Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1907-10-16
which was Incorporated upon the death

Mr.. LaVelle was identified with nu-
merous organizations including the
Press Club of Chicago, the Inland Pub
fishers association, the Illinois News
paper Publishers association, as well
as the Tri-City Press club, but in none
did he pride himself more than in this
club, of which. in accordance with the
system of rotation in Office which we
| have followed for years, he would, in
all probability, have been elected pres
| ident tonight had he survived. The
honor, too, would have touched him
deeply, for despite the fact that failing
health had kept him away from the
! club gatherings for more than year, he
appreciated the fact that he was remem
bered in the annual meetings and elect
ed to the second and first vice presi-
dency successfully.
Mr. LaVelle was a philosopher He
endured his Affections of body bravely
and without murmur, and met the in
will of God Possessed as he was IF
all the nobler attributes, he was such a
man as we can i'll afford to lose.
1T is not our province here to write
the last chapter in the career of one
who was an ornament to his race.
| Death itself cannot put the seal on the
closed book of life. The deeds of the
best of our kind live after-and who
shall say that his was the final cpl
taph? Time does not dim the luster of
we'll spent life. It's teachings linger
| like sweet fragrance to the sense of
memory, and memory, we are told, is
after all the only friend that grief can
call its own.
"The remembrance of Mr. LaVelle will
abide in the hearts of men. His name
is enshrined in the most sacred arch
ives of this organization. He will be
remembered as a type of that which is
noble in manhood and elevating in the
| life of our profession. We shall miss
| the touch of the vanished hand and the
sound of the voice that is still, but in
the parting let our salutation be, not
farewell, but as he was wont, in
CHEEKY tone, to say to us all, Good
night and sweet dreams "
| Tribute Is Paid.
| J. II. Lattimer of Davenport spoke in
feeling terms of Mr.. LaVelle, as one
who was both a credit and an honor to
the business of newspaper publication,
land w. F. Eastman of Moline delivered
a short but~fitting eulogy, dwelling
upon Mr. LaVelle's uniform courtesy
and unfailing good nature as the dom
| &c II. oho ",
shown even during the last year of
his life, when stricken by fatal illness,
he continued to maintain the same
characteristic demeanor toward his fel,
low men. IF l could lay wreath
upon the grave of Jim LaVelle,'
said Mr. Eastman, cit would contain
this inscription, Here was a man uni
formly kindly toward his fellow men
and fair and just in all his dealings
with men.
=. At the conclusion of the exercises, {
committee, upon. Mr.. Eastman's motion
was appointed, consisting of Rober
/ ReXdale of Rock Island, B. F. Tilling
hast of Davenport. and J. H. McKeeve
, of Moline to draft suitable resolutions
, to Mr.. LaVelle's memory and presen
: the same at the next meeting of tn
club.
Major Thompson's Farewell.
$ Major John T. Thompson of Rock Is
= land arsenal, who departs Saturday TO
. Washington where he has been assign
ed to duty as senior assistant to Ger
s eral William Crozier, chief of ordnance
: was present, leaving a private socia
J. function in order to bid farewell to tn
d newspaper men, among whom he ha
K lmany warm friends. Major Thompso
is an honorary member of the clul
and his departure is keenly regrette
/ by the members. Major Thompson wa
y lcalled on, and spoke of the regret h
! Heels at leaving the tri-cities, and seve
r ing the relations he had with the Pres
, Iclub. In the course of his remark
. Major Thompson referred to the man
D. different attitudes toward Rock Islam
Iarsenal, some looking on it as a bea1
IS tiful park, others as the site of one {
d the finest golf courses in the centr;
west, many regarding it as an immens
manufacturing institution employir
A hundreds of men and circulating thou
e. ands of dollars annually in the thrt
IN cities, and still others, those who hay
Of charge of it, considering it as one
D. the greatest resources of the country
lie time of war. He spoke at some leng
he on this last viewpoint, showing no
it this attitude on the part of Gener
SIS Crozier and other officials of the w
S: department has resulted in policy
" expansion and enlargement The 6
3. senal has but recently been given
is large sum for new machinery, and a
ne other allowance is expected to be ma
to in January Colonel Hobbs, the COZ
lis mandant, is an expert in steel castin
er having been located at the Bethlehe
ed steel works for some time. He is ia
Dr. ing steps looking to the establishme
Id of steel casting plant at the ARISEN
* for the manufacture of the steel pal
nd used in the construction of gun C;
as riages and other equipment The blat
&C. smith department at the island is al
We to be benefited by this policy, and W
m. soon be improved and modernized,