Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1914-09-24

J George F. Kirby, pioneer railroad
builder, manufacturer. and business
man, one of the stalwar, tigures in the
business life aud uphuildins Of This
I city. died at his home. South Fifth
avenue, a, 1850 Wednesday night fol-
lowing an illness OF several weeks due
to cancer OF the Bladder
I Mr. Kirby had been in failing heaiih
/ for about three years. when pros
,a;ic trouble due TO age developed
The trouble mas been s.at;,.dlily grow
/ ing worse and six weeks ago reached
such stage that il was found adj
( visable Tor him 10 go TO s., Luke's
1 hospital. Chicago. for diasnoSis- II
was decided that drainage operation
be done 20 relieve the condition. and
! the operation showed the foundation
OF the trouble n he malignant The
! operation mas performed about i've
I weeks ago and the strength " me
patient has been gradually diminish
/ ing Mr. kirhy was broush, home
/ from Chicago sept = and has been
falling rapidly ever since. During the
( i,s--., us4corst ;5;;s mos; - the .j'ne due
! to urenlic poisoning which developed
;e2zr2r5 the last The end came peace
fully
4 ceative. Practical Business Man.
7 George r kir0y known 10 the peo-
( pie Of this community as b. mixer dur
( ing The past twenty wears. was in fac;
one Of the stalwart business chara cters
Of an early day, whose optimism and
business courage led MN i.lto all OF
the big business projects winch have
contributed n the makias u city
I here when ojher places have remained
county seat towns
! M- kirby was 4 prime mover IN ihe
/ building OF the glucose factory. the
81, Odeon Theater ana the PILGRIM Hotel.
and even in the later wears Of his life
/ became q large investor II the pre-
f4rred stock ~ the Lenn0x Furnace
! Company because il was one OF the IN
/ dustries which helped 10 make the
\ town grow He Invested extensively in
business property on East Main street,
and profited with The growth Of the
town.
7 The creative spirit Of he builder
4 dominated MS life from he time he
began as q lad with ssIr1 eying gang,
10 his last DAYS. He had the business
courage To quarry the stone ne found
along tbs NortFlw estern right way.
He was not afraid To build factory
to manufacture corn products He
started new bank where there was
need for one. IN mis- charities NJ held
10 the indjvidualistic school Il thought
Of his time. but when there was ac-
tual building % public Institutions 20
be done he was in Il as vas evidenced
by MS contributions OF Sl96Q 10 ST.
Thomas hospital and $1,000 from him
and Mrs. kirby each 10 the Y u. c.
and Deaconess hospital projects He
was q kindly man 10 Know, friend IN
! fact 3 : We'll as u name - taose whom
he trusted. but always guided or
practical ruru 81 mind which demanded
( Of others an ablls-y 10 mae good II
the things they undertook. il was ti7ls
that gave aim an intense interest n
the business manager form Of city GOV
ernmenc which he was -rying TO bring
about in MS home town eve. II his las.
days Of pain and suffering
( Was Native Of York State.
+ George Frederic kiroy Vas = narive
+ Of Bain5ridge. y y where n vas
I born May -, 1855. Al ne age o -
! n entered rne RENSSELAER, Fol< tecn-
7 mic Institute. Al Troy, \. y, and four
( years later in Is57 Vas graduated
! from ne sespnl = : civil engineer.
( This school developed several civil an
I g.neers II note il the ea-Iy days % rail-
! road building II mis- country and MI.
I k.rby mas the las. but tare- 81 tne
( members u MS class. The OILY sur
( wing members u Ire class are WASH
( ington F:obeling II Trenton. y. j. ~1o
bUijt me BROOKLYN bridge Robert Is
c9bar. II Havana Cuoa. and Charles
( Macdonald. II Nsw YORK fita
Young Kjrby-s first employ meut was
+ with an engineering party IN southern
Minnesota, engaged in locating the
land lines 81 tne Southern Minnesota
I RanNsr Com parry. Later ne entered
Z the service 81 the Noble & Ohio. and
was placed in charge n the eonstruc-
ton % III lines :ro,n OkO.0-4. Miss, -
Z Jackson, Tenn
Builds Iowa Division Northwestern.
When tae civil ar broke out hon
ever, 9ir kirby zane north. and e1-
tered the a-nYloy q :b4 Cslena and
| Chicago Union RAILWAY Cor1psny. be-
! ing placed il charge % The building II
what il now he Ioaa division Of Inc
! Chicago & Northwestern railway from
Clinton 70 Council BlpGz Uson tae
completion u This work ~ Ak made
assistant superintendent AMI division
engineer, a position ~ ned several
I years.
\ The big Accomplishment - ne 3ife
Of Mr. kirby as railroad builder lay
in the work with the Chicago e. NORTH
western N k5-hv Division e--
gineer Of the road. ha6 cherge II tae
details Of construction NJ wtlsr is now
the Iowa division. but .er the r,los.
part that portion ii It that ny west n
Cedar Rapids. The LAYING of steeI was
under mis- direction. ~ wera also he
Installation Of gid5ngs, the b1l1G3nZ n
bridges. and Of stations. Br Tirj1y iaz6
charge Of the building u ne Dr56xe
over the Mississippi river II Clinton.
the second railroad bridge ~ span The
Father of Waters in THIS stair. ne
only other one being between itsve1l-
port and Rock Island.
In referring 70 rnig prq5est- IN il Ter
years, Mr. Kirby declared MT ia.
completion Of this work MAJ me Dropd-
est moment ri his life.
Located IeGrsnd sta.:o,.
1t was Mr.. Kirby who. - re 60
gineer in charge, located the Lel5rsad
station which IN years 70 -sp,gse an6. IN
fact, until very recent yesrs, Was =