The Saint Paul globe., 1899-01-18

WASHINGTON, D. c., Jan. 17.-John
Russell Young. librarian OF the Com
gressional library. died at his residence
at $40 this morning, after an illness
of several weeks.
MIR. Young was at the point of death
nearly all yesterday. This morn ng il
was evident that the end was close.
There were with him at his death Mrs.
Young, Berkley Young, his son; DR..
Freer, his physician, and Ralph ].
Meeker, one of the Old newspaper
Mr.. Young's death, Assistant L bra
rian T. c. Alvord appeared, followed
shortly by the other assistant, Hon.
Ainsworth R. Spofford
AT noon no arrangements had been
made for the funeral DR.. Freer, the
attending physician, made brief writ
ten statement that death was due to
acute Bright's disease W tn comp j.
cations, overwork and too much brain
work.
John Russell Young has had :. notable ca
reer as journalist, d-p-omatist, publ ofil- -iai
ana the intimate assoclzte OF d singuislcJ
Shester county. Pa, Eov. 70, 1S4I. The fam
iy moved 10 Philadelphia and he was edu-
GATED in the Pu0l.c schools OF that city
Later he went TO New leans where q 4
uncle lived, and continued his school work
IN the New Orleans high sch sol Re urn ag
70 Philadelphia. lie secured q place on tns
Phl-sde-phia Press, II 1857, aid from III S
GATED his newspaper work. When John W.
tcrney came 70 Wash ngton, in IS l. u DC
come secretary OF the senate ne brought
a,cng Young. who. by tk-t time. hid bee me
ney's private secretary, Mr.. Young continued
his writ nSs 10 the Pki-aie. phia Press, ard it
was ey his description OF the hr.I battle of
Bull Run that he " y IS spurs as a graphic
w7r correspondent. He followed the army of
the Potomac 10 the end OF the Cnicheh1In n V
campaign. IN 1854 he accompanied Gen. Ma
thaniel P. Banks On the Red river exPe5it on.
Cn returning he became managing editor Of
the Philadelphia Press, which he resigned IN
1865, TO start the Morning Post, which, h5w-
ever, Was 10. a success. He had con:r- -Dutei
10 the New York Tribune, and his pleas .ng
style attracted the attention OF Horace Gree
ly, and later on, Mr.. Young tec2ms mancg-
ing editor. AT that time Young w1s en- y
twenty-five years cd HIS leisure tine he de
voted TO the study Of the law, snd in 1861
was admitted 10 the bar n New York CT Y.
IN 1870 he again tried the ostab fShnaSne CT =
newspaper Of his O1n, tbs tine the Standard.
About this time, however, Secretary Boutwell,
who was at the head OF the treasury depart
ment in President Grent's cabinet induced
Young TO go abroad TO look into fnarcal al
fairs. While abroad ol this mission the aH-
ful days Of the Paris commune occurred and
Mr.. YOungs account Of the rise and fall II
the commune, and the s:irring days tn oaeA
which the French cspls4 passed. IS regarded
one OF the best examples of English de-
scriptiYe writing.
ON THE CONTINENT
In 1872 be became the European represen-
tative OF the New York Herald and spsnt two
years n London and Paris, ard another year
in work ard travel On the continent In
1871 Gen. Grant started up5n his memor-b-e
trip around the word and en h s invita- ion
Mr. Young Joined the party. This made HIN
for two years almost member CT the family
of the great general, and warm friendship
spralg up between them. After the return
Nj. Young wrote Around the World With
Gen. Grant During this trip Mr.. Young
was specially interested in China, to which
country President Arthur sent him in 1872 as
United States minister. He remained in
China until the opening Of the first Cleveland
administration, when he returned TO this
Country and engaged in literary ard business
pursuits. Then the new library of congress
was completed, attention was directed to the
choice OF librarian embodying literary ability
and executive management and President
Mckinley named Mr.. Young, on July l, 1897
He entered upon his duies while the library
was still IN its crampsd quarters at the
capitol, and saw it expand into the classic
temple Of literature which It now occupies.
The Transition involved not only removal
OF v5st stores OF precious volumes but the
complete reorganization Of the iib.ary staff.
Nj. Young directed all CT this, bringing about
the change OF the old TO the new with moth
ness and success. It IS said that his time
had been spent In part on a contribution to
as the chief literary achievement Of his life.
The funeral will be held Saturday
morning at II o'clock at ST. Johns
Episcopal church. in this city. The
service will be rendered by Rev. Alex
ander Mackay-Smith. The internent
will be in Washington and will be pri-
yate