The copper era. (Clifton, Graham County, Ariz.) 1899-1911, 1906-06-14
THE PASSING OF LOU HYER.

Lou NJ. Hyer was born January u,
1856, in Salem, Bent cornty, Mo-, and
died in Clifton, Arizona, June s, 1906.
He came west from his birthplace
in 1876, landing at Cheyenne, and inn
mediately went with the relief eX-
| pedition sent out to the Thornbury
massacre, afterwards going north to
the battle ground of the Custer mas
sacre with the expedition sent thel e
Tor the purpose of burying the dead.
Afterwards he travelled over the ives t
and northwest with 4 party sent out
to locate coal lands on the line of
the Northern Pacific railroad He
went to Leadville, Colorado. in 1878
with the Leadville mining boom. and
later was in the Yellowstone Park
with General Arthur. In the sum-
mer of 1885 he was with the GeolOgi-
cal survey in Colorado. In this same
year he was sent for by request of
Tom Moore, then chief packer of the
L. S. army of the west, at that time
located in Arizona with that branch
of the army engaged in the Indian
troubles and under command of Gen
eral Crook
At this time Lou stood six feet one
and One-half inches in his stocking
feet, weighing over two hundred
pounds, and was as fine a specimen of
western manhood as one would care
to see.
After the expedition into Mexico
after Geronimo he served as pack
master in the government service,
at Fort Apache, at which place he
remained until the latter part of 1889.
In 1891 he received injuries at Fort
Grant which resulted in a broken
leg. In 1893, while at Fort Huachuca.
he received a fall from wagon thai
broke his breast bones, receiving also
other injuries at this TIME, the re-
suits of which never left. him until
the hour of his death.
Lou Hyer was a western character
such as helped to make the west
known as the home of manly man.
hood-the rough exterior with the
kind and gentle heart. Untutored in
the lore of false morality, unfettered
in his individual laws of right and
wrong, UMPIRE JUDGED and just in every
action towards his fellow man, he
left the imprint of his personality on
every friend he knew-and few there
were who failed to call him friend.
In later years although battered and
shOrn of health, lettering with falteI-
ing step where ERE he went, robbet
of every hour of comfort by the evel
knawing scOurge of physical pain.
his joyous laugh and happy views OF
life were ever a source of pleasure
to his friends. Once a frame of iron
and heart of gold; Destiny robbed
him of his iron frame and left him
his golden heart. Ever self-reliaut
with the pride of western independ
N 1T 70
his hand. he asked no man for aims,
and even acts of friendship, when
tinged with pity, Jared on his senses
like harsh words uttered to child.
At all times ready with the open
hand of charity towards the needy,
he asked not the source from whence
such need had come, but dropped his
mite within the extended hand of
want with the freedom of a western
Croesus. Dying slowly for d score of
months he never lost his nerve. nor
yet one sunbeam from his heart, and
when a friend had eased him on his
last bed of pain, drawing his aching
limbs to lighter rest, he answered
''That is good" and then without d
murmur or sigh, Big Hearted Lou
passed over to the "Other Side'' as
gently as a child would pass to sleep.
1AhO Illus We LAY IT'LL III InS II.
unheedlng, that with the clods that
drop upon his lOwly head, should drop
our tears of grief: and many an eye |
unused to tears grew dim and turned
away, deeming it strange that simple
death should still release the wells of
sorrow.
Thus passes one who had his place !
upon the stage of life and in his |
time played many parts; man whose |
heart was greater. truer, freer than |
any kings: who trod the rough
est trails that western life has blazed, |
yet gathered every flower on his way |
and placed them where the world |
might learn the beauty of their
tlnts and breathe their fragrance. |
A noble nature in d shrunken, human |
frnme: a heart of ruby glinting sun
light from bed of clay.