in West
Townshend. Mr.. and Mrs. Doane came
there Oct. II to enjoy the beauties of the
autumnal season. Mr.. Doane was then
in his usual health, but the day after his
arrival he had what appeared to be an at
tack of bronchitis He had suffered pre-
viously with an affection of the heart, and
the weakness of this organ soon caused an
alarming condition and eventually death.
On Thursday night, DR.. Houghton, the
family physician, was sent for, and was
with him when he died.
When his condition became alarming
his children were notified, and Mrs. Will
lam Weeden of Cleveland, Ohio, and Mrs.
Harry Twombly of New York, accompanied
by her husband, arrived before his death.
Another daughter, Mrs. Perry of Crete,
Neb., and his son, Rev. John Doane of
Lincoln, Neb., with Mr.. Doane's only sur
viving brother, Charles Doane of Crete,
were on their way when they were met by
the sad news and went directly to his late
| home. The remains were taken to Charles
town Saturday, funeral services were held
Sunday, and the burial was at his birth
place in Orleans on Monday.
Mr.. Doane was born in Orleans, Mass. in
| 1872, the eldest of eight children. His father,
| John Doane, was a prominent lawyer, and
the originator of forest culture in this
country. After attending the academy in
Andover, Mass, several terms Mr.. Doane
entered the Office of Samuel NJ. FELTON,, a
prominent civil engineer in Charlestown,
at the age of 10.
He remained with Mr.. FELTON, three
years when he became head engineer of
division of the Vermont Central railroad.
From 1S47 until 1S49 he was resident en-
gineer of the Cheshire railroad at Walpole,
N. II. In December, lS49, he returned to
| Charlestown and opened an office, where
he has since remained carrying on his pro-
fesson of civil engineering and surveying.
Mr.. Doane has, at one time or another,
| been connected with all the railroads run
ming out of Boston, but particularly with
the Boston d Maine.
! In 1853 he was appointed chief engineer
of the Hoosac Tunnel, and located the line
of the tunnel, built the dam in the Deer
field river to furnish water power, and in
this work introduced nitro-glycerine and
electric blasting for the first time in this
| country. He also introduced compressed
| air and invented the machinery for it, and
had large share in inventing the pneu-
matte drills used then. In 1869 he went
to Nebraska, where he built 240 miles of
railroad on the extension of the Chicago,
Burlington and Quincy. -,.-
| He made the question of grades a spec
ial study, and to perfect were those on the
extension that one engine would haul as
many cars to the Missouri river as
| five engines could haul across Iowa. He
also located and named nearly all the towns
on the extension.
| While in Nebraska he took leading
part in the agitation of the question of es-
tablishing college in this state. He Sc
cured for its site square mile of ground
at Crete, beautifully located 20 miles west
from Lincoln, and in recognition of his
services the institution was named Doane
college.
In 1878 Mr.. Doane completed his work
in Nebraska and returned to Charlestown,
re6pening his Office. Soon afterward he
was reappointed consulting engineer of the
Hoosac Tunnel and had charge of the
reconstruction of the whole of the
Troy and Greenfield railway and of the
tunnel. On Feb. 8, 1875, at the opening of
the tunnel, he ran the first locomotive
through it.
He finished his duties in this direction
in 1877, and two years later, in 1879, he
was appointed consulting and acting chief
engineer of the Northern Pacific railroad
for one year. During that time he located
the Pend d. Oreille division across the Col
umbia plains in Washington territory and
parts of the Missouri division in Dakota.
Since then he had done a great deal of i'm
portant work. Mr. Doane was president
of Boston Society of Civil Engineers, of
which he was member for 10 years. He
was also member of the American Soci-
ETY. of Civil Engineers. He had been a
justice of the peace for over 80 years, and
for 40 years he was deacon of the Win
throp church.
He was a director of the Associated
Charities of Boston and president of the
Charlestown branch of the organization
vice president of the Hunt Asylum for
Destitute children; was a member of the
New England Historic Genealogical society
of the Congregational club, the Charles.
town club, the Boys club, and of the
American college and Educational society
In the promotion Of the reforms and
improvements for the Charlestown dis
trict, Mr.. Doane was always particularly
active. AS a member and officer of the
Charlestown Improvement association, hC
was always working for the interests oi
the district, and it was due in part to his
efforts that the new bridge project wa
pushed along.
The 40 years of active work that h
gave to Winthrop Congregational church
OF Charlestown were of inestimable value
to the society. As deacon and chairman
of the standing committee he aided IL
every venture that was started for thu
benefit of the church, both with his hanC
and purse. In spite of his 76 years ht
was a man of commanding presence-tall
broad shouldered and erect as a soldier.
Mr.. Doane lived many years in one OF
the oldest houses in Charlestown. 1t was
at one time owned by Oliver Holden, the
composer of the famous hymn, Corona
tion." The house was never painted ol
refitted, Mr.. Doane preferring to. keep 1t in
its original condition, on account of the
historical connections.
Mr.. Doane's first wife and the mother OF
his children was Sophia Clark, daughter Of
Rufus Clark of Brattleboro. His second
wife was Louisa Barber, daughter of Ansel
Barber, for many years Brattleboro's town
agent. Mrs. Doane was a sister of the late
Augustus Barber of West Townsheud
Mrs. DOane is a woman of many accom-
plishments, and has been fitting helpmat'
to her talented husband.