The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1897-10-18


Of distress, and everything possible was
done to relieve him. He had been weak
ened by his long illness, and during the
summer was several times thought to
be on the verge of fatal collapse, but
each time he rallied. He did not i'm
prove much with the coming cooler
weather, and the sinking spells became
more frequent
On Friday Mr. Dana was able to take
only the lightest nourishment, and this
condition continued. Paul Dana and
his sisters, Mrs. Draper, Mrs. Underhill
and Mrs. Branan, were at his home
on Saturday morning, and were warned
to remain there. They were at the bed
side when death came.
The cause Of Mr.. Dana's death was
cirrhosis Of the liver. On June 8 he
was at his office apparently strong and
healthy. The next day he was taken Ill,
and he never afterward visited New
York.
George William Curtis used to say
that if there had been no such thing as
Journalism In existence Charles An
derson Dana would have created the
business of gathering news and selling
ii and commenting upon 1t in such
manner as to attract attention. OF all
the men who have gained fame and for
tune by newspaper work, Mr.. Curtis
believed that Mr.. Dana was the best
equipped for such enterprise both by
native ability and acquired endow-
ments.
Although Mr.. James Gordon Ben
matt will proho bI1y n, In tat I6pu
Journalism lasts the fame he won as
the founder Of modern American
Journalism. and although Horace Gree
ley will stand pre-eminent as the po-
litical journalist. and Henry J. Ray
mond as tho politician journalist It IL
probable that the traditions of jour-
nalism as they shall be told In the
future Will point to Mr.. Dana as the
greatest of American journalists.
Yet Mr.. Dana had no idea in his early
life what his career was to be. AS a
boy In a rocky and desolate New
Hampshire town it seemed to those
who knew him that he was physically
Of such structure as made the success
full farmer. The clergyman and tho
school teacher recognized, however,
early In his boyhood days that. big
boned and stalwart framed as he even
then was for a lad, his physical equip
ment was well matched by his INTEL
lectual. fie was one of those boys Of
whom It sometimes is said that learn
ing Is not study or task, but de-
light for them. He had scarcely any
need to go to college His mind was
Of that peculiar constitution sometimes
discovered which suggests that there
Is no need Of mental discipline. The
very qualities which a college curricu-
lum are supposed to develop he pos
tsessed by native gift. He took to the
classics before he was 10 years of age.
He was born at Hinsdhle, N. H., on
Aug. 8, 1879 and when he was l6 years
of age he entered Harvard college, I'm
mediately giving evidence that he pos
sessed unusual mental gifts.
But he was obliged to give I'D his
college course. Whether it was over
use Of his eyes by candle light or
neglect. functional disturbance which
threatened to become organic compelled
him to abandon his books Just as he
was entering the Junior year.
Soon after Mr.. Dana thought Of
mercantile career, and he went to Buf-
falo. then a thriving village, where.
with relative. he sold goods over the
counter. A short experience was sufti-
10.