The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1909-03-20

Jsatson Palmer, often termed the first
citizen OF Colorado, founder of colo
rado Springs, solder empire builder
md philanthrop.st died at his home in
Len Eyrie at 100 O'Clock Saturday
afternoon. after being unconscious for
more than tventyfour hours
Death was dGe 70 the fracture OF
s,s spine by a fan while horseback
riding near his home in October, 1906.
sud although the general displayed
wonderful yitalily before h. finally
succumbed. he vas subject TO frequent
yeiapses which alarmed his family and
friends
Last year he was strong enough to
make a trip to Europe. where 1t was
a"ped that change OF climate and treat.
uent By British specialists might
strengthen lin and pro ons his life.
After a thorough test 1t vas found
hat the change vas not beneficial
aud ne returned To Colorado TO pass
as fe" remaining days in The home
be had built in the state he had loved
and served SO well.
During last week he had failed rap
itig. but his previous rallies had filled
y.,s family Will hop, that he might
tsaiD regain strength. All this week.
40 Ncvcr. his strength has failed and
a.. frequently sept heavily for hours
tie vas able to take an automobile
rtIe Wedncsdar but on mis- return tooh
- his bed for the last time
when he fell asleep about noon Fri
dsy NO especiai concern WAS felt buj
artar a time his breathing became
t1rorcd. he seemed TO be cotnatos" and
r. vas found that Ii" was unconscious
nr " II Swan was hastily called
lnt soon saw that tn" end was near.
tie remained with the dying man all
uisht and until the end Col d. {.
Dodge of Denver. a former railroad as
5uciate and close friend Of the gen
s'al. was summoned and with Mrs.
Dodge. arrived at the Palmer home
saturday morning.
There were also at the bedside OF
general Palmer a his death, his three
l1.gtiters. Mrs Elsie Myers. and the
Misses Dorothy and Marjorie Palmer
Mrs. Myers husband, Leopold Hamil-
Loh ltlS, ill7 olH''r4 -'ii2nn - ~ 'th .'4 :
rs. Dr, W r. Slacum. president OF
colorado college and Miss Jacobeit,
no had nursed the general for many
years General Palmer Was seventy
.pqo years Old last September
News of the death OF the founder of
colorado Springs spread rapidly
throughout the city and universal re
get was expressed,
william J. Palmer was born near
Isaipsic Kent county, Del. September
u 1896 His parents, John and Ma
t4!da Jackson Palmer, sent him dur
ing his early boyhood to Friends
school after which he attended a
grammar school and high school in
Philadelphia From his seventeenth
e. his twenty first Years he was a
member of the Hemptield railroad en-
sjueering corps. but he left this occu.
cation upon coming Of age, and spent
4 year in Europe in travel and study
returning he became secretary and
treasurer of the Wcstmoreland Goa
Company OF PENNSYLVANIA. which po-
,itiou he held for year, He then &C
--pted a position as private secretary
To ] Edgar Thompson. president and
controlling power of the great Penn
svlyania railroad It was under this
master mind that General Palmer first
received the training which fitted him
FOR the great work of his life in the
'ar West
At the outbreak of the Civil War
General Palmer recruited organized
aud was made captain of the Ander
sou troop OF cavalry. and thus entered
upon a military career which is one
4 the most brilliant recorded of this
memorable conflict His record be
gins soon after the battle of Bull Run.
when he was assigned to special duty
pader Gen Robert Anderson. when
tae latter took command in Kentucky.
Can. W T Sherman accepted Pal
mer's troop of cavalry when Genera
Anderson retired, and under Ander
sons successor. General Buell.. tht
Palmer troop saw active service in the
Nashville and Shiloh campaigns. A
year later at the request OF Genera
Rosecrans, General Palmer. then Cap
f,in Palmer. was authorized by Gov
,rnor Curtin of Pennsylvania TO or
,anize the Fifteenth Pennsylvania
rayairy. Hardly had this work beer
-ampeted when Palmer was sent to
lead off the Confederate invasion in
she Cumberland valley of Maryland
watch was accomplished at the battle
II Antietam in September 1862
On the day following that historic