Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1902-06-26

| was ne VINO spoke the most comfort
ing words to the stricken father OF
the young lady who lost her life
The hard labor in connection with
this search and the commencement
told on his strength and affected him
visibly. 1t was characteristic of the
man to sacrifice himself for others.
Dean Johnson received a salary OF
$500 year and is believed to have
! left comfortable amount of life in
J surance, said by some university
; members to be $4,000. The income
! from his books was considerable.
DR.. Rirse's Tribute.
President E. A. Birge paid the fol-
lowing tribute to Dean Johnson:
The news Of the death of Dean John
son comes with so great a shock to
US that it is impossible to estimate
! fairly his work for the university.
We think of him as still active and
/ eager in the service of the institution
No words can overrate the import
| ance OF the work which he accom-
plished in his too short stay here.
He formed the college of engineering
lacking organization, but with an
able and devoted faculty and ready
for rapid advance. He organized
the college, winning the enthusiastic
support of the faculty and the hearty
affection of the students. He made
this college of engineering a power
| full factor in the life Of the univer-
sity and Of the state. No part of the
university has grown more rapidly in
size than this college and none has
seen greater or finer development
in the inner spirit and temper of its
educational work. These great ad-
vances the college owes to Dean John
sons capacity for organization and to
his ability to unite the support and
affections of it's members. 1t is i'm
possible to realize that so great an
influence has SO suddenly gone into
the past. His work will always re-
main with us as his best monument"
Col. William F. Villas, regent of the
university, said:
Dean JChnson's loss to the univer-
hity is very great. Perhaps it will be
long before it can be repaired. He had
assumed direction of the college of me-
chanics and engineering, putting great
ability and enthusiasm into the work
which was apparent in valuable results
well known to the regents and to all
who are interested in the university
He put great energy into his work and
had established his place as one of the
strongest men in the institution. The
community and the state will both sHf-
fer deeply in his unhappy death AMI
everybody who knew him will feel the
deepest sorrow. A more distressing
bereavement has not befallen us IN 4
long time
Storm Bull. professor Of steam en-
gineering, an intimate faculty associ-
ate with Dean Johnson. said:
Il cannot express how great a per-
sonal loss this is to me. The city, the
university and the Madison Unitarian
church have suffered great loss and
each member of the engineering
school faculty has lost a dearly be
loved friend. The death is a great
calamity and loss it will be hard to
make up. During his three years
service here the engineering depart
mnt has more than doubled in scope
and in number of students. 1t will be
difficult if not impossible to replace
him."
When Governor La Toilette heard
the news he was visibly panied, ex-
claiming:
Are you sure there is no mistake?
This is shocking!"
Later in the evening he dictated the
following statement:
Dean JOhnSOn'S death is very
serious loss to the university and to
the engineering world. His work here
in three years has made a lasting i'm
preston upon the university to which
he was most constant and devoted
He was a man of executive power,
tireless energy and unusual activity.
The engineering department of the
unIversityWith Dean Johnson at it's
head has become known wherever
men are Interested in progressive en-
gineering. Mr.. Johnson will be great
ly missed in the social and religious
life OF the community. He drew men
to him and made strong friends from
the first. He was as much a part of
our community as though he had al
ways lived among us. He was widely
interested in all that pertains to it's
life and strong factor for it's bet
terment"
Prof. F. E. Turneaure said:
81 feel the news greatly and hardly
know what to say. Prof. Johnson was
a most valuable man in the university
and the loss is an iTreparable one-to-
the engineering college especially. I
have known him for 10 or II years
and have the highest regard and love
for the man. One of his strongest
points was his sympathy with the
younger students and ''his boys will
feel the loss greatly. He was one of
the greatest men-educationall
the country. He was noted particu-
larly for his energy and far sighted
ess-characterized especially by his
being far in advance of others in his
line and his discernment of the future
needs of the country in the way of
technical education. But his great
characteristic was energy and this
probably had some effect upon his
health during the winter
Prof. F. J. Turner commented as fol-
lows:
81 am ineXpressibly shocked at the
n