Evening star., 1902-03-05
A SUDDEN DEATH
REPRESENTATIVE POLK DROPPED
DEAD IN PHILADELPHIA.
Was Grandson Of Brother Of President
Polk-Action of the
House.

Although the members Of the House OF
Representa- tives were Informed Of the death
of Representative Rufus King Polk OF the
seventeenth PENNSYLVANIA district In the
prayer which opened the session today no
details of the sad occurrence had been re-
ceiyed I'D to a late hour this afternoon be-
ycnd the fact that Mr.. Polk dropped dead
eon the street last night in Philadelphia
and was taken to the Walton Hotel.
His Brief but Successful Career.
Mr.. Polk was a grandson of the brother
of President Polk. Although but thirty-six
years old, Mr.. Polk had made fortune for
himself out of the steel business. He
served throughout the Spanish war as first
lieutenant of Company F, of the 18th Penn
syIvania Volunteers His first appearance
in politics was in 1900. when he went to the
national democratic convention IN Kansas
City. He was afterward elected TO the
F'ifty-sixth Congress, and succeeded hlm-
self i'm the present Congress, and had, only
a month ago, declined the nomination TOT
a third term.
Mr.. Polk was born and received his early
education in Tennessee. He then Went 10
I,ehigh University, South Bethlehem, Pa,
from which he graduated as mining en-,
gineer. Deciding to go into the IRON anu
steel business, he secured laDorer POSI-
tior in a foundry In DanVille, Pa during
the financial panic of 1893 the foundry IN
which Mr. Polk was workman was SOLO
at auction and Mr.. Polk. who had saved
$500 bid in the plant for S39,Goo. ne at
once set about raising more money to ma"e
the necessary first payment or SZ,'U' aho
associated with him Messrs. Howe ana
Fisk The mill was at once put IN opera
ton and paid for out of it's business.
Mr. Polk invented a process OF manu1ac,
turing seamless iron pipe. and used MS mil
for that purpose. His process proved TO pe
extremely valuable. and returned lts IN
ventor large income from patent rosai-
ties.
Mr.. Polk had wife and five children,
two of whom were twins. He owned a
beautiful home in Danvile, where his fam
lily resided.
In Washington Mr. Polk occupied quar-
ters with Representative Green of Penn
sylvania at the Cumberland flats. He left
this city last Friday with Representative
Hall to go to Philadelphia, and the In
formation received here today stated that
Mr. Hall was with him at the time of
his death.
Mr. Polk's death leaves but three demo-
cratic members in the House from Pennsyl-
Vania
Action of the House.
Mr.. Polk's desk in the House was draped
and decorated with flowers while the House
was in session.
AT $40 this afternoon further consider
alton of the rural free delivery carriers bill
was suspended and the death of Mr.. Polk
announced by Representative Green. Reso-
lutiOns of regret. expressing the loss sus-
tanned in the death of Mr.. Polk. were
passed. and the following committee desig-
mated by Speaker Henderson was appointed
to arrange for and to attend his funeral:
Henry ID. Green, ]. K. P. Hall, c. F.
Wright Howard Mutcher, George r. Pat
terson. Charles Dick, J. NJ. Riggs. William
Richardson of Alabama, Arthur L. Bates
James X. Young. d. H. Mercer w. l..
Spark, Mark Smith of Arizona, Frank E.
Wilson and l.. p. Padgett.
AS a further mark of respect the House
adjourned.