Durango semi-weekly herald., 1905-09-14
DEATH OF S. E. HERR.

ana DeneIactOf. Hon. samuel IL. Herr
died at 1:10 a. m. today. Though his
death had been expected hourly for
days and weeks. hope of his recovery
long ago having been abandoned, TIE
was no less welcome 70
those around him and the friends he
had.
Mr. Herr was attacked with
strange malady of a nervous characi
ter more than two years ago and af-
ter patient waiting and endurance for
some months. he decided to act on the
advice of physicians and go to lower
altitude. and with Mrs Herr went to
San Diego. California, where they re-
mained until last July. when they re
turned for time to Denver, and then
to Durango. Though he never gave
up. It was presumed by his friends
when he returned to Durango that he
had weighed the possibilities of ever
getting well and determined to die at
home.
The physicians. specialists and sci
entists, when in California. made care
full inquiry into Mr.. Herr's malady,
but all were baf6ed. 1t is said that
only one similar case has been brought
to the attention of medical science
Sam Herr knew. and there was no
use trying to deceive him, that his re
naming life must be measured in con
siderable degree by his endurance of
pain and his courage. and he possess
ed the latter. His life had been
active in the extreme and he had been
successful in the requirement OF
splendid competence. He was not
rich but was well-to-do, and until at
tackled with the dread malady his rn
ture appeared to be most brilliant
one. He was constructed of mental
and physical nerves, never idle or
without something to do. mar of
wonderful energy. who directed all
his efforts with remarkable precision.
His convictions were deeply rooted
and guided his way through the ay-
enues that men have made. He made
| friends and enemies. and the former
could always command him, while the
latter found him an open. candid foe.
If Sam Herr had been able to re
move the pain and anxiety given to
his noble life partner his pain would
have been more bearable; could he
have restored the little boy taken
laway by cruel Fate he could have
spoken the final adieu and gone to his
Maker with less of regret. The boy
baby. aged 10 or II, had gone before
him accidentally shot, never to utter
La word. by little playmate. This
had been sorrow enough, and too
much. for the Herr home, but a few
years later the father was stricken to
hope against hope, but it was one of
the grandest struggles ever made by
courageous man.
| Durangos heart. the hearts of men
and women good and true pulsate in
unison with that of the grief-stricken
woman who mas gone through one of
those awful ordeals that try the
strongest of hearts, the noblest of
souls. Nettie Hewitt Herr, you had
made the splendid sacrifice that wives
noble and true had made before. and
have so well earned the praise and
sympathy of all your friends and all
Sans friends.
Since Sam Herr became citizen
of Durango he has been among the
foremost TO advance public interests,
and recalling the many difficulties and
disturbances that arise in industrial
affairs, let it be said while we think of
it that Sam Herr as long as he was
at the head of the Porter Coal & Fuel
!, company demonstrated by his action
from day to day that he favored pay
H,rip In, Of
and providing conditions under which
men could work and protect life and
health When crises came to the coal
business mems wages were not cut.
II will be left for many to recall what
, Sam Herr did for them when they
needed a friend; these things remain
ed unspoken by him when he passed
to the other shore this morning.
Those who differed with him will re
call his candor. They always knew
where he stood for he told them first.
even if he never told anybody else
great industrial enterprise has
lost its chief factor, the one who had
done most in the detail of its affairs
to make it success. but this loss is
trivial and Incompatible with that
where he lies today. voiceless and
pulseless, to be given back to earth
When Sam Herr represented La
Plata county in the state legislature
he was prominently one of the states
characters, in that he was actuated
unswervingly by his positive convic-
tions. He made both houses of the
Legislature realize that there was a
La Plata county knocking for recog-
milton. He and Senator Charles New.
man were cotemporaneous at that
time in their purposes to have La
Plata county's just claims under con.
sideration and they won respectful at
tention.
Sam Herr was active in his boyhood
when he begun with a survey corps
selecting the path for the construc-
tion of the Kansas Pacific railway; in
those days surveying parties had to
divide their time between their work
and lodging or fighting daredevil In.
dtans on the great plains of Kansas
and Colorado. He worked and strug-