New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-10-07
THE DEATH OF w. A. STILES.
HIS FUNERAL TO BE HELD TO-MOR-
ROW
A SKETCH OF THE LATE PARK COMMISSIONERS


LIFT-IIs CHEERrrLNEss N SUFFERING.
The funeral OF Park Commissioner William A.
stiles. whose death took place at early hour yes
terday morning. will be held tomorrow at p m.
at the home Of his sister, Mrs. r. II. Dayey No. 2il
Tonnole-ave.. Jersey city where he died The
buria. will be in the family vault at Deckertown,
Sussex County, y. J. Il VIII be private. Through
out mis- Illness Mr.. stiles patient In suffering.
and never lost hts fortitude or sweetness OF tenn
per. lie the mos, cheerful member Of the
| family, keeping up his habit OF Joking as when he
was in health. A brief sketch OF him was printed
In Tho Tribune yesterday.
William Augustus Stiles WAS born On March .. 1881.
| IN tho township OF Vantage, Sussex County. y. J.
Ills father Edward Augustus Stiles, eminent
mathematician and teacher. who founded the Mount
| Retirement Seminary about three miles from Deck
! ertOwn X. j.. and his mother Eveine Belmont
Howell previous to hcr marriage. Tho seminary
/ was os the best educational institutions IN
! Northern New-Jcrscy and from his childhood Mr..
| Stiles brought up in intellectual atmosphere.
! His mlschievous and fun-ovlng dspos ion
pronounced in his hoyhood that his father expelled
him from the school least every term for the
| good OF he other pupils but jim spite OF his pranks
he a hard student and at the ago Of eighteen
he had mastered all the subjects taught in the sem
| mary. and the most proficient Latin scholar
| there.
lie entered Yale College In the class with Burton
| y. Harrison and William {. Whitney, and dis
;'nguishcd hImse, IN widely different lines.
| Latin and music mis- proficiency in both being
| marked lie graduated in 1853. and later was
| teacher in hi fathers school. but his health.
hich had been delicate failed as 70 cause alarm,
| and he sailed for California bY way OF Panama,
thinking that the ocean voyage would be oenehcai.
| This supposton well founded. and FOR a time
after his arrival at California the improvement In
his health great as to be a surprise both 20
| himself and to his family and friends. While In
California frat ne accepted place as Instructor
I'm a private seminary. but soon resigned 10 accept
situation in the engineering corps OF the Union
Pacific Railway. While engaged in this work no
ovcrstrsned his weak eyesght upon tho fine lines
necessary in map drawing. with the result that he
was soon AT the point OF death from nervous exhaus-
ton.
HIS STAY IN CALIFORNIA.
| Although no had been n short time in California,
| he had managed to make many warm friends.
and throughout long illness these new-found
friends loving and tender nurses. The doc
tors gave him up but he recovered so far as % be
able 10 make the long voyage back 10 tho East.
When he arrived at home he was entirely blind
and so weak physically that few ventured TO pre-
diet his recovery. For more than year he WAS
an invalid strictly confined 20 his home. but his
active brain triumphcd over his fra!l physique.
and he continually wrote vigorous and charac-
terlstic political articles for Tho Tribune and
other papers The bulk Of these articles were die
| tated 20 his sisters. Mrs F. H. Davey OF Jersey
| city and Mrs. James Bennett. OF Port Jervis,
~. Y.
The late General Iudson a. Fitzpatrick and other
warm friends OF Mr.. stiles secured his appoint
mcnt as n United States gauger in NewYork
city place which ne held several years. The
duties Of the situation were always distasteful TO
in tho service upon change OF Collectors ne
Tho Tribune. becoming also the aericultural editor
OF THE Philadelphia Weekly Press"
begun what afterward became the chief study Of
hs ne. that OF plants and flowers. and during
h4 long convlloscence IN SUSSEX County. y J..
he spent much time In roaming about his fathers
large farm. collecting plant, and howcrs ana
OF their habits This love OF plant life
grew 10 be passion ana he 'G ,rsr,
fore that when. in lsS the leading ding hort
rlodcai devoted entirely TO plants and forestry;
Mr. stiles. with his newspaper expericnce and
man most s;tod 70 be rs editor r'ndar N. dlrec-
ton and Management, Garden and Forest" grew
country. wi h a widespread influence IN iii mat
tors touching upon forestry or horticulture In any
Mr. stiles was nm ardent and consistent Repub-
Loan ana Tor wars y" iouent 9sS Ssn nG Se he
was hts par'y's candidate for STATE Senator. and
both times he accomplished The feat Of carrying
tho strong Democratic township OF Vantage.
and although he ran about loo votes ahead Of his
ticket each time. he was defeated by small ma
iorlties. After tho close Of the last campaign IN
which he took part as a candidate the New-Jersey
senate. being Republican. elected him rs secretary.
a place which he held only one term.
As \ PARK COMMISSIONER.
| In 1895 Mayor Strong. at the earncs, solicitation
~ tho leading citizens Of tho city. irrespective OF
party. appointed Mr. stiles Park Commissioner.
The appointment was source OF great satisfaction
Mr.. stiles because ~ tho interest which he had
always shown In regard 10 the park system OF the
city ana because az a Commissioner he was placed
where he could sometimes oppose the efforts for
the pervrrsion OF the purpose FOR which tho parks
were created. At the same time his appointment
was one of tho chief causes which led to his final
den and Forest and other literary work. the
| amount OF labor which he did In relation TO the
| parks was great. Although the place was one
without pecunlarv reward he spent himself Freely
MIR stiles was an enthusiastic lover OF music, one
OF the sort that excrts potent influence on me ar
I'm practical way. except to a limited degree. but
he was thoroughly familiar win the ncsL m4 il
loved il intensely. and neglected few opportunities
10 hear Il. His discussion OF musical subjects WIN
friends OF kindred tastes was = constant dels en-
musical life Of the city, and his Keen lnsight ana
deep sympathy mado MN Gric Mnos@ 9p bose
| who heard them. Though thcre never was a man
more modest about his own views and opinions in
music than Mr. stiles. and while his knowledge
was not technical in It's scope ms sounh Jungment
| and Wide experience in music made ms criticism,
phra~eology. highly valued by ms , friends MI
| Stiles musical amateur o' INC nlS',St Vpv
| the type that determines the standard OF a com
| munity In culture and en.iShionmsnt' ana IN no
other side Of his life did MS clear h'"" ana WARM
heart count for moro than her" m ,, 81,
Mr.. stiles never Wa hmIi'' S S,i, IIoichts
In v,bosc home he died: Mrs james Bennett. OF Port
Ieryis and Mrs T. y. Mlllcn. who lives on the fam
iIy homestead at Deckcrtown, y j. Two nephews,
In whose success Mr Stiles took deep interest.
are pr John \. Hartwcll and william 3 Bennett
LAWYER of this city.
| FLAGS At HALFMAST on PARK BUILDINGS.
ON learning OF the death Of Park Commissioner
Stiles Yesterday morning Secretary Leary. or tho
park Department ordered the flags on the Ar
,oraI tho AQUARIUM and all other buildings OF the
ipnrk Don, rtn@nt to be placed ~ halr-mast.
LEWIS STARK.
Lewis Stark died yesterday morning Mt the homo
~ his sister Mrs. Sigmund Naumburg No. l2f
West Sixty -fourth-st aged hry-three years lie
v,s horn I'm this city and had lived here tho greater