The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1901-06-03
Oldest of Nestors.

According TO DR.. Farrs English popu-
lation life table only lii persons out Of
10000 born reach the age Of 96. and but
~ attain the age OF o. II Is natural.
therefore. that any person living at o.
should be an object of interest TO the
general public. and that such interest
should be intensified when we find one at
such extreme old age not only I'm the en-
joyment OF physical health. but with a
mind ts=sfiear as bell. discharging
the onerous duties OF legislator as full
ly and effectually as man In the primo
OF life. Such an individual may be seen
today In the person Of Hon. David Wark
at his place in the senate of Canada, now
IN session at Ottawa, the federal capital
of the Dominion.
The subject OF this article Is descended
by both parents from Scottish families
that settled tn Ulster in the seventeenth
century. and was born near Londonderry,
Ireland. February 49, 1904 lie Is cOnSe-
quentlY ia his 9Sth year. in 1925 when p
years old. he came out 10 New BrIns-
wick. Canada. I'm a 81. John sailing Ves-
sel which had discharged cargo of
lumber at Liverpool and then touched at
Londonderry for passengers. The trip
was made ia thirty-hve days. For many
years Mr.. Wark was a successful mer-
chant His political life began in De-
cember. 1912. when. at the not very early
age OF ~. he was elected Co the legisla-
ture OF New Brunswick by the people OF
Kent county in that province, and took
his seat the following January. lie rep
resented this constituency until lSol
when he was appointed 10 the legisla-
tive council OF New Brunswick. He was
a member OF The executive council OF
that province from 1868 To 1862 and re-
ceiver general for few months IN 1861.
When Canada was federated CS67D Mr.
Wark was called by royal proclamation
to be a senator OF the Domiaon. For
hfty-eight years he has been member
OF some legislative body and has never
missed session. He remembers "A con-
ference OF the representatives OF the Eu-
ropean Powers. held I'm Vienna shortly
after Napoleons departure for the Island
Of Elba I'm 1914. And be has distinct
recollection ef-tife- battle of Waterloo.
which was fought In 1915. and OF "A gath
ering OF foreign notables i'm London
shortly afterward To celebrate the vic
tory Mr.. Mark was l5 years old when
George III died In 1920. and has lived
through the reigns Of George ~, VIII
liam w, and Victoria. The health OF the
veteran parliamentarian is excellent men
tally and physically
lie has good appetite and takes plenty
OF exercise While his hearing is slightly
impaired. his eyesight is extraordinarily
good. lie is great newspaper reader.
knows well what is going on in the
world, takes a daily interest In the rou-
tine work of the senate participating in
it's debates and discussing freely all mat
ters connected with this important body
of Legislators Fifty-iive years ago he had
an attack of influenza while attending
the session of the New Brunswick legis-
lature. but recovered quickly. When a
young man he was subject 10 quinsy,
and was advised by some friends TO use
tobacco as "a preventive. Accordingly. he
bought a pipe and began smoking, but he
was made SO sick that he threw away
the pipe and tobacco and has never
touched them since. He says that he has
always been thankftl for that sickness.
His recollection OF events fifty or seven
ty-hve years ago is perfect but he finds
IL difficult now to retain anything new In
his memory Nr. Wark attends the ses-
sion OF the Senate alone and will not
willingly accept assistance. even i'm put
ting on his overcoat While at the Cana
dian federal capital he boards at private
house and usually rides TO the parlia-
ment buildings I'm an electric car. He
takes his meals, with the exception OF
breakfast, I'm the Senate restaurant. and
returns home on the cars after compile
ting each days work. Mr. Wark's home
is az Fredericton. N b.. the political
capital OF the province, where he has a
daughter living The senator makes the
journey alone from this place TO Ottawa,
Canada. The distance via short line, the |
Canadian Pacific Railway. is about six
hundred miles For long time MIR Nark |
was member OF the senate or the Uni !
versity OF New Brunswick Canada, |
fFeHi- which he received, in 1897 az the |
age of 80, the honorary degree of LII. !
ID. This distinction was conferred upon 1
him In absentia as mark OF apprecia- |
tion OF his long and honorable career and |
valuable work in behalf of the cause OF /
higher education. Senator Wark is above |
the medium height of ruddy complexion \
and stout build. His manner is quiet and |
kindly He speaks slowly and deliberately |
as II he considered his opinion upon the /
subject under discussion carried weight. |
lie II gentleman whom anybody meet
ing once. will not easily forget. He Is
universally beloved by his colleagues
who never lose an opportunity of point
ing him out to strangers as "the nestor