The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1912-08-02
Grand Old Man of North.
west is Dead.
DEATH COMES EIGHT DAYS AT.
TER RACE FROM EUROPE TO
REACH "FAlR OAKS"

Minneapolis,-William Drew Wash
burn, former United States senator
from Minnesota and pioneer miller,
lumberman and railway builder, is
dead at Fair Oaks" his Minneapolis
home. Death was attributed to all
ments due to old age superinduced by
a c%ancerous growth on his left side
He was 81 years old.
For SO hours Mr.. Washburn lay in
an unconscious state prior to his
death. He died without recognizing
the members of his family, who were
present, excepting Stanley Washburn,
a son. Stanley is still in the noun
tains OF British Columbia, it is pre-
sumed, as no communication has been
received from him.
The former senator's death came
after a suspense of eight days fol
lowing his arrival home from Europe
on Sunday, July 81, during which no
hope has been held out for his recov-
cry. Doctors said the mans remark
able vitality had prolonged his life for
almost a week longer than they had
expected.
While making the journey from
Quebec to Minneapolis, Mr.. Washburn
began to sink rapidly. He had ex-
pressed a wish to die at Fair Oaks"
&C. Washburn, who had Joined his
parents in Canada telegraphed to w.
ID. Washburn, Jr., telling him of his
fathers request. Arrangements were
made for a special train to bring the
former senator to Minneapolis over
the Minneapolis, ST. Paul and Sault
Ste. Marie railroad, which Mr.. Wash
burn himself had founded.
During the last eight days, the for
mer senator has been unconscious a
greater part of the time. He rallied
for a day or two and talked with old
friends, who had waited at his home
~anxiously to hear from his bedside.
He inquired about current events and
when told of the sympathy his many
friends held to him, he seemed over
joyed.
At the senator's bedside, besides his
widow were C. e. Washburn, Mr.. and
Mrs. William d. Washburn, Jr., of
Minneapolis, Cadwallader Washburn of
Mexico City, Mexico; Mr.. and Mrs.
Albert Baldwin of Lakewood. N. j.,
Mr.. and Mrs. Hamilton Wright of
Washington, ID. c., and Mrs. Stanley
Washburn. Mrs. Baldwin and Mrs.
Wright are daughters.
Mr.. Washburn, known best through
out much of his long residence in
Minneapolis as General" and Sen
ator," had been one of the pioneer
builders of the city.
Stricken III in Europe.
Mr.. Washburn was taken i'll at Carls-
bad and consulted physicians there.
They advised him to hasten home. He
and his wife went Immediately to Eng
land and sailed on a steamer over the
shorter northern route for Quebec.
Mr.. Washburn called for his wife
Sunday afternoon after having rallied
from a severe sinking spell. He talk
ed with her a few moments and fell in
to a sleep from which he never awak-
ened.
Mr.. Washburn's official and political
relations had been varied and impor-
tant, eliminating in the highest Off
cial position below the presidency, in
the nation-that of senator of the
United States. He had a taste for pol
itics like all his brothers and belong
ed the radical wing of the Repub-
lican party. Strongly anti-slavery in
the ante bellum days, when that was
an engrossing political question, siren
nous for the rights of the freemen,
he yet tempered his sympathies by a
regard for practical craftsmanship.
He was a protectionist in theory, and
yet recognized the need of practical
schedules. In short he subordinated
strong sympathetic impulses to prac-
teal measures in craftsmanship.
AS early as 1858 he was elected to
the lower house of the Minnesota leg
islature, but the members elected that
year never took their seats owing to
a change of apportionment. In 1870
he was again elected to the same pc
sltion and served through the impor-
tant session of 1871, giving his influ-
eoce and vote in favor of %subjecting
tue railroads to public authority. He
served on the school board of Mime
apolis for two terms beginning with
1866.
Mr.. Washburn reached Minneapolis
May 1, 1857. and DON opened a law
office. His career in the west divides
itself into three lines, that of bust
ness, the promotion of works Of pub
lie improvements, and craftsmanship,
in each of which he was eminent. The
first two occupied the first 90 years of
his residence here.
The practice of law at that period