The Washington times., 1913-02-18
CREMATION PLANNED
FOR M|LLER'S BODY
"Poet of Sierras" Had Built
Stone Funeral Pyre, at
California Home.

Washingtonians who loved the poems
Of joaquin Miller will turn in imagin-
alton toward the California home oil
the poet tomorrow. Early in the morn
ing the body will be cremated on a
funeral pyre of his own building. The
builder of many monuments near his
cottage called this one my monument.
He directed ii be used as Indicated al
ter his death.
The applying of the torch to the fun
eyal pyre VIII be like scene out OF
Homer Iiad and TINS scene Will not
be uniting, for a Homeric character
passed away when Joaquin Miller dieu.
The end came in a little cottage
which exactly resembles the one now
in Rock Creek Park, placed there %
the California Society of washington
when II was in danger of destruction.
Died of Sheer Old Age.
Death came to the old man, who was
born In Indiana, November 10. 1S4l, from
old age. He had been weakening slowly
for long time and his death was
peaceful.
Joaquin Miller, who was chrlstened
Cincinattus Heine, tasted adventure and
fighting at an age when many boys are
hardly out of the care OF goVerness.
His parents crossed the plains when he
was eleven years old and the family
settled In Oregon. There he took part
in an Indian war, receiving an arrow
wound in the neck
The days of the gold excitement soon
came In California and the poet ran
away TO San Francisco. In Siskyou
county he was adopted by tribe OF
Indians and the daughter of the chief
was given him in marriage. She was
the first of his three wives. This hrst
wife was slain when Miller was away
by white men avenging Indian raids.
Was Once Oregon Judge.
Miller went back to Oregon, studied
law and started to practice. He was
soon made a county judge
The muse was stirring Miller's breast
by this time and his inclination was
fostered by Minnie Myrtle, youns
Oregon poetess whom he met and mar
ried, Then he began to write for the
magazines and newspapers. But in 1856
the love of adventures called him 10
Mexico, where ne joined nnousterAs
party. He WAS arrested and nearly exc
cuted, but he obtained a pardon and got
back to Oregon In 1863 came his firs-
volume of poems. A divorce from MS
wife followed and Miller now made an
European trip, after which he came to
this city.
In 1851 he went back to the west and
bought near Oakland the tract where
he tuilt his second cabin and where
he lived until he died.
Songs Of the Sierras'' probably is the
best-known publication of joaquin Mil
ler's wriesng. Songs of the Sunlanc"
ard Songs of the Snowland' are other
favorites.
Two lines of the last poem written
by Joaquin Miller, the dead Poet Of
the Sierras" are known to Washing
ton friend of Mr.. Miller, Fred c. Wood
ward, who for years has been in cor
respondence with Joaquin Miller and his
daughter Juanita. The poem concerning
which the poet himself said but little
ie thought not to have been completed.
II dealt with the finishing of the Panama
Canal an event which Joaquin Miller
hoped to live to see.
Gods work for man was not yet done
I'll he had made the great seas one"
These were the Introductory lines Of
the final verses from the pen of the
poet who passed away in his home in
the Piedmont hills, near Oakland, Cal,
yesterday.
Writing 10 Mr.. Woodward not long
ago. Miss Juanita Miller said:
Father often speaks Of the monu-
ments he has built about the cottage
and whenever he speaks of my mon
ument,' meaning the pile of stones
he destines to be the scene Of his fun
di P!4S, ~ cS tie ~ ---'
heart out"
Last Letter Sent Here.
The last lines written any one by
Joaquin Miller are in the possession
of Mr. Woodward who received a brief
letter from him last July. After that
date, Mr.. Miller occasionally wrote
lire or two on his final poem, but
never so far as known here, addressed
a letter to any one.
Joaquin Miller frequently received
calls from President Chester A Ar
thur when Miller lived on Meridian
Hill in the log cabin, which has since
been removed to Rock Creek Park.
President Arthur gave Miller two
carloads of chips from the Washing
Miller dug was walled up and these
chips were in place until the ground
was excavated for the residence of
former Ambassador Henry a. White.
President Arthur was an easy-going
man. according to Mr.. Miller's testi-
mony, and according to local tradi-
tion of Garfeld's successor.
Il worry more about my little tract
here than Mr.. Arthur does about the
whole United States once said the
author of Songs of the Sierras."
Joaquin Miller lived primitively enough
In this cabin with mis- wife and daugh-
ter He had square bunk built against
a post and the bedding consisted of
boGShs Of trees covered with buffalo
robe
"A good enough bed for anyone" Mil
Ter used to say to friends here
Life Here Was Primitive
The family bought its meats and gro
ceries from a downtown store and did
not live in discomfort, although life
was primitive compared to the resi-
dents of the city.
Sixteenth and Belmont road, where
the White mansion now stands was al
most a wilderness in the early Seven
ties, when Miller came to live here after
his European tour and hunt for a pub
Usher in London.
Fred c. Woodward, who is collecting
first editions of the poets writings and
who has a wealth of correspondence
from the poet and his daughter, Is a
OF Woodward & Lothrop. One Of his
treasures is a copy Of Joaquin Et AL.
the first volume of Miller's works
printed. II BEARS the name in the title
page of Cincinattus Heine Miller the
name Of the poet as he was baptized
The first book became so famous that
Miller adopted the name OF joaquin" "
BY which everyone knows him and BY
which he will always be called in his
tory.
Californians and other admirers of the
writings OF Joaquin Miller will have op-
memory Of the dead poet when a meeting
is hel by the California State Society at
the Public Library Friday evening The
meeting had already been called for
that evening in order that Washington
Birthday exercises might be conducted