Omaha daily bee., 1907-10-11
DR.. S. D. MERCER is DEAD
Pioneer Physician and Surgeon Dies
After Long Illness.
WILL BE BURIED ON SUNDAY
Leaves Large Estate in Excellent Cone
dition TO Three Children, who
Constitute the surviv-
knE Family.

Ne
DR.. Samuel David Mercer died at his
residence. Fortieth and Cunning streets, at
5:45 thursday morning of a complication
Of diseases at the age Of s.. He VIII be
buried in Forest Lawn cemetery Sunday
afternoon the funeral services beginning
at the home at O'Clock. They will be
conducted by Rev T. j. Mackay OF All
Saints Episcopal church and Rev. S. D.
butcher of the First Christian.
DR.. Mercers death marks the passing OF
one Of the pioneer physicians and surgeons
of the state and a man who had mace
Omaha his home for forty-one years. The
ailments which led to his death became
pronounced three years ago and caused
radical collapse in Dr. Mercer's physical
powers, which had been remarkably great
From then on. though he had employed
various means to combat It. disease worked
it's way steadily and with constant remind
! ing Of the inevitable.
Mrs. Mercer, died in February, 1905, and
the surviving family consists of Or. Mel
son s. Mercer Misses Caroline and Mary
who were with their father at death.
Hopeful TO the Last.
Optimistic i'm the extreme, Dr. Mercer
was near at hand and when the oppor-
! tunity offered he was prone to elaborate
to his more intimate friends upon his
plans for the Identification Of Omaha. He
/ was a man of abundant means accumulated
| through thrift and enterprise, but at all
times was enthusiastic in the future of
] Omaha and invested his surplus means
accordingly in the building OF homes and
| business blocks. which very materially in
! crea sed his income. Only recently he con-
! fessed to an intimate friend that he had
| over 100000 on deposit in the Omaha
| banks and he was in a quandary as to
what to do with it, Aside from his
numerous residence properties in all parts
/ of the city lie was the owner of several
valuable properties in the business section
| Of the city notably on lower Howard
street, Davenport and Capitol avenue from
all OF which he derived a munincent in
! come.
In recent years DR.. Mercer had retired
/ from the active practice of his profession
and his time was devoted exclusively TO the
care of his property interests.
Sketch Of Career.
Samuel David Mercer was born on a farm
in Marion county. nlinoiN, June 10. 1872
He early developed the business qualities
which served him well all through life.
While still a small boy he began trapping
the various wild animals of the country
and gathering the crude drugs to be found
there. By selling these he secured enough
money to buy part interest in threshing
! machine, which he operated one fall. He
planted a large crop OF wheat and then
taught school during the winter months
The next spring he put out large field Of
N..l.,
sand dollars.
1t was an accident which happened to
him on his threshng machine that sent him
to medical school After having the wound
dressed by a physician in tho neighboring
town of Salem he went direct to the Uni
versity Of Michigan. where he entered the
medical college. After a two years course
he applied for a position as assistant sur
geon in the army. He was successful and
was assigned to the 10th Illinois volun-
teers
AT the close Of the war he took further
work in the Chicago Medical college and
the Berkshire Medical college, Massachu-
sets. There he was graduated with honors
He came direct 10 Omaha, where he lived
continuously unit his death He continued
his practice Up to list. He established the
first hospital In Omaha in 1867 at Twenty
sixth and CGss streets, Later he estab-
lshed a private surgical hospital known as
the Omaha Medical and Surgical institute.
Chief Surgeon of Overland.
Several years later he was appointed chief
surgeon Of the Union Pacific railroad, es-
tablishing the system which is still used.
Hc also founded the hospitals of that road
at Ogden and al Denver.
tie was surgeon for the Omaha Grant
Smelling and Refining company, assista mt
surgeon for the Burlington railroad for
many years and Tor ten years United States
pension examiner at Omaha He was the
original mover ia the establishment Of the
Omaha Medical college, In which he filled
the clinical chair OF surgery for four years.
He delivered the FIRST graduation address at
this institution
He occupied the chair of surgery at the
University Of Nebraska for two years.
lie was secretary of the Nebraska Medi-
cal society for seven years He was the
prime mover in the establishment of this
society in 1867, was always an active men,
Der and its president for one year.
He was prominent in national affairs os
medicine and surgery also; was vice presl-
dent Of the American Medical association
in 1886 and presided a part Of the time at
the meeting of the association in New Or
leans
In the fall OF 1886 he retired from the
practice Of medicine, owing to IN health
and outside business affairs.
street Railway Builder.
He was pioneer in building % street
railroads. He devoted his energies and
money at first to the construction of cable
roads. but soon saw that electricity was the
power of the future and directed his ener-
gies in that line He struggled against
financial odds for three years and then
succeeded in developing the first electric
railway plan. in the city which was after
ward united with other lines and became
what is now the principal part OF the
Omaha and Council Bluffs Street Railway
company. Of which he was a director up To
the time Of his death.
DR.. Mercer was active also IN politics
always being a republican. He was a
prominent candidate for governor In 1890
but was defeated at the convention In 1891
he was again widely spoken Of for the
place. but refused 10 allow his name to be
used. In 1891 he was chairman OF the re-
publican state central committee. He tried
unsuccessfuily for mayor OF Omaha.