The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-01-18
John Russell Young Stricken Down
at Washington.
HIS NOTABLE CAREER
WON RENoWN as JOURNALIST
AND DIPLOMAT.
Held the Position of Congressional
Librarian at the. Time of His
Death-Was Managing Editor of
the New York Tribune and Minis
ter to China.

Washington, Jan. 17.-John Russell
Young, librarian of the congressional
library, died at his residence here at
s:45 this morning, after an illness Of
several weeks.
Mr.. Young has had a notable career
as journalist. diplomatist, public official
ard the intimate associate of distlr-
guisfed public men. He was born in
Downing Town. Chester county, Penn
sylvania, Nov. 20, 1871. He was edu-
Gated in the public schools of Phila-
delphia and New Orleans. He secured
a place on the Philadelphia Press in
1857 as copy boy. When John w. For
ney came to Washington in 1861 to be-
come secretary OF the senate he brought
along Young, who, by that time, had
become a fluent writer. Acting as Col
onel Forney's private secretary, Mr..
Young continued his writing to the
Philadelphia Press. BY his description
of the first battle of Bull Run he won
his spurs as a graphic war correspond
ent He followed the army OF the PO-
tOmac to the end OF the Chickahoniny
campaign. In 1864 he accompanied
General Nathan =. Banks on the Red
river expedition. On returning he be-
came managing editor Of the Philadel-
piia Press, which he resigned in 1865
to start the Morning Post, which, how
ever. was not a success.
He had contributed 10 the New York
Tribune. and his pleasing style attract
ed the attention of Horace Greeley,
with the result that in 1866 Young be-
came managing editor of the Tribune.
At that time Young was only % years
Of age His leisure he devoted to the
study Of law, and in 1867 he was ad-
mitted TO the bar in New York City. In
1870 he again tried the establishment
of a newspaper Of his own. the Stand
ard. About this time however. Secre-
tary Boutwell,, who was at the head of
the treasury department in President
Grants cabinet, induced Young to go
abroad to study financial affairs. While
abroad on this mission the awful days
CT the Paris Commune occurred. and
Mr.. Young's account of the rise and fall
of the commune and of the stirring
days there is regarded as one of the
best examples of English descriptive
writing.
In 1872 ne became the European rep
reSentative of the New York Herald.
and spent two years in London. and
Paris, and another year in work and
travel on the continent. In 1877 General
Grant started upon MS memorable trip
around the world. and on his invita-
ton Mr.. Young Joined the party. This
made him for two years almost a mem
Der of the family of the great general,
and q warm friendship sprang up be-
tween them. After the return Mr.
Young wrote Around the World with
General Grant
During this trip Mr. Young was spe-
cially interested in China, to which
country President Arthur sent him in
1882 as United States minister He re-
manned in China until the opening of
the first Cleveland administration.
when ne returned to this country and
engaged in literary and business pur-
suits.
When the new library Of congress was
completed, attention was directed to the
choice of a librarian, embodying liter
airy ability and executive mana cement.
and President Mckinley named Mr.
Young on July l, 1897 He entered upon
his duty While the library was still in
its cramped quarters at the capitol. and
saw it expand into the classic temple
of the arts and literature which it now
occupies. The transition involved not
only the removal Of vast stores of
precious Volumes, but the complete re-
organization of the library staff
AIr. Young directed all Of this. bring
ing about the change from the old to
the new with smoOth1esls and success. /
It is said that his time had been spent
in part on a contribution to literature,
which he had hoped to complete as the
chief literary achievement CT his life.