Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1911-04-13
TOM JOHNSON
PASSES AWAY
FAMOUS ADVOCATE OF SCENT
FARE CRUSADE succoMes
IN CLEVELAND.
ONLY FIFTY-SEvEN YEARS OLD
Twice Congressman and Four Times
mayor-Was Crushed in Health
and Spirit by Defeat
In 1909.

Cleveland, April 11.-Tom L. John
eon. twice congressman from the
1weoty-frst Ohio district, four times
mayor Of Cleveland, champion of the
hree-cent street railway fare and pro-
pinsnt advocate of the single tax the.
prizes of the late Henry George, died in
bis apartments in the White Hall, after
long illness. Death was caused by
eirrhosis Of the liver. He was 81 years
Old.
Mr.. Johnson had been i'll for more
ban = year, buthis condition was not
bought serious until he suffered a re-
hpse on Wednesday, March Is. He
I'd been gaining strength ever since
- came home after spending the sum-
lRer On Nantucket island. On Saturday
hight March II. he left his apartments
Ind attended banquet of the Nisi
EFps club, an organization of Cleve-
ahd lawyers.
The following Wednesday his condi-
Hon was such that he was obliged to
30 to bed. From that day to the time
ef his death his condition was grave,
though several times he made SEEM
hgly impossible rallies.
Tom Loftin Johnson was born July
I, 1854, at Georgetown, KY, and
when still boy began his struggle
With the world in which he was to
prove himself master of men and
things. He began in the rolling mill
Md the street railway Offices at Louis
Vile, KY, and the foundation there
laid in his grasp of traction matters
Ultimately led to his being a COM
banding figure in traction affairs in
many cities. When still young man
be went to Indianapolis and engaged
b traction activities, and in 1872, at
The age of Is, invented the Johnson
street railway rail, which he after
ward manufactured
It was In 1881 that he first came to
cleveland. At that time he purchased
the old Brooklyn horse car line, and
subsequently built the scoville avenue
f1ne. Still later he acquired the South
6ide lines, and eventually organized
the Cleveland Electric Railway.
Mr.: Johnson's advent into the DO
pttcal arena was in the year 1888,
Fhen he ran for congress against
theodore E. Burton in the Twenty
prst district, the campaign ending In
bis defeat. Two years later he was
egain candidate for congress against
Burton and succeeded in wrestling
from him the victory. He was re-
elected in 1892, but was defeated in
1894, when he again ran against Bur-
ton.
Immediately after this defeat he dis
posed of his interests in Cleveland
tnd left that city and began that re-
markable career in traction organiza-
ton which took him successfully to
Brooklyn; N. Y, Buffalo, N. Y. and
Detroit, Mich, in which enterprises
he amassed considerable fortune.
His first advocacy of three-cent fare
marked his advent in the traction in
terests Of Detroit, and the first steps
taken there in that direction later
developed into his greatest political
!, asset. The story of his fight for the
establishment of three-cent fare In
Cleveland is too long for review in
? short biography, but it was marked
py many spectacular and striking in
sidents, among them being the es-
adjustment Of bank of his own, the
Depositors Savings & Banking Co.,
and the Inauguration of his newspa-
per stock subscription device for
financing his lines. But the financial
tih1culties Of the enterprise multi
Piled and the first real reverse came
when the Cleveland city council or
Tered referendum election to be held
October q, 1908. and in spite Of Mr..
9ohnson's splendid political machine.
and his vigorous and spectacular cam
paign, his policies were defeated by
. small majority. His street railway.
enterprise toppled and fell and re-
Seivership was appointed for his lines.
Mr.. Johnson's defeat November Z,
1909, by plurality of 1888 votes by
the present mayor, Herman c. Baehr,
really marks the finish Of his public
career in Cleveland, though he con-
tinued to hold Office until January L.,
1910. After his defeat he was never
the same man. On the occasion Of his
retirement Mr.. Johnson's physical de.
cilities were particularly marked. As
he had done once before under like
circumstances, he left Cleveland and
from that time until shortly before his
last sickness spent little time in the
city.
Crushed both in health and spirits
after his defeat by Mayor Baehr. the
former mayor went aboard. He had
hoped to regain his health, but came
home no better. Last summer he
spent IN q cottage on Nantucket
island.
Besides his wife. Mr.. Johnson is sur.
vived by one son, Loftin. and q daugh.
ter, Mrs. Bessie Mariani.
Senior Inclan at the Capital.
Washington, April 11.-Senor Zamar
coma Inclan arrived here and was met
by the stat Of the Mexican embassy.