New-York tribune., 1901-03-09
OBITU AIRY.
CHRISTOPHER L. MAGEE.

Christopher L. Magee of Plttsburg editor
politician. phanthropist and fnancier. died
this evening, after an illness Of more than two
years. His death unexpected. as IT was
generally believed by his friends that he was
improving in health His condition took turn
for the worse last night. and the members Of
his family We're hurrieily summoned TO Harris
burg. He gradually grew weaker throughout
the night and to-day until the end came. His
body will he taken to Pittsburs tomorrow after
noon on a special car
There We're with Senator Magee when he died
his wife and her sister. Mrs Warwick; Mr. and
Mrs. W. A Magee. Steel Magee and Mr.. and
Mrs. John Steel Of Pittsburg brothers and sis
ters Of the Senator.
Senator Magee was taken I'll with a comphca-
tion of diseases in course Of the last session OF
the legislature. and was under the almost con-
stant care Of a physician until he passed away.
For most Of the time he was at the Stratford
Hotel. Philadelphia. He leased house in Har-
risburg for the legislative session. and came here
the day previous to the organization He took
his seat on the opening day of the session, and
only once afterward appeared in the Senate.
That was the day on which the ballot for United
States Senator was taken. and ne voted I3r
Congressman John Dalzell, Of Plttsburg. re
kept in close touch with the les's'a.,Ne p,s
ings but TOO Ill 70 attthd 'he ssSS1u'lS. ~
a writ for special election 20 MI the vacancy
caused by Mr.. Magees death VIII De 'Ssu,u DS
Lieutenant Governor Goblin after IN" luie. a.
lTbe death will be formally announced IN the
senate on Monday night. and the cus'oHdIS
men, will be taken out of respect 10 ms
oS-,1ry Committees from the Senate anu
House win be appointed 10 attend the funeral
Christopher Lyman MaEee was born in Pitts PITTS
-, On Anru a. lsiS He came Of Enghsh
US ry catarrhal great grandfather was a
t,oI,,,,orarv soldier. and settled in Fittshurg ~
The close of the HIS father was born the'e IN
,so- tIis mother Elizabeth Steel was porn IN
I,o,y- In -F7rrness England. in lsli and came 10
,t.st,rg with her parents In ISL FROM lhe "ard
- t,,,b schools Nagee entered the western Uni
rsi,v Of Pennsylvania. HIS educaionai course
boyvever was set aside when hf;een years oiu py
- so.tb of his father and his desire TO aid IN
- ,rort of the family. He received an ap-
- -, in the Office OF the Controller OF PITTS
- His genius for politics and efficiency in Of
6cial duty secured for him In 1868 the eaSi'e'sip
Hcia - rreaslry Two years later he was
1.c,cd city Treasurer on the Repu7hcah uoAtt'
receiyine 1900 more votes than the party eahd'-
-. for Mayor. He reelected with three
! - The majority given al MS hrst eecuoh' ne
times ,,e-nber Of the Fire Commission for ten
80 a portion Of the time oeihs IT'S p'eS'leh'
yeaiS, COS no was unanimously nominated oy the
IN in - the Forty third Senate district of
r. So, Al the same time the Democratic Sena-
.r,aI convention. against the protests ana eno''s
10 tbe chairman Of the Defhocrhuc C'u'i'S 1o'"
-, % - "a ward bosses" indorsed his candidacy
- ~ Aye-sixths of the delegates. This
,,oriaI district in 1892 had given Republican
I,,raIitv OF $40. Mr Magee was elected by the un-
paralleled majority OF H''"S-
~ rs tv,ice secretary Of the Republican state
,.,,,..o he was a delegate 10 every State con-
,,ention Of his party subsequent 10 lS'2. and 10
every national convention after 1870. In an theSe
Gatherings he was potential factor In shaping
nominations and platforms. lie was one Of the
foos ..3o6' in the convention OF 1850 in favor of
General Grants nomination for a third term In
ISIS ne headed the break from sherman to Harrl-
son which led the latter's nomination ana cleo
ton in 1892 he was of the leaders OF tha
Harrison forces at Minneapolis. In 1893 he toresaw
the logic of McKinley's nomination and cary ad-
vocated MS preference He represented the AAld
Congress District of Pennsylvania IN the 81 LOUIS
convention which placed the name of William Nc
Kinley at the head or the fepup4Icah hdIo1ldI
ticket
Mr.. Magee a director or trustee in many cor
porations and institutions OF public character His
special pride was in the Western University of
Pennsylvania in which in youth lay his ambition
for a collegiate education. lie president of the
Board of Trustees OF the Mercy Hospital the Oldest
and largest institution of the kind in Western
Pennsylvania; a trustee of the Carnegie fine arts
and museum fund of Pittsburg: member of the
Sinking Fund Commission Of Pittsburs; president
of the Pitts5pTg Press Sluo a memher OF the
of Pittsburg. and Of the Union League OF Phila-
dephia. ..,.,,,, ,t,,,e M ,,,,a, o,., eo,ro7
conspcuously The large and magnificent zooog-
te ~ h eciion for the city OF his birth The build
ings said to b. among the finest OF in the
world were erected 10y Mr.. Magee a cost of
Sl95 D0 and thrown open free to the people for
ever In June. 1885. For almost twenty years Mr..
Aiagee had been active in street railway
prises His first venture with the Transverse
Company. in 1880. before the cable trolley sys-
TENS came into Subsequently he was inter
ested extensively in the great network of lines
which covers the cities of PittsbuTg and Allegheny.
He was president of the Consolidated Traction
Company. In 1854 Mr.. MaSee purchased The Pitts
burg Times daily morning paper. In 1896 he
established THE Pittsburg Daily News an after
+ noon newspaper.
Mr. Magee's participation In municipal affairs
has been a subject Of comment. IN reply 10 his
critics he always cOntended that whatever part he
took in city affairs for the citys good This he
demonstrated by comparison of the Pittsburg of
I twenty-five years ago with that city of to-day.
Besides his interest in the Consolidated Traction
Company. his newspapers and participation i'm edu-
cational and charitable Institutions he was actively
| associated with several banks and companies
the Consolidated Gas Company, which controls
the Illuminating properties in Pittsburg the
electric lighting and natural gas companies, and
various other concerns in Pttsburg. large and
/ small.
| Mr. Magee once said: while 1 believe in what
they call the machine indispensable in straight
politics, and have generally been with IL, L have
always made IL rule to be fair. When the machine
IS wrong am .agn' it, and never hestated TO say
and / know that whenever a party wishes
TO ride riot the people and its members
me for not going with IL my friends in Pittsburs
stand up for me"
Mr.. Magee had the closes personal as we'll
political relations with General Grant. Roscoe