The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-11-03
Served as Mayor One Term, Having
Defeated Hugh j. Grant, the
Tammany Candidate.
PROMINENT BUSINESS MAN
WHO BEGAN HIS CAREER AS 4
CLERK IN A RETAIL STORE.
Personal Friend Of President McKin-
ley, Who Was Grieved to Hear
of Mr.. Strong's Death.

the last mayor of the old City or New
York died suddenly at 3 O'Clock this morn
ing at his residence in this city, after an
illness of about six weeks. His sickness
had been kept from his political friends
IT was known among his business asso-
ciates in the wholesale dry goods district,
but no one suspected that his condition
was alarming. Mr.. Strong had not been at
his place of business for several days.
Mr.. Strong took an active part in the
present campaign, and it is said that his
political labors, combined with his attempts
tc retain supervision over his business az
fairs, in the face of impaired health,
brought about the illness that resulted In
his death. He ate supper as usual last
night and did not complain of any pain
or weakness at that time. About IL O'Clock
he retired to his bedroom, assisted by two
nurses. who had been in attendance from
the beginning of his illness. About an
hour after he had gone to bed he awoke
and told the nurses that he very
weak He asked to have his wife and son.
Major Bradlee Strong, called. They soon
came to the room. When Mr.. Strong saw
his wife he put his arm about her and
said: 81 am very, very weak" Mr.
Strong grew little better, and as his con-
dition at that time did not seem alarming.
the physician was not sent for His daugh-
ter, Mrs. Shattuclx and her husband, were
called, however. A little before o'clock
Mr.. Strong seemed to change for the worse
and his physician was hastily summoned,
but he did not arrive until after the pa
tents death.
1t was announced at the residence of the
late William l.. Strong tonight that the
funeral arrangements had not been COM
pleted, but would be made public to-mor-
row.
Cornelius n. Bliss, chairman of the ex-
ecutive committee of the American Protec-
tive Tariff League tonight announced-.
committee to be present at the funeral
services Of the late ex-mayor.
William l.. Strong was born in Ohio in
1896 He was the son of father who had
gone to the Western country from Con-
necticut AT the age of thirteen Mr. Strong
was left an orphan, and this served to de-
velop the young mans capacity He
worked in different dry goods establish
ments. and finally went to New York as
employee of the house of L. o. Wilson
q Co. He was in their employ until. in
1885, he entered the house of Farnham,
Dale x Co. On Jan. l. 1870, Mr.. Strong
started business for himself, and the firm
existence. From that moment one of the
most successful business firms this country
ever saw rose 10 prominence. He also be-
came president of the Central National
Bank, and made it one Of the strongest
financial institutions of this country. His
election to the mayorality of New York
in 1894 was wonderful victory, and every
ante-election pledge he made was kept.
His majority was 45.1S7. His opponent,
the Democratic ticket, was Hugh j. Grant.
Mr.. Strong was a director in the Central
A.
ton. He was vice president and trustee
OF the New York Security and Trust Com
rany, and trustee of the New York Life
Insurance Company. He was also "A men,
Der of a number Of societies. including the
Ohio Society. American Fine Arts Society.
American Museum of Natural History,
Metropolitan Museum Association and
American Geographical Society.
At mass meeting in Madison Square
Garden in 1894 nonpartisan committee of
seventy was appointed TO organize the op-
position to Tammany Hall. to frame plat
form and select candidates for office, and
ii was this committee that selected Mr..
Strong to run for mayor on the reform
platform. The nomination was accepted
and the candidate entered into the cam
paign with vigor and determination. The
administration of Mr.. Strong event
full one. 1t was he who appointed Colonel
Waring commissioners of street cleaning.
and in spite of periods of strong opposition
within and outside of the party, kept him
in the Office until the end of the mayors
term. The affairs of the police depart
ment Mr.. Strong placed in the hands of
a commission board, whose head was Col
Roosevelt, whose early conferees were Col
Fred ID. Grant, Major Avery ID. Andrews
and Mr.. Parker. The mayor was often
accused of wasting money on improve
ments. His invariable reply was that
wherever he spent dollar he ''had a dol
lars worth to show for it,
Mr.. Strong was avowedly independent in
his views on city politics. In the municipal
campaign of 1897, which resulted in the re-
turn of Tammany TO power, he took the
stump for Seth Low, as against General
Benjamin +. Tracy, the regular Republican
candidate. After this election he virtually
retired from active politics on account of
failing health. He spoke for Colonel Roose-
welt, however, in 1898, and had since been
interested and influential i'm the councils
OF the independent wing of the Republican
party of this county