Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1903-04-01

Mount Everett Caused Heart Trouble
From Which Or. Porter Suffered For
Several Days Before He 0ied-De-
tails Of His Last illness and Funeral
Written From Agra March 4.
Particulars of the death of DIR. H. r.
Porter at Agra, India, have been re-
ceived by his son, H. v. Porter. in let
tiers from Mr.. A. T. Rutter. of Berra
Villa, College Road. Ronderbosch,
South Africa, a fellow traveller through
India with DR.. Porter. Mr.. Rutter was
accompanied by his wife and daugh-
ter and they met DR.. Porter on the
steamer from Ceylon to Calcutta, re-
naming with him on several trips
through India, and being with him
when ne died, summoning the best
medical assistance there and doing all
that could be done. Mr.. Rutter writes
that he arranged with the authorities
for the delivery of the personal be-
longings of DR.. Porter to his son,
through the proper authorities at Agra.
The letters to DR.. POrter's son were
written from the Hotel Metropole,
Agra. and the first was written be-
fore the doctors death and the second
after the funeral.
The first letter is dated March 3,
tho dow hnYnra hs- J@ak1 -~I 1880.
1T is with extreme regret and sorrow
that | have to inform you that your
father, DR.. H. r. Porter, is seriously
i'll with heart trouble. ! am taking
the liberty of addressing you entirely
on my own account. l and my wife
made his acquaintance on board the
S. S. Somalie. which sailed from Cey-
lon. He landed in good health al Cal
cutta. and it was at Darjeeling. I
think, that he must have over-exerted
in going to Mount Everest at 4 O'Clock
in the morning. We returned again to
Calcutta and left again the lex day
for Benares. He commenced to COM
plain on the journey, and when We ar
rived at this place we determined to
remain here and rest, but the next
day your father grew worse and l sent
for DIR. Lucas. who paid every atten-
ton. This evening he brought
another doctor and they held a consul
tation. ! may tell you that very little
hope is entertained for his owe
although can assure you that every
attention is given him and all that is
possible to be done is done. | sleep
in the same rOOm with him and have
the services of a professional nurse,
Mrs. McGrann. 1t will give me great
pleasure if before posting this tomor-
row | could report progress. | and my
wife sympathize very deeply with him.
SO far from home, in a strange land,
among strange people. He was so
anxious to see the beautiful 'Taj-Mahal'
He may not see the earthly one but
Heavenly n is not far away - $3.50
a. m.-Now in the Heavenly 'Taj-Ma-
hal and | feel it as if he were my own
father. We all sympathize deeply
with you in your great trouble. About
four hours before he died l asked him
your address. He said: 81 am not GO
ing to die yet" His last words were:
What time is it?' l told him 3 q. m.
The second letter is dated March 4,
and says: "All is now over. | and
my wife and daughter followed the re.
mains of your father to the cemetery,
1t was the best that could be procured
here in the European grounds. The
services were performed by an English
clergyman. The proprietor of the
hotel who attended to ali the arrange.
ments will no doubt communicate with
you further. l leave here in a few
days to resume my tour to London"
The "Taj-Mahal." to which reference
Is made in the letter is the mausoleum
erected by Shah Jehan for his favori.e
wife. 1t Is reputed the handsomest
marble structure in the world, and ia
the attraction for sight seers at Agra.
The name e "gem Of buildings"
IL stands on a platform IS feet high
by BIB feet square. with tapering cylin.
drical minarets 1873 feet high at the
angles. The mausoleum itself is in
plan 1856 feet square with the corners
cut on. The interior is occupied by
four domed chambers In the corners
n a large arcaded octagon in the
middle. all connected by corridors. In
the center stand two ceaotaphs sur
rounded by a remarkable open work
rail IN marble. No light IL admitted
to b Interior except through the deli.
cately pierced marble scr,,ns which
NIL all the windows. The decoration
ID enriched with admirable mosaic in.
laying IN stone In flower motives and
~arabesques. much Of it in agate. blood.
stone and Jasper. The work N the